Call for proposals: Blue Labs – innovative solutions for maritime challenges

This Call for Proposals (CfP) aims at promoting innovative “laboratories” (called Blue Labs) to pilot new and viable solutions addressing selected maritime and marine challenges and opportunities in the blue economy. The focus of this action is to support a novel way of working, where young scientists supported by researchers, industry and local stakeholders, team up to develop innovative solutions to support the development of a sustainable blue economy, while preserving marine resources and ecosystems. In order to ensure the EU added value of supported activities, the development of solutions have to be tailored to the specific problems or needs of one or more sea basins surrounding the EU coasts (Mediterranean, Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea). The Blue Labs concept works at the interface between research and commercial exploitation so that results from research are taken forward to the market. By doing so, it aims at contributing to generate jobs and business opportunities in the blue economy.

For this call for proposals, priority will be given to Blue Labs projects aiming at developing innovative solutions relating to one of the following topics:

1. Blue (bio)remediations: to exploit new metabolites and biomolecules, enzymes and genes from micro-organisms living in extreme marine environments; to develop and test (bio)remediation measures in different areas/places, including the possible re-use and recycling of hazardous materials.

2. Marine litter: to develop new technologies, tools and products to address mitigation and management of specific types of litter, including nanomaterials, micro-plastics and explosive litter.

3. Underwater cultural heritage: to develop new services, technologies or products (e.g. unmanned autonomous vehicles/robotic systems/etc.) to discover, protect and value underwater cultural heritage.

4. Invasive alien species and jelly fish proliferation: to develop new products, services and tools to address invasive alien species and/or jelly fish proliferation in the marine environment, including early detection, prevention, mitigation and management measures. Where relevant, management may include sustainable exploitation of the resources, for example jellyfish harvesting can be used for food, health and industrial applications.

These 4 topics reflect the priorities of this year’s call. However, applicants may propose a Blue Lab project focusing on other themes or topics in so far as the general and specific objectives of this call for proposals are met and the choice is duly justified in the proposal.

Blue Lab Team Requirements

The Blue Lab project has to be developed by a team consisting of at least:

a)     post-graduate students and/or recent post-graduates (having completed their postgraduate degree within the last 4 years); and

b)     one or more researchers and an experienced tutor from business and/or public sector who will steer the work of the abovementioned students.

In addition, other students (e.g. undergraduate students) can also be part of the Blue Lab Team. The Blue Lab Team has to work in consultation or cooperation with representatives of local communities (civil society and public authorities) that are concerned by the subject of the project. Those entities and the modalities to consult or cooperate with them have to be clearly identified and explained in the project proposal.

Core activities

In order to realise the objectives, projects must implement targeted activities resulting in concrete, measurable results within the project duration of maximum two years. In particular, the new solutions developed should be tested during the project lifetime. In line with the innovative character of the solutions to be developed by Blue Labs, examples of “core activities” include:

• Design, testing and piloting of the innovative services/products/tools to be developed;
• Field work necessary for the development of the planned solutions;
• Market analyses, studies and business plans;
• Training activities; – Patents registration and deposit;
• Legal and financial counselling (including crowdfunding and fund raising).

This list is non-exclusive and aims at providing guidance to applicants. Applicants may propose other activities they deem necessary to achieve the objectives of this action as long as the choice is justified and establishes a clear and direct link between the proposed activities and the project objectives.

Budget

The total budget earmarked under EASME for this action is €1,700,000. This budget might be increased by maximum 20%. It is estimated that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between €200,000 and EUR 500,000 would allow the objectives of this call for proposals to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts. EASME expects to fund 5-6 proposals.

Deadline

The deadline for submission of proposals is 31^st May, 2016 at 16:00h (Brussels time)

Eligibility

1. Proposals must be submitted by a consortium (partnership) of organisations. One of these organisations must act as the consortium coordinator, while the others will act as partners.
2. The consortium must consist of a minimum of 2 organisations, comprising at least:

a) one scientific/research body/institution (such as a higher education institution, research centre, technology institute) and

b) one private entity or public entity.

These 2 organisations have to be established in an EU Member State. Additional public and private partners from EU and third countries are allowed.

1. The consortium coordinator has to be established in an EU Member State.

More information on the call is available at: https://ec.europa.eu/easme/sites/easme-site/files/call_for_proposals-blue_labs.pdf  

All questions related to the call may be sent by e-mail to: EASME-EMFF-calls@ec.europa.eu, indicating as subject title the call reference “EASME/EMFF/2016/1.2.1.4“.