Acceleration Program
European Economic and Social Committee
2021 – What challenges and opportunities are ahead for European SMEs?
The COVID-19 crisis has severely hit SMEs across Europe, many of which risk being swept out of business in its wake. While the impact of the crisis depends on the sector in which the SME operate and on the restrictions and financial support of the Member State, COVID19 continues to pose uncertainty to all. There is a clear risk that many SMEs lost due to this pandemic will be lost for good.
- Mentorship/Coaching
- Technical Support
- Training
- Networking
- Access to Funding
- Ensure innovative solar technologies reach commercialisation faster.
- Foster innovative ideas and technologies at an early stage when access to resources is scarce.
- Embracing failures as learning opportunities
- Pivoting strategies based on market feedback.
Who is this program for?
Entrepreneurs Research Teams Startups No Legal Entity necessary. < 5 years of operations Any Widening Country. Any Widening Country. Any Horizon Europe Country. 30% of the team members are operating either in GR or TR. Proven Collaboration with GR or TR entity (MoU) Working on Solar Energy technologies regardless of the application domain. Early-stage startups & Research Teams working on Solar Energy solutions Entrepreneurs & researchers already working or ready to start a spin-off (related to Solar Energy) Eligibility Criteria Entrepreneurs, Research Teams or Startups with less than 5 years of operations. Teams do not need to be incorporated (have established legal entities) to participate in this stage of the acceleration program. Teams must be based in any Widening Country as defined in Horizon Europe programme[1], as long as at least 30% of the team members are operating in the Greek or Turkish ecosystem. In the case of start-ups outside Greece or Türkiye these must establish a business collaboration with an entity in Greece or Türkiye. Working on products, services or solutions related to Solar Energy regardless of the application domain. [1] See Widening Countries here: https://rea.ec.europa.eu/horizon-europe-widening-who-should-apply_en.
What participants will get from the program?
Education & Training Combination of entrepreneurship & technical training… Business strategy, market analysis, and financial planning, technical aspects in Solar Energy. Ideation Workshops Deepen understanding of both technical and commercial facets… …of solar energy solutions, fostering a holistic approach to innovation. Mentorship / Coaching Mentoring in business, entrepreneurship, strategy. Coaching into technical aspects with the support of our scientific partners. Networking Opportunities Multiple opportunities to connect with industry professionals, peers… …and potential collaborators through networking events designed to open doors to new partnerships, customer bases, and collaborative projects. Access to Finance & Funding Direct support in pursuing financing opportunities (Not FSTP)… …introductions to funds and VCs, and guidance on effectively presenting their projects to potential investors. Early Access to Pre-designs Initial access to the cutting-edge pre-designs. This access is intended to stimulate and guide their creative processes, offering a unique advantage in developing novel solar energy solutions.
How it works?
Application: Open Call Publicly inviting potential applicants to participate (Researchers, Entrepreneurs, Startups, SMEs). Selection: Evaluation Independent Experts evaluate the proposals and select the most appropriate & mature applicants. Acceleration: Support Implementation of trainings, mentoring and coaching, networking, access to our assets (Pre-Designs) Demonstration & Networking Closing with an Open Day event to demonstrate the progress, attract investors, network and brokerage.
How can one apply?
Application Form Questions for SolarHub Ignition Program Team and Organization Identification Provide the names and roles of your team members. Identify any associated R&D organizations or institutions. Technology Description Describe your proposed technology or scientific discovery, focusing on its functionality rather than technical details. Uniqueness and Innovativeness What makes your ideas unique or innovative? Describe its distinctive features or approaches. Development Status and Next Steps Outline the current status of your technology's development. List the main tasks required for the next stage of development. Scientific Field of the Project Specify the scientific field or domain your project falls under. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Which SDGs does your project aim to address? Explain how your project contributes to these goals. Intellectual Property (IP) Status Provide details on the current status of intellectual property related to your project. Involvement with Pre-Designs Explain how you intend or envision using or incorporating our pre-designs into your solutions. Design Innovation: If planning to design or develop missing components (e.g., software, controllers, IoT devices), describe your approach. System Integration: Explain how you might utilize pre-designs as a foundation for your own systems. Design Enhancement: Offer your ideas for improvements or modifications to the current pre-designs. Creative Application: Present any original and innovative use cases that leverage the pre-designs effectively. Freedom of Exploration: Describe any unique ideas you have that extend beyond the provided options, and how you plan to consider the applications or domains of the pre-designs in your solution.
How an applicant is selected?
Evaluation Criteria # Criterion Weight 1 Breadth of Technology: Assessing the platform potential of the proposed technology. Evaluating how broadly the technology can be applied and its potential impact across various sectors. 25% 2 Depth of Technology: Analysing the unique features and innovations of the technology focusing on the distinctiveness and advanced aspects of the proposed solution. 25% 3 Entrepreneurial Motivation and Spirit: Assess the team's enthusiasm, commitment to entrepreneurship, and the drive to succeed within the solar energy sector. 25% 4 Achievements, Experience, and Technical Skills: The team’s past accomplishments, relevant experience in the field, and technical expertise, which indicates their ability to successfully execute and develop the proposed project. 25% 5 Engagement with Pre-Designs: Evaluating how the team plans to utilise or integrate the provided pre-designs into their solutions, demonstrating creativity and innovation. +10% While not required, using our pre-designs or proposing alternatives in the solar energy sector can boost your application's chances in the evaluation process. Demonstrate how you'll use our pre-designs for bonus points. We welcome innovative and feasible alternative solutions (not using our predesigns) in solar energy. Proposals that contribute significantly to the field will be favorably considered.
