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The consortium of the Smart and Digital Agriculture (SDA) project visits the European institutions in Brussels  

  • Smart and Digital Agriculture (SDA) presents its innovation and digitalisation project in the agricultural sector to the European Commission.   
  • The consortium also visits the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee.  
  • The working agenda has been organised by Finnovaregio, partner of the project.   

Brussels, 16/04/2024. The Erasmus + Smart and Digital Agriculture (SDA) project consortium met on Monday 15 April in Brussels with representatives of the Committee of the Regions (CoR), the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Commission (EC). Finnovaregio, partner of the project, has been in charge of organising this agenda of visits with the aim of making known the strengths of SDA. The project seeks to innovate in agriculture by taking advantage of the added value of aromatic and medicinal plants to reduce youth unemployment and discourage the rural exodus to the cities. Ultimately, SDA aims to make agriculture more attractive and adapted to young people, allowing for generational change in the agricultural sector. 

The first stop was at the European Committee of the Regions, where project representatives met with Klaus Boele, policy maker. After introducing them to the structure and functioning of the CoR, they discussed strategies for engaging young people in digital agriculture. At this point, the importance of encouraging the participation of young people in policies and of having their presence in bodies such as the Committee itself, presenting the options for hosting young people in training in the institution, was highlighted.

The consortium then travelled to the EESC’s headquarters, where it was received by Arturo Íñiguez Yuste, Administrator of the EESC’s Section on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, Environment and Sustainable Rural and Urban Development. At this meeting, the support that the EESC can offer to the various interest groups related to the agricultural sector was discussed: “This is the only way for European interest groups to have a formal say on EU legislative projects in an institutional environment”. In addition, Yuste presented the consortium partners with ways to collaborate and inform their countries’ representatives within the EESC, with a view to carrying out activities related to the SDA or to achieve greater impact.

At the European Commission, project members presented their results to Diego Canga, Director of the Department of Dissemination, Research and Geographical Indications in the EC Directorate-General for Agriculture and Evangelia Mourmoura, Team Leader of Digitalisation in the Directorate for Strategy and Policy Analysis of the Directorate-General for Agriculture. The consortium established points of support with the institution for possible future synergies and received recommendations to maximize the impact of the project, putting on the table tools and funding opportunities that contribute to the scalability of the project.

This meeting of SDA partners (third meeting of the project) has served to present the project to different European institutions. The project is in its final phase and has developed material, such as the virtual laboratory that simulates the collection and production of lavender oil, the virtual platform that serves as a tool for online learning, the “Smart Greenhouse” application that allows you to know the state of the plantations and a help guide to support the production of raw materials for medicinal and aromatic plants. These results will be presented in June at an event in Eskisehir, Turkey.

This material will support the creation of job opportunities for young people in agriculture, while facilitating the exchange of knowledge and good practices, an aspect of the project very much in line with the European Year of Skills. Finnovaregio, a partner in the project, is aligned with this type of initiative that follows the Next Agritech Food Generation line of work, the foundation’s platform where the latest developments in the sector and the EU in terms of funding, legislation and events are published.

About Smart and Digital Agriculture

The European Smart and Digital Agriculture project actively promotes the promotion of digitalisation in the agricultural sector to address current and future challenges. Through innovative solutions, SDA seeks to improve efficiency, sustainability and food production. Under the leadership of Eskişehir Provincial Directorate of National Education (Turkey) and with the collaboration of Prof dr asen zlatarov University (Bulgaria), Institute of Agricultural Economics (Bulgaria), Finnovaregio (Belgium), Benaguasil City Council (Spain), Rural coalition kumanovo (Republic of North Macedonia), Anadolu University (Turkey), Saricakaya municipality (Turkey), Saricakaya District Directorate of Agriculture (Turkey), Association of cosmetic manufacturers and researchers (Turquía), the project has a total budget of €198,830, funded by the Erasmus+ programme, and has a duration of 2 years.

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Events News Seua

Water management, protagonist of the Finnova Foundation’s participation in the V Mediterranean Water Forum

  • The event held in Tunis brought together stakeholders involved in effective and sustainable water management in the Mediterranean region. 
  • The Foundation presented the European projects LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0, Horizon ONE-BLUE, Horizon RES4CITY and LIFE COSTAdapta. 
  • The projects presented can be scalable to other regions and European programs.

07/02/2023, Brussels. Water management and protection have been the main topics of the participation of Finnova Foundation in the V Mediterranean Water Forum, held in Tunis on February 5, 6 and 7. Finnova’s CEO, Juanma Revuelta, and the director of European funds, Juan Viesca, have presented the European projects related to water and climate change in which Finnova is a partner. The forum in Tunisia has brought together international experts and projects related to water and climate change have been exposed, allowing the sharing of knowledge, experiences and ideas to solve challenges related to water.

On Tuesday, February 6th, Finnova Foundation presented the projects LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0, Horizon ONE-BLUE, Horizon RES4CITY and LIFE COSTAdapta, all of them related to water management and protection. Those attending the session “WEFE Nexus: Water/Energy/Food/Environment” learned first-hand about the central objectives of these projects and visited a stand where the Foundation interacts with more stakeholders.

During these three days, various solutions for efficient and sustainable water management in the Mediterranean region were presented in Tunis. The participants had the opportunity to establish valuable contacts with water management professionals and to present innovative projects, technologies and practices developed in the Mediterranean. The conclusions of this Forum will be presented at the World Water Forum which, under the theme “Water for shared prosperity”, will gather from 18 to 24 May 2024, Heads of State, heads of international organizations, senior officials, experts, academics, entrepreneurs and economists from all over the world to share their knowledge, experiences and practices on a wide range of water-related topics.

Finnova Foundation CEO Juanma Revuelta says it has been an honor to have had the opportunity to have our own space at the forum to share innovative solutions from projects funded in Spain by the European Union. “We have had a great opportunity sharing the projects we are involved in. The Foundation’s presence here demonstrates our good work in sustainability, water and waste management, renewable energies and sustainable agriculture,” said Revuelta.

On the other hand, the director of the foundation has highlighted that the projects presented by Finnova are scalable in Mediterranean cooperation projects through the INTERREG MED or Horizon Europe program to address upcoming challenges such as drought, fires, pollution in the sea and the  generation of biogas from waste and the creation of new jobs following the principles of the circular economy.

Finnova, with the protection of waters 

The projects presented by the Finnova Foundation at the Mediterranean Water Forum are aligned with Next Water Generation, the foundation’s initiative to disseminate information on water management and protection. These initiatives are directly aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 14 (Underwater Life).

Moreover, these initiatives are scalable to obtain funding from other European funds. Some of the calls to which these projects can be scaled may be the Interreg Next Med lines (whose deadline for submission is March 30), projects that promote triangular cooperation with Ibero-America or calls corresponding to the LIFE program.

In addition to this forum, Finnova plans to participate in events related to water preservation and management in the coming months, such as Wex Global, Green Cities or Island Innovation. Finnova’s presence at these events highlights the great importance that the foundation attaches to water management, the fight against climate change in marine environments and the defense of marine biodiversity. Finnova reinforces its more than ten-year commitment to these causes and to the protection of the environment in all its dimensions.

European projects 

LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0, with a budget of 970,000 euros financed by the LIFE program, focuses on generating biogas from the mixture of putrescible organic waste. This project, led by Global Omnium (Spain) in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) transforms sewage sludge into green energy, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and taking advantage of the sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, with a positive impact on the environment.

Horizon ONE-BLUE focuses on research into emerging pollutants and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and marine biota. Funded by the Horizon Europe program with a budget of more than €6,200,000, the project will carry out case studies in the Atlantic Ocean, Arctic and Mediterranean Sea. Samples in the latter will be collected on the Spanish coast, in the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Seas. In addition, the project has the capacity to be extended to other countries and through additional European programs, such as the Interreg Next Med call.

Another project highlight will be Horizon RES4CITY, which advocates placing education systems at the center of the ecological transition. Funded by the Horizon program with a budget of €2.5 million, RES4CITY focuses on supporting training for the development of sustainable renewable energy in urban environments. In addition, RES4CITY STARTUP EUROPE ACCELERATHON was presented, an open competition that seeks the participation of entrepreneurs, students, researchers, etc., who propose innovative solutions to challenges related to hydrogen, land management and energy conservation.

Finally, LIFE COSTAdapta is dedicated to adapting the coast of Gran Canaria to sea level rise by creating a progressive and innovative system of reefs and tidal pools (Tidal-pool reef). Inspired by the traditional tidal-pool construction technique common in the Canary Islands and Macaronesia, this LIFE-funded project has a budget of more than €3,400,000.

About FINNOVA 

FINNOVA is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain. Its focus is dedicated to promoting and developing innovation and entrepreneurship in the European Union. FINNOVA’s expertise encompasses the management of communication and dissemination activities for European projects, backed by a strong track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events. It also demonstrates a strong commitment to the training and employability of young people.

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Events

The RES4CITY project “Renewable energies system for cities” will be present at the Greencities and S-Moving Fair in FYCMA Malaga

19.09.2023 Next Wednesday, September 20th, the event “Innovation in Green Cities through European Funds: RES4CITY”, organized by Finnova, will take place in the Multipurpose Room 7 of FYCMA Malaga. This activity, open to the public, is part of the Greencities and S-Moving Fair and its main objective is to promote the development of renewable energy and fuel technologies in urban environments.

The RES4CITY project, funded by the Horizon Europe program, stands as a crucial initiative to promote sustainability and circularity in the urban environment. With the implementation of an innovative educational program, it seeks to promote the use of renewable energy sources and sustainable fuel technologies in cities.

Through this event, it seeks to catalyze a dialogue between various actors gathered in FYCMA, in order to discuss strategies for a more sustainable urban management, giving special importance to smart mobility in the context of Green Cities.

This event will also mark the official launch of the RES4CITY Acceleration Program. Its primary objective is to foster the development of innovative solutions to challenges related to renewable energy and fuel technologies in urban environments.

The event will be in person with FREE ENTRY to those attending Greencities and S-Moving Fair and will feature Online Broadcasting.

More information on the RES4CITY project:

The RES4CITY project, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to boost the development of sustainable renewable energy and fuel technologies in cities. This objective will be achieved through the promotion of sustainability and circularity, as well as through the implementation of an innovative educational program designed in collaboration with stakeholders. This program seeks to train highly skilled professionals, enabling the replicability of results in various educational systems. The project is led by Maynooth University in a consortium of 18 organizations from the European Union and Switzerland, including Finnova.

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Events News

The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project will organise one of the side events of the European Green Week to Exchange best practices on energy transition

  • Under the title “LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 – Synergies towards greener communities”, the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project will organise a side event next Thursday, 8 June from 10:00 to 12:00 CEST in Valencia
  • This face-to-face meeting, which will also be streamed online, will bring together experts and representatives of other European LIFE, Horizon and Interreg projects
  • The event continues with the presentation of the jury of the new LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA call, launched on 17 May in an online seminar organised by this project for the European Sustainable Energy Week
  • The Startup Europe Awards will be presented on 21 September in the framework of Greencities and S-Moving at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA)

26/05/2023, Valencia. Next Thursday, June 8th from 10:00 to 12:00 CEST, the European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, of which Finnova Foundation is a partner, will hold a hybrid event, face-to-face at GoHub in Valencia and online, entitled “LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 – Synergies towards greener communities” in the framework of the European Commission’s European Green Week. The aim of this meeting is to bring together experts and representatives of European projects to exchange best practices and tools to promote sustainable energy transition.

The event will be opened by Victor Vercher, CFO of GoHub, and moderated by Adrian Noheda, Director of Innovation and Environment of the Finnova Foundation. The first block, on best practices and success stories, will be led by two of the partner organisations of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project: Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium, and Juanma Revuelta, CEO of the Finnova Foundation.

In the next panel, experts and representatives of European projects will participate such as Sandra Jorge, Director of Water Supply Operation of Águas do Centro Litoral; Victor Vercher, CFO of GoHub; Rafael Mossi, coordinator of the Competitiveness Department of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce; Mª Loreto Fenollosa, deputy director of the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering; Pieter de Jong, European representative for Wetsus and WaterCampus; Jorge Garcés, director of Polibienestar at the University of Valencia; and Miguel Ángel Suárez, PhD in Chemical Engineering and R&D technician at the Energy and Environment Technology Centre (CETENMA).

Lola Bordás, CMO of the Finnova Foundation and director of Women4Tech, will be responsible for opening the next block on Girls4Tech challenge LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 and the new call for LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 SEUA, where she will announce the members of the jury. On behalf of the jury, the event will be attended in person by Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium, and remotely by Mark Barker, CEO of Wex Global, and João Simão, Executive Director of the Portuguese Water Partnership (PWP).

These Startup Europe Awards are looking for startups that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change. The awards ceremony will take place on 21 September in the framework of Greencities and S-Moving at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos (FYCMA) and the registration of proposals will remain open until 31 July via this link. The successful candidate will benefit from a European acceleration ticket, consisting of training in legislation and European funds, mentoring to turn the idea into a real demonstration project such as Horizon Europe or Life, subsidised by the EU with up to 5 million euros per project. Startups awarded in other competitions have obtained subsidies for their internationalisation – up to 2.5 million through the EIC programme – or access to grants such as Erasmus entrepreneurs or registration of trademarks and patents.  They will also have access to a networking network and investors with whom they will learn best practices in the management of relationships within the EU framework and will receive advice on the European legal framework and the internationalisation of the project.

Those interested in this event organised by LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, can register here to attend in person or click here to watch the webcast.

About the European Green Week

The European Green Week is an annual opportunity to discuss European environmental policy with policy makers, leading environmentalists and stakeholders from Europe and beyond. Side events organised in the framework of this week, under the theme “Delivering a net-zero world” will take place from Saturday, 3 June to Sunday, 11 June 2023.

About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0

This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU.

About GoHub

GoHub, founded in 2019 as a €30 million investment fund, is the Corporate Venturing arm of Global Omnium. GoHub invests in B2B SaaS solutions to improve process automation and is committed to technologies based on advanced engineering such as applied AI, augmented reality, edge computing, 5G, No Code, cybersecurity, quantum, etc. Moreover, present on four continents and with seven million customers, they have already identified and supported a total of 25 startups.

About Global Omnium

The Global Omnium Group is a national and international benchmark specialising in the different processes of the Integrated Water Cycle. With more than 130 years of experience, the Group is present in 15 Spanish Autonomous Communities, the United States, Africa and the Middle East. It currently groups 25 specialised companies, 13 participating firms and 56 UTEs in different areas related to water management, engineering and the environment. The Global Omnium Group manages a total of 28 drinking water treatment plants, 308 wastewater treatment facilities, 25 septic tanks, 155 external pumping stations and 2 sludge facilities in Spain.

About Águas do Centro Litoral

Águas do Centro Litoral is a Multi-municipal Water Supply and Sanitation System for the Centro Litoral of Portugal, which covers the collection, treatment and supply of water for public consumption and the collection, treatment and rejection of domestic and urban effluents and the reception of effluents from the cleaning of septic tanks. Águas do Centro Litoral covers a geographical area of 5,485 km2 and its main activity is water supply and wastewater treatment. Other activities such as water quality control, quality control of rejected effluents, maintenance of a global quality system, asset management, investment planning and execution, management control, accounting system, among others, are intrinsic to the core of the company.

About the Startup Europe Awards

The Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) is an initiative promoted by the European Commission, launched by the Finnova Foundation in collaboration with StartUp Europe. It is an open innovation tool that allows companies to identify talented startups capable of solving today’s challenges in multiple areas. Its mission is to help Startups and Scaleups become more efficient, smarter and more successful. These awards are a useful tool to promote knowledge sharing, add value to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help startups to grow and position themselves in the market.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.

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📢SAVE THE DATE📢

🔜 LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 organizes a side-event in the framework of the #EUGreenWeek

📆 Thursday, 08/06

🕘 10h00 – 12h00 CEST

📍 GoHub Valencia/ Online

🔗 Find out more about the event and register: 

Copies Linkedin EN

📢SAVE THE DATE📢

🔜 LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 organizes a side-event in the framework of the European Green Week

📆 Thursday, 08/06

🕘 10h00 – 12h00 CEST

📍 GoHub Valencia/ Online

✅ On Thursday, 8th June, from 10h00 to 12h00 CEST, LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0will be hosting an hybrid side-event, GoHub Valencia and online, entitled “LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 – Synergies towards greener communities” in the framework of the European Green Week.

✅ Victor Vercher, CFO of GoHub, will be opening the event, which will be moderated by Adrian Noheda, Director of Innovation and Environment of Finnova

✅ The meeting will be divided into the following panels:

1️⃣ Good practices by LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0

👉🏼 Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium

👉🏼 Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova

2️⃣ Synergies, projects towards energy transition & round-table

👉🏼 Sandra Jorge, Director of Water Supply Operation at Águas do Centro Litoral

👉🏼 Victor Vercher, CFO of GoHub

👉🏼 Rafael Mossi, Coordinator of the Competitiveness Department of the Chamber of Commerce of Valencia

👉🏼 Mª Loreto Fenollosa, Deputy Director of the Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering

👉🏼 Pieter de Jong, EU Representative for Wetsus & WaterCampus

👉🏼 Jorge Garcés, Director of Polibienestar of the University of Valencia

👉🏼 Miguel Ángel Suárez, PhD in Chemical Engineering and R&D Technician at CETENMA

3️⃣ LIFE ECODIGESTION 2. SEUA & GIRLS4TECH

👉🏼 Lola Bordás, CMO of Finnova and Head of Womenfortech

👉🏼 Elías Colom, Corporate Marketing Director of Global Omnium

👉🏼 Mark Barker, CEO of WEX Global

👉🏼 João Simão, Executive Director of Portuguese Water Partnership

🔗 Find out more about the event: 

Online registrations In-person registrations

Categories
Events Youth

Finnova Foundation visits the Korean Cultural Centre in Brussels to explore cooperation

Bryan Eíto Millera, Asia Coordinator at Finnova; Javier Medina Padilla, Intern-Assistant Event Organiser; Chung Haetal, Head of Press and Communication; Massimiliano Luca Dragoni, Vice President of Finnova; Natalia Cediel, Communicator and Coordinator of International Relations and Entrepreneurship at Finnova; and Paula Antón Vega, Coordinator of Eastern Partnership and Youth Training at Finnova.

Brussels, 12 May – Finnova Foundation visited the Korean Cultural Centre in Brussels to explore lines and projects of cooperation with this associated entity of the Korean Embassy to the European Union and Belgium. Both the Korean Cultural Centre and the Hispanic-Belgian Foundation put on the table the importance of the cooperation between the European Union and South Korea, whose partnerships were established 59 years ago.

South Korea is a dynamic and attractive country, open to the values of the European Union. This is why the Finnova Foundation has expressed interest in joint projects to promote tourism, culture and entrepreneurship between the two regions. Mr Chung Haetal, Head of Press and Communication, welcomed the Foundation’s proposals in view of the anniversary of the EU-South Korea agreement in 2023.

During their visit to the centre, Finnova’s international cooperation team took the opportunity to discover the cultural richness of the country through the photo exhibition “Resonance of the trees” with artists such as Kim Jungman, Kim Sinwook, Kim Daesoo and Lee Jeonglok.

In various parts of the world, we are already seeing and breathing the “Hallyu wave” (the Korean pop culture movement) spreading among young people around the world. With this in mind, Finnova Foundation has emphasised its proximity to young Europeans in order to strengthen through them those links between the two regions that can provide mutually cultural feedback.

About the Finnova Foundation

Finnova is the European foundation that supports the financing of innovation in companies, regions and municipalities. Our areas of expertise include sustainable development, circular economy, water and waste management, employment and youth, ICT and tourism, among others.

About the Korean Cultural Centre Brussels

In the heart of Brussels, the capital of Europe, the Korean Cultural Centre has sought since its opening in November 2013 to promote cooperation and cultural exchange between Belgium and Korea, between the European Union and Korea, through various traditional and contemporary cultural activities.

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Events General-en

PUNCH displays its sustainable mobility and zero-emission technologies based on hydrogen in its Strasbourg factory

  • Belgian consortium organised a guided tour of its factory in Strasbourg to showcase its hydrogen-based and zero-emission technologies in the car manufacturing industry.
  • Lina Gálvez, MEP and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy, attended the event as we celebrated the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
  • This TechDay was held within the 19th European Week of Regions and Cities.
  • Finnova, a leading organisation in managing EU funds for innovation and environmental projects, endorses PUNCH’s financing under Next Generation funds.

Brussels, 22.10.2021

Belgian consortium PUNCH, an independent group with over forty years of experience in the automobile and technological industry, held a guided tour through its Strasbourg factory on 20 October. The goal of this TechDay was to bring PUNCH’s work closer to society and to demonstrate its commitment to developing and upgrading state-of-the-art and zero-emission technologies for sustainable mobility using hydrogen. This event, which was attended by over 80 people, was supported by Finnova Foundation, a leading organisation managing EU funds for innovative and environmental projects. Finnova equally supports the financing of PUNCH’s project under Next Generation funds.

Attendees got to see first-hand PUNCH’s pickup prototype equipped with a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine – a byword of PUNCH’s commitment to clean and sustainable solutions.

PUNCH’s hydrogen-powered pickup prototype

PUNCH presented its vision for the energy transition and decarbonisation by putting forward alternative mobility solutions focusing on three fundamental levers: the current technologies and production means which enable energy transition; the uptake of specialised technologies for each sector; and the build-up of a controlled transition which takes into account its social and economic effects to preserve the existing supply base.

The event featured MEP and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy, Lina Gálvez, who delivered the keynote address, Rudy Aernoudt, civil servant at the European Commission’s DG GROW, and a wide array of other representatives from institutions as well as experts in the automobile sector.

MEP Lina Gálvez, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Finnova Foundation CEO, Juan Manuel Revuelta, said that “PUNCH’s project to re-industrialise the Nissan plants is a project eligible for EU funding, as it aims to secure 2,000 jobs and to transform these plants by ensuring decarbonisation and a zero-emission mobility using hydrogen which is capable of transporting heavy weights”. Mr Revuelta also stressed that PUNCH’s project focuses on Europe: “PUNCH’s pickup combines Italian innovation and technology from its Torino factory with the collaboration of its plants in Slovakia and Strasbourg (France)”. “PUNCH takes part in cross-regional cooperation, as this event is framed within the European Week of Regions and Cities and it is endorsed by DG MOVE. PUNCH’s candidacy is the most pro-European one – this Belgian family-owned company does believe in Europe of the Regions”, added Mr Revuelta.

European Week of Regions and Cities 2021

PUNCH’s TechDay is framed within the 19th European Week of Regions and Cities 2021 (an initiative endorsed by the Committee of the Regions), the most important event for regional and urban EU policies where international experts discuss EU cohesion policy. The 2021 programme, ‘Together for Recovery’,  centers on the capacity of the EU and governments to support EU citizens and local communities via practical measures and public policies to invest in a fairer, greener, and more digital future as well as to make Europe spearhead the green transition. PUNCH strives to contribute to the EU’s endeavours in sustainable mobility and ecological transition thanks to the partnership of five European regions – Catalonia, Flanders, Piedmont, Grand Est, and Banská Bystrica.

The proposal of the PUNCH consortium, a project with European technological cooperation between Turin-Flanders-Catalonia, would create 2,000 jobs in Barcelona and would promote sustainable mobility. PUNCH ensures industrial continuity at Nissan’s Barcelona plants and is the most supported candidacy by trade unions. The objectives of this project are decarbonisation, green transition, sustainable mobility, the maintenance of jobs at the PUNCH factory, the promotion of technology transfer and public-private partnerships, and the support and attraction of innovative start-ups around the Hydrogen Automotive Startup Europe Accelerator by Finnova Foundation.

European Mobility Week

The technologies developed in the Punch project contribute to achieving zero CO2 emissions, one of the global challenges set by the UN and the EU. For this reason, this initiative, which was presented at Esferic Barcelona on 14 September, is also an official event within the framework of the European Mobility Week, an awareness-raising campaign of the European Commission’s DG MOVE aimed at raising public awareness and facilitating a change in habits through the promotion of clean and sustainable urban transport. 

PUNCH Group

PUNCH is an independent group with 40 years of experience in the automotive and technology industry, 100% owned by the Belgian Dumarey family. The group employs 1,750 employees in 7 locations across Europe and Asia with an annual turnover of over half a billion euros.

PUNCH’s portfolio ranges from automatic transmissions and reducers for eAxles (PUNCH Powerglide), engines and control systems (PUNCH Torino), kinetic energy recuperation and storage systems (PUNCH Flybrid), to forged aluminium chassis parts (PUNCH Precision). PUNCH concentrated its existing expertise around hydrogen by creating PUNCH Hydrocells, which targets the development, supply, and integration of hydrogen-based propulsion and energy storage systems, reinforcing the PUNCH group’s commitment to Zero Emission technology. PUNCH’s customer base includes renowned OEMs and automotive suppliers such as General Motors, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, TATA, SAIC, Changan, ZF, and Marelli, to name a few.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova Foundation is a Spanish-Belgian foundation which finances innovation. Finnova aims to promote public-private cooperation through innovation to address societal challenges such as jobs, training, entrepreneurship, the UN SDGs, and the circular economy, among others. Being committed to innovation, Finnova has been organising the Startup Europe Awards since 2016, an initiative of the European Commission’s DG Connect. Headquartered in Belgium and Spain, Finnova has its own delegations in Chile and Panama. In Spain, Finnova is present in Valencia, the Basque Country, Andalusia, Madrid, and the Canary Islands.

www.finnova.eu

Categories
Events General-en

PUNCH will hold a TechDay in its Strasbourg factory to bring closer zero-emission technologies and sustainable mobility to the public

Brussels, 20 October 2021.

With over 40 years of experience in the automotive and technology industry, PUNCH is a Belgium independent group aiming to bring closer its top-notch technology to society. PUNCH’s technical know-how helps meet climate and environmental goals as well as ensures efficient and sustainable mobility. Consequently, PUNCH will open the doors of their Strasbourg factory to over 80 attendees, including EU representatives, companies, and media, on Wednesday 20 October from 9:30 to 12:30 CEST.

The first part of the TechDay will commence at 9:30 and will be devoted to welcoming attendees and visiting exhibited innovations from the PUNCH Group and its start-ups, including its H2-engine, eAxles, and its hydrogen-powered pickup prototype. At 10:15, the organisers of this event, PUNCH Group, will share their vision for a decarbonised future, followed by some keynote addresses and speeches by Guido Dumarey, Founder and CEO, PUNCH; Jean-Luc Heimburger, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Alsace; Alan Atassi, Chargé de mission restructuration et prevention des entreprises en difficulté, French Department for Economy, Finance, and Recovery and Juan Manuel Revuelta, CEO of Finnova Foundation, a leading organisation providing EU funds for innovation and environmental projects. On top of that, Finnova has facilitated NextGeneration funds for PUNCH. After this introduction, attendees will visit the ongoing production focused on Industry 4.0 and other innovative exhibits.

This event, which will coincide with the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, will feature the attendance of EU representatives, including Lina Gálvez, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. The TechDay will also host Mr. Alain Jund, Vice-chair of Mobility and Urban Matters at the Eurométropole of Strasbourg; Sigrid de Vries, Secretary-General at CLEPA, and several other representatives from French and German companies such as Peugeot, Bosch, or Heppner.

European Week of Regions and Cities 2021

PUNCH’s TechDay is framed within the 19th European Week of Regions and Cities 2021 – an initiative endorsed by the Committee of the Regions –, the most important event on regional and urban EU policies where international experts discuss EU cohesion policy. The 2021 programme – ‘Together for Recovery’ –  centers on the capacity of the EU and governments to support EU citizens and local communities via practical measures and public policies to invest in a fairer, greener and more digital future as well as to make Europe spearhead the green transition. PUNCH strives to contribute to the EU’s endeavors in sustainable mobility and ecological transition thanks to the partnership of five European regions – Catalonia, Flanders, Piedmont, Grand Est, and Banská Bystrica. The proposal of the PUNCH consortium – a project with European technological cooperation between Turin-Flanders-Catalonia – would create 2,000 jobs in Barcelona and would promote sustainable mobility. PUNCH ensures industrial continuity at Nissan’s Barcelona plants and is the most supported candidacy by trade unions. The objectives of this project are decarbonisation, green transition, sustainable mobility, the maintenance of jobs at the PUNCH factory, the promotion of technology transfer and public-private partnerships and the support and attraction of innovative start-ups around the Hydrogen Automotive Startup Europe Accelerator of the Finnova Foundation.

European Mobility Week

The technologies developed in the Punch project contribute to achieving zero CO2 emissions, one of the global challenges set by the UN and the EU. For this reason, this initiative, which was presented at Esferic Barcelona on 14 September, is also an official event within the framework of the European Mobility Week, an awareness-raising campaign of the European Commission’s DG MOVE aimed at raising public awareness and facilitating a change in habits through the promotion of clean and sustainable urban transport. 

PUNCH Group

PUNCH is an independent group with 40 years of experience in the automotive and technology industry, 100% owned by the Belgian Dumarey family. The group employs 1,750 employees in 7 locations across Europe and Asia with an annual turnover of over half a billion Euros.

PUNCH’s portfolio ranges from automatic transmissions and reducers for eAxles (PUNCH Powerglide), engines and control systems (PUNCH Torino), kinetic energy recuperation and storage systems (PUNCH Flybrid), to forged aluminium chassis parts (PUNCH Precision). PUNCH concentrated its existing expertise around hydrogen by creating PUNCH Hydrocells, which targets the development, supply, and integration of hydrogen-based propulsion and energy storage systems, reinforcing the PUNCH group’s commitment to Zero Emission technology. PUNCH’s customer base includes renowned OEMs and automotive suppliers such as General Motors, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, TATA, SAIC, Changan, ZF, and Marelli, to name a few.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova Foundation is a Spanish-Belgian foundation which finances innovation. Finnova aims to promote public-private cooperation through innovation to address societal challenges such as jobs, training, entrepreneurship, the UN SDGs, and the circular economy, among others. Being committed to innovation, Finnova has been organising the Startup Europe Awards since 2016, an initiative of the European Commission’s DG Connect.

