SmartAgriHubs launched a focused open call for hackathon type of activities that will RESTART the economy around the agri-food related sectors and affected food systems. The main objective is to generate ideas for potential Innovation Experiments that can be realised by related teams, going beyond initial conceptual implementations. Generally, such activities shall facilitate networking of organisations and individuals, aimed at the mobilisation of talent and enable the realisation of digital innovations that address current challenges, opportunities and threats.

What are the kind of projects to be funded by the RESTART Open Call?  

Proposed projects could realise hackathons, challenges and datathons that have a direct and indirect impact to mitigate effects of the COVID-19 or similar (future) pandemics. Such initiatives should facilitate the RESTART of the agri-food economy after the COVID-19 crisis.

The underlying idea is to support the European agri-food economy to better cope with the requirements of the “new normal” and maintain its global competitive position, for example by:

•   Helping specific sub-sectors and regional economies to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic impact, through new opportunities for digital innovation.

•   Stimulating private investments in the agri-food sector and promoting opportunities across the European investment community.

•   Making food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly, in line with the Farm to Fork Strategy that is at the heart of the European Green Deal.

•  SDGs: Initiatives in the agri-food economy that contribute significantly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

•   Introducing principles of circular economy in the agri-food sector.

•  Automations: Relieving agri-food stakeholders (e.g. farmers) from tasks without added value, e.g. by automating monitoring and/or control of farming activities.

•   Resilience: Increasing the resilience of the agri-food chain.

•   Increasing the availability and the shelf-life of food products.

•   Tracking & tracing of food and related products from farm to fork, facilitating regional sourcing.

•  Consumer information: Helping consumers to make informed decisions about food choices.

•   Facilitating access to data and services for an easier digital innovation in the agri-food sectors

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Are you eligible to the RESTART Open Call?  

  The funding is exclusively available to fund the efforts/costs of one or more Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) preparing and realising hackathons, datathons or focused challenges.

Proposers shall consider the following key characteristics that need to be taken into account for being able to submit an eligible proposal for the RESTART open call:

•   The funding is exclusively available to fund the efforts/costs of one or more Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) preparing and realising hackathons, datathons or focused challenges.

•   Depending on the type of organisations, DIHs’ costs are funded with 70% (for profit organisations) or 100% (non-profit organisations).

•   SmartAgriHubs considers that proposals for hackathon type of activities requesting a contribution from SmartAgriHubs of 10,000 to 60,000 Euro would allow appropriate support for a range of activities.

•   The efforts/costs of third parties involved in the hackathon type of activities (e.g. person effort, offered infrastructure, or provided data sets) or effort/costs of teams participating in the specific hackathons (e.g. effort, equipment, travel, accommodation, prizes) are not funded.

•   For balancing efforts/costs of DIHs versus the number of supporters and participants in the hackathon type of activities, it is expected that the DIH part is generally not exceeding 20% of the overall effort/costs required.

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More information

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