Education & Training
The training program will be implemented online through webinars. Each session will last for 2–3 hours. The trainings will be on a fixed day every 2 weeks. Please not that the table below is indicative and actual training schedule will be announced with the start of the program. Training Title Aim Description Business Foundations Introduce business basics Covering key concepts in business and entrepreneurship, tailored to the solar energy sector. Market Analysis and Strategy Develop market understanding Training on conducting market research, identifying target markets, and developing market entry strategies. Business Model Development Create business models Focusing on the development of sustainable and scalable business models for solar energy startups. Pitching and Communication Skills Enhance presentation skills Techniques for effectively presenting business ideas and technology pitches to investors and stakeholders. Financial Planning and Management Financial literacy Training on budgeting, revenue projections, and managing financial resources. ESG and Sustainability Understand ESG impacts Exploring the environmental, social, and governance aspects relevant to the solar energy industry. Innovation and Creativity Foster innovative thinking Sessions designed to stimulate creativity and innovative approaches in solar energy solutions. Networking and Collaboration Build connections Training on how to effectively network, form partnerships, and collaborate within the solar energy ecosystem. Energy Communities Learn about social innovation in energy Explore the concept of energy communities, focusing on the regulatory, technical, and social aspects critical for their formation and success. Technical Training 1 - 6 Specific technical topic Content defined by technical partners, focusing on a key aspect of solar energy technology.
Mentorship & Coaching
A structured approach designed to support participating teams in developing business cases based on their technological innovations or ideas. Mentoring 12 hours Industry professionals with strong business and entrepreneurship skills …will guide teams in project validation, business case development, issue identification, and decision-making. Mentors will provide ongoing support and feedback to ensure steady progress towards goals. Coaching up to 6 hours Coaches are subject matter experts, from the research sector, …with deep technical knowledge in solar energy and related fields. They advise startups on technical aspects of their projects, from solar technology to applying scientific principles in real-world scenarios. Objective 1 Business Case Each team develops a business case and a pitch by the program's end. This will ensure that participants have not only developed and refined their solar energy solutions but also mastered the art of communicating their vision and value proposition to potential stakeholders and investors.
Ideation & Co-design Workshops
Brainstorming Sessions: Engage in creative brainstorming to uncover innovative applications for the pre-designs. Case Study Development: Work in groups to develop practical case studies, demonstrating the real-world potential of pre-designs. Technical Insights: Receive direct input from technical partners on the capabilities and limitations of pre-designs. Objective Facilitate collaboration between ecosystem partners and technical experts to explore applications and use cases for pre-designs. Format Preferably in-person sessions, with online options available. Interactive and dynamic workshop setting. Benefits Facilitating collaboration Hands-on Learning Network Building Outcomes Portfolio of applications and use cases for pre-designs. Stronger relationships and networks within the SolarHub ecosystem.
Access to Pre-designs
4 Pre-Designs on innovative solar energy solutions Leverage pre-designs, integrating them into the innovation ecosystem through the Acceleration Programme. Substitute traditional pilots by offering a structured pathway to commercialize research findings and technological innovations, focusing on market readiness and scalability. Low Temp Solar Thermal Solution Solar thermal solution for low-temperature heat applications A scalable solution using high-efficiency flat plate collectors for heat production at moderate temperatures, integrated with innovative materials and smart system controls for agro-food and industrial applications. CRES (Lead), GUNAM, SAMMLER, SHE, CERTH Hydrothermal Treatment Solar-aided hydrothermal treatment solution for agri-food residual products A system leveraging solar heat for the hydrothermal treatment of agricultural and livestock waste to produce bio-oil and other products, including scalable reactors for effective processing. GUNAM (Lead), CERTH, DLR, SLMPK, SHE, VENUS PV for Power & Micro-Climate PV solution for power production and micro-climate creation for tree plants A fixed-tilt structure with semi-transparent PV modules optimized for dual land use—energy production and cultivation, designed to protect crops from extreme weather while optimizing light management. CRES (Lead), GUNAM, VENUS, TAT, BRITE Crop Production (Light + Water) PV PV solution for efficient crop production through light and water management A system designed to enhance the efficiency of crops like tomatoes and peppers through light and shading control, with PV modules that adjust transparency and potentially modify the light spectrum for better crop growth. GUNAM (Lead), CRES, BRITE, KALPV, TAT, EGE, TAGEM Value Proposition: What we can offer Participants can be engaged with predesigns through a range of options: Design Innovation: Design and develop missing components such as software, controllers, IoT devices, etc. System Integration: Utilize pre-designs as a foundation to evolve and integrate into their own unique systems. Design Enhancement: Offer suggestions and improvements to current pre-designs. Creative Application: Present original and innovative cases that effectively leverage pre-designs in practical applications. Freedom of Exploration While using pre-designs is not mandatory, participants are encouraged to: Generate Original Ideas: Propose unique ideas that may extend beyond the provided options. Consider Pre-Design Applications: Even if not using pre-designs directly, incorporate understanding of their applications or domains into their solutions. Why provide access to pre-designs? Numerous possibilities for creativity and innovation in the solar energy sector, encouraging the development of diverse, impactful solutions. You get the chance to get closer with top researchers and key industrial stakeholders.
Networking & Demo Day
Local Networking Workshops City-Specific Events: Organize networking and co-design workshops in key hub cities - Ankara, Thessaloniki, Istanbul, Athens, and Izmