The Official State Gazette (BOE) published on March 10, 2022, the second call of the Ports 4.0 fund for its Pre-Commercial Projects program. This call regulates the granting, by Puertos del Estado, of public aid within the framework of the Plan to Promote Entrepreneurship for Innovation in the Port Sector. The Regulatory Bases of this call are governed by the same ministerial order as the previous call.
The Algeciras Port Authority, which during the first call received and analyzed a total of 64 proposals, 7 of them for the category of ideas and 57 for projects, provides support to ideas and projects that are aligned with its strategic focuses and objectives of innovation in order to attract the interest of national and international companies and start-ups, reinforcing its consolidation as an international Port Living Lab. To do so, interested parties can send their request via email to innovacion@apba.es.
As for the deadlines to apply for grants, for the category of pre-commercial projects the deadline for submission of proposals will be open until June 13, 2022.
As for the requirements for the Projects susceptible to be awarded the grants, they must develop a new product, service, process, or improve an existing technology with a new innovative component by developing its application for the logistics-port sector. Applications must also promote the achievement of measurable breakthrough solutions in one or more areas of port-logistics activity.
These areas are: logistic efficiency in the infrastructural, operational or service provision field, environmental sustainability and energy, safety and security, digitalization of processes and intelligent platforms and any other innovative product, service or process with an impact on the port-logistic sector or on the nautical or fishing port sector.
In addition, the Project submitted must have a certain, demonstrable and clearly delimited innovative component, at least in terms of its scope, contents and costs, as well as not existing, both nationally and internationally, its application for the sector. This innovative component of the applications must represent at least 50% of the total budget, even if such percentage exceeds the funding limits established for each type of project.
The Pre-Commercial Projects program subsidizes up to 60% of the budget associated with the innovative component of the project up to a maximum of 1,000,000 €.
In the same way as for the categories of ideas and commercial projects, there is the possibility of accessing acceleration or advisory services to accelerate the commercial deployment, growth and ensure the business success of the project. These services are established in the territorial headquarters of the incubator-accelerator associated with the Plan to boost Entrepreneurship for Innovation in the port sector “Ports 4.0”.
Those interested can find more information about the call and register through the website: www.ports40.es. In addition, Puertos del Estado, through the technical office that coordinates the initiative (KPMG and Innsomnia), makes available to interested parties the address info@ports40.es, to which they can contact for any clarification or query about the program.
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