Headquartered in Belgium and Spain, Finnova has its own delegations in Chile and Panama. In Spain, Finnova is present in Valencia, the Basque Country, Andalusia, Madrid and the Canary Islands. www.finnova.eu

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Events General-en News

The seventh NEXT LATAM-EU GENERATION conference fulfils its aim of making cooperation, solidarity and innovation key tools for the prevention, reduction and management of disasters

  • A debate was held on how innovation works to solve and manage all types of natural disasters and their impacts.
  • Speakers from 9 different realities, including institutional representatives, experts and entrepreneurs, took part in this session
  • In line with the challenges launched at this event, the European Commission’s COP26 StartUp Europe Awards will be presented at the United Nations COP26 in November

Brussels, 14.10.2021 – The seventh NEXT LATAM-EU GENERATION conference, entitled “EU-LATAM cooperation and natural disasters: prevention, combating and regeneration“, was held on the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and highlights the importance of cooperation, solidarity and innovation in order to reduce the impact of natural disasters produced by climate change. During the conference, the volcano tragedy of La Palma in the Canary Islands, the more than 510,000 deaths registered in the last 50 years due to natural disasters linked to climate change in Latin America, as well as the economic losses caused by earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and floods and droughts caused by El Niño phenomenon, were some of the disasters reminded during this event.

The aim of this initiative is to offer sustainable and innovative solutions to reduce natural disasters by linking EU Member States and Latin America. It also calls to develop joint projects benefiting from European funding in the wake of the La Palma volcano phenomenon, which is leaving its aftermath in the peripheral regions, which are more vulnerable and exposed to the impact of climate change. The conference featured speakers from 9 countries on both sides of the Atlantic, who highlighted the need to create management techniques and urgent

measures to help mitigate the impact of natural disasters. Each participant, from their own national contexts, explained how the integration of innovative projects in society can serve to manage and coordinate the main recurring disasters that they are likely to face due to the new climate reality. In the opening of the event, Juan Manuel Revuelta, Finnova CEO, insisted on the need for cooperation in the field of natural disasters, as well as their prevention and the benefits of the application of disruptive solutions for the recovery of affected areas, mentioning the volcano in La Palma as a current example.

Juan Manuel Revuelta, CEO of the Finnova Foundation, moderator of the event

The first block of presentations included Leda Sánchez Bettucci, president of the executive council of Ceresis: Regional Seismology Centre for South America, who gave an overview of the seismic panorama in Uruguay and highlighted the need to improve infrastructures and techniques to face a natural disaster, and José Luis Rojo Franco, head of productive development programmes and humanitarian focal point of the AECID technical cooperation office in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. José Luis pointed out the improvement made in the humanitarian response and local preparation in the August 2021 earthquake compared to the one in 2010 and emphasize the need for urgent action as well as local preparation and capacity to manage aid as key elements for an effective humanitarian response.

Leda Sánchez Betucci, President of the Executive Board of Ceresis: Regional Seismology Centre for South America (left) and José Luis Rojo Franco, Head of Productive Development Programmes and Humanitarian Focal Point of the AECID Technical Cooperation Office in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (right).

The event was followed by the participation of several experts in the field such as Nora Wolloch, executive manager of WSA; João Bosco Coura dos Reis, researcher associated with the MAP-Fire project; Barbarita Lara Martínez, leader of the S!E: Emergency Information System and Frederico de Moraes Rudorff, monitoring and alert coordinator, who presented various digital platforms that allow the management of risks and impacts of forest risks or floods and applications that allow sending text messages without Internet access or mobile networks in the event of a natural disaster, among others, from countries such as Chile, Brazil or Austria.

Nora Wolloch, WSA executive manager (top left); João Bosco Coura dos Reis, MAP-Fire research associate (top right); Barbarita Lara Martínez, S!E: Emergency Information System project leader (bottom left) and Frederico de Moraes Rudorff, monitoring and warning coordinator (bottom right).

Juan Viesca, director of European funds at Finnova, presented the European Union’s cooperation programmes for financing projects in the field of disaster prevention and natural catastrophes such as floods, fires, earthquakes, storms and droughts.

Juan Viesca, Director of European Funds at the Finnova Foundation

From the institutional side, Christophe Pateron, deputy head of Unit, Emergency Management and RescEU of the European Commission, general management ECHO, presented the EU Civil Protection Mechanism which coordinates the European Union’s response in the field of natural and man-made disasters.

Christophe Pateron, Deputy Head of Unit, Emergency Management and EU Rescue, European Commission, Directorate-General ECHO

In the last block of the webinar, several entrepreneurs shared success stories linked to natural disasters. This part was attended by Alejandro Correa, head of the agricultural applications department at Drone Hopper, who presented the use of drones as tools for extinguishing fires; Leonardo Melgarejo, CEO of CivilSig, a Peruvian satellite that reports and warns of natural disasters and indicates the safe places in such cases; and Leonardo Rico, CEO of Lluvia Sólida, who mentionned the creation of a polymer that prevents the passage of fire on the ground to avoid putting the lives of firefighters at risk. Along the same lines, Héctor Juan, European projects technician at the Finnova Foundation, explained the FIREPOCTEP project, which aims to adapt to climate change through the prevention and management of the landscape exposed to forest fires in cross-border rural areas between Spain and Portugal.

 Alejandro Correa, Head of Agriculture Applications Department at Drone Hopper (top left); Leonardo Melgarejo, CEO of CivilSig (top right); and Leonardo Rico, CEO of Lluvia Sólida (bottom left) and Héctor Juan, European projects technician at the Finnova Foundation (bottom right).

To close with a flourish and give continuity to the cooperation and innovation of the NEXT LATAM-EU GENERATION conference, Juan Manuel Revuelta launched the 4 challenges of the COP26 Startup Europe Awards in 4 categories, whose prizes will be awarded at the corresponding official COP26 events, co-organised by Finnova during the month of November. The first event and challenge will take place on Friday 5 November in Brussels, having bioeconomy as main subject and exposing Life Ecodigestion 2.0 project as a success story. The second event and challenge will take place from La Palma, with representatives from LATAM and the United Kingdom in the circular economy, in particular, the textile and fashion sector, accompanied by a case of success such as the European project CircularInooBooster and its accelerator CirCoAX, on Saturday 6 November. Subsequently, on Monday 8 November, the awards for innovations in the field of prevention, management and reduction of forest fires will be presented by the Interreg project Iberian Centre for Research and Fight against Forest Fires (CILIFO). Finally, on Friday 12

November, the sustainable mobility challenge will be awarded with the support of Malaga City Council.

Finnova mentioned the Ibero-American congress of Family Businesses and SMEs on Wednesday 20 October in Alcobendas (Madrid) as part of the cooperation sessions of the NEXT LATAM-EU GENERATION conference.

About Next LATAM-EU Generation

The project proposed with Next LATAM-EU Generation was born after the Ibero-American Congress of Family Businesses and SMEs, held last January by the Business Market Network. In the congress was highlighted the need for transatlantic collaboration to face common challenges in both continents, such as COVID-19. In this sense, sharing knowledge and creating synergies are the fundamental pillars of these monthly conferences that cover topics framed in the SDG of the United Nations and promote innovation through the open innovation methodology of the European Commission that implements Finnova Startup Europe Awards.

Pre-events

The Next LATAM-EU Generation cycle is divided into nine online events held on the second Tuesday of each month related to the United Nations SDG. These events end with the StartUp Europe Awards ceremony of the European Commission.

On the first conference, held on 8 March to coincide with International Women’s Day, speakers such as, Patricia Llombart, former ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Colombia; Liskel Álvarez, councillor delegate for external action of the inter-island council of Tenerife and Adriana Vargas, head of the trade section of the Colombian Mission to the European Union, discussed the vision of women in LATAM-EU business cooperation, within the framework of innovation and entrepreneurship. The second conference, on 6 April, entitled “Challenges and opportunities for tourism through LATAM-EU cooperation in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis” was held on the occasion of World Health Day, dealt with the actual

challenges facing the tourism sector and how to address them. Manuel Vegas, president of the spanish Association of Hotel Managers (AEDH), Antonio López de Ávila, co-founder and CEO of Tourism Data Driven Solutions (TDDS) and Irene Sánchez, business creation manager at EIT Health Spain, among others, took part in the event.

The third conference, held on 11 May same day as the World Recycling Day, was entitled: “Challenges of the circular economy in LATAM-EU cooperation as a model of production and consumption for sustainability” and was attended by Isabel Silva Souza, ambassador of the European Commission’s Climate Pact, Álvaro Hernández, president of the Board of Directors of Inboplast, Sharam Yalda, partner of CirCoAX and founder of HumanNation, Alonso Salguero, CEO of GTA Ingeniería y Medioambiente, and Giuseppe Liberati, executive director of Bridging Value, among others.

The fourth webinar of the Next LATAM-EU Generation cycle, “Entrepreneurship and water: Engine of economic recovery and social development of regions and municipalities“, was held on Tuesday 13 July during the celebration of World Population Day and World Oceans Day. It was attended by Rafael Heredero, policy advisor at EurEau secretariat (Brussels), Javier Vázquez Hueso, EMALGESA CEO and deputy mayor of Algeciras City Council, Luis Lehmann, international expert in circular economy, Juan Carlos Gázquez, director of Cajamar Innova – Incubator of High Technology Companies in Water in Cajamar Foundation, Josu Gómez Barrutia, Red Business Market CEO, and Adrián Nadal, Bioferric Ink CEO, among many others. On Tuesday 10 August, the fifth day of the NEXT LATAM – EU Generation sessions took place, with the honorary participation of H.E. Mr. Darío Chiru, Panama’s ambassador in Belgium. The event, entitled “Training and mobility opportunities for young professionals and entrepreneurs”, was held on World Youth Day by Finnova and Startup Europe Awards in collaboration with Red Business Market and the Ibero-American Congress of Family Businesses and SMEs. The aim was to offer training opportunities within the framework of

the EU, promote transnational mobility and improve the employability of young people. 

On 21 September, the sixth event was held as part of the proposals planned for Next LATAM-EU Generation. The event focused on sustainable development and circular economy for professionals in the tourism sector in Latin American countries (LATAM) and the EU countries, with the participation of Natalia Bayona, director of innovation, education and investment of the World Tourism Organization. The aim of the conference was to highlight the importance of tourism in the national and international economy and to generate synergies or common projects between the two areas.

About Finnova 

Finnova is a foundation working to promote and to develop innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit across the EU. Based in Brussels, it works and engages in partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s experience in leading communication activities and disseminating European projects is coupled with an extensive expertise in creating enterprises and entrepreneurial support programmes such as accelerators, incubators, and events.

www.finnova.eu 

Categories
Events General-en News

EUROPEAN VOCATIONAL SKILLS WEEK 2020 – DISCOVER Your Talent. Your Journey. Your Choice.

On Friday 13 November 2020, the webinar “CILIFO Project”: INTRODUCTION TO THE EUROPEAN FUNDS” will take place from 11:00 to 12:30 (Brussels time) as part of the fifth European Vocational Skills Week.

This training day on European financial sources is organised by the Finnova Foundation as part of its actions as a beneficiary of the CILIFO Project, financed by the Interreg POCTEP programme (2014-2020), and as part of European Vocational Training Week 2020. The conference aims to reach young people, as well as the general public, interested in the subject of forest fire prevention and extinction, adaptation and mitigation to climate change, on aspects related to the European financial sources available for vocational training, as well as for projects that promote youth employment in rural areas, and especially in the subject of CILIFO.

CILIFO has an extensive training programme which covers various target groups, from operational personnel involved in fire prevention and extinguishing plans, professionals and civil servants in the sector, companies and entrepreneurs, teachers and teaching staff, as well as young people who are committed to finding a professional future in the field of forest fire prevention and extinguishing, adaptation and mitigation of climate change in rural areas.

The webinar will also feature speakers who will present mobility programmes that make it possible to receive funding for professional exchanges or volunteering within the EU. Beneficiaries of these programmes will also take part in the event and will explain how their professional experience has improved as a result of participating in these initiatives. Examples of good practice and funding programmes such as Erasmus+ will also be studied, among others, where they are committed to training for the qualification of firefighters and other groups working in the prevention and extinction of forest fires, and the conservation of our natural habitat.

This conference therefore opens up new possibilities for the employability of CILIFO’s target audience. The aim of the conference is to support young people through training initiatives that favour recruitment in CILIFO’s areas and themes, generating opportunities at local and regional level in CILIFO’s intervention territory, the Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalucía.

To register to the event, click here. The European Vocational Skills Week, organised by the European Commission, is an annual event during which local, regional or national organisations showcase the best of vocational education and training (VET) – a sector capable of empowering all people with the skills they need for a fulfilling personal and professional life. After five editions, the event has become a sought-after exchange platform for VET stakeholders around Europe and beyond.

This year’s edition will be a hybrid event taking place in-person in Berlin (Germany) and digitally across the EU from 9-13 November 2020. The Week 2020 will play a particularly important role, given the challenges Europe’s VET community is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides an unrivalled forum for identifying common problems and exchanging solutions.

The focus of the 2020 edition will be on “VET for Green and Digital Transitions” in line with the Commission’s priorities on a European Green Deal and a Europe fit for the digital age.

The overall objectives of the Week are to:

· Showcase the many ways VET can help young people and adults to ‘discover their talent’ and prepare today for Europe’s economy of the future.

· Demonstrate to employers the enormous benefits of investing in human resources by supporting the initial training of young people, as well as the upskilling and reskilling of adults, particularly in a post-COVID-19 world.

· Validate the choices people make when they choose VET, by showing its competitive value.

· Develop an awareness of European Vocational Skills Week, building on the success of previous campaigns.

VET IN EUROPE

· The employment rate of recent VET graduates in Europe is 78.9 % (2019). Source: Eurostat – Employment rates of recent graduates, pg. 2

· 10.8 % of Europe’s population aged 25 to 64 participate in adult learning (2019). Source: Eurostat – Adult learning statistics

· 60 % of VET graduates find their first long-term job within a month of finishing their studies (80 % after six months) (2018). Source: A quick guide to EU action on vocational education and training pg. 11 · 29 % of individuals have low overall digital skills (2019). Source: Eurostat· The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the existing digital skills gap, and new inequalities are emerging. Source: European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience, pg. 1

CILIFO

The project “Iberian Centre for Research and Fight against Forest Fires” (CILIFO) focuses on the fight against forest fires and their consequences for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change; within a framework of cross-border cooperation for the prevention of risks and the improvement of the management of natural resources in Spain and Portugal in the area of the Euroregion Alentejo – Algarve – Andalusia. CILIFO falls under Thematic Objective 5 of the POCTEP Programme: Promoting adaptation to climate change in all sectors; and responds to the investment priority, with respect to the POCTEP Programme, 5B: Promoting investment to address specific risks and ensuring adaptation to disasters and development of disaster management systems.

With a duration of three years (2019 to 2021), it aims, through the results of its activities, to establish itself as a permanent centre for the promotion and development of training, awareness, development and innovation, and inter-regional cooperation in the fight against forest fires.

CILIFO is being developed thanks to the collaboration of a public-private partnership, led by the Andalusian Regional Government and made up of public research bodies, non-profit-making public interest entities and public administrations, all with the common objective of fighting forest fires. Website: http://cilifo.eu/

FINNOVA FOUNDATION

FINNOVA is a non-profit European foundation, with headquarters in Belgium-Brussels, and offices and branches in Spain (Seville, Valencia, Tenerife, Madrid and Vitoria), whose main purpose is to seek international funding related to the transfer of new technology, modernisation, training and innovation for regional or local public administrations. Its main objective is to promote international and inter-regional cooperation through networks and events, its main fields of work being the environment, energy, climate change, innovation and improvement of the quality of life. Website: www.finnova.eu

CONTACT

For more information or specific requests, please email navarro@finnova.eu and projects@finnova.eu.

EUROPEAN VOCATIONAL SKILLS WEEK

Website: ec.europa.eu/social/vocational-skills-week

Twitter: @EU_social @EuropeanYouthEU #EUVocationalSkills #DiscoverYourTalent

Facebook: @socialeurope @EuropeanYouthEU

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Events News

Ivace supports the cultural and creative industries sector with a new European initiative aimed at rendering them more resilient and competitive

Ivace supports competitiveness, innovation and sustainability in the cultural and creative industries sector by carrying out multi-sector and collaborative actions under different EU programmes

The goal is to find out innovative solutions to the challenges faced by this sector as well as to get EU funding

València (6.7.21) – The Instituto Valenciano de Competitividad Empresarial (Ivace) has just launched a challenge to the cultural and creative industries sector (CCIs) aimed at identifying innovative solutions eligible for EU funding under Horizon Europe, Creative Europe, LIFE, Green Deal or Next Generation EU.

This challenge will take form in an open innovation European programme led by Ivace. According to Júlia Company, General Director at Ivace, “our goal is to support those artists, creators, professionals and organisations that have an innovative project to cooperate and to jointly create products with local and European actors by offering them instruments to become more resilient and competitive”.

On July 15, Ivace will deliver an online presentation on this European programme. “We hope many businesses, professionals and stakeholders from the CCIs sector will join us. We want to find innovative solutions to meet the challenges the CCIs are currently facing”, said Company.

Participants in this programme (http://inscripcion.accelerathon.eu/) will benefit from the Startup Europe Awards methodology by DG CONNECT in order to find out innovative projects in the cultural sector. Startup Europe Awards is being implemented by Finnova Foundation and is backed by SEIMED (European Services supporting Businesses and Innovation), REDIT, Las Naves, el Foro de Agencias de Desarrollo Regional (ADR) (Spanish Association of Development Agencies), EURADA (the European Association of Development Agencies) and Startup Europe Accelerator.

Startup Europe Awards aims to look for disruptive start-ups promoting private-public cooperation, to raise awareness on the importance of self-entrepreneurship as a driving force for job creation and to foster partnership relations to meet the UN SDGs and to carry out the European Green Deal actions to address the circular economy, climate change and sustainable tourism.

Challenges faced by the CCIs

The CCIs are a major source of sustainable growth and job creation across Europe. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn has deeply affected them. As a result of restrictions, many jobs have been lost and the economic activity has been paused.

According to the Reconstruyendo Europa: la economía cultural y creativa antes y después de la COVID-19 report (In English, Rebuilding Europe: The cultural and creative economy before and after the COVID-19 crisis), SMEs account for 90% of all CCI companies. Furthermore, this sector was one of the major sources of job creation in Europe in 2019 (7.6 million jobs created in different areas e.g. architecture, multimedia, advertising, publishing and press, music, the performing and visual arts, radio and videogames). This sector is responsible for creating 8.4 times more jobs than the telecommunications industry.

The CCIs are one of the most diverse and promising sectors, and they are also one of the key contributors to the EU’s GDP, as the turnover generated in this sector in 2019 accounted for 4.4% of the EU’s GDP (€643 billion). Nevertheless, due to the pandemic, in 2020, the cultural and creative economy lost approximately 31% of its revenues.

Register here to attend the webinar on July 15 at 4pm and find out more about this challenge: http://inscripcion.accelerathon.eu/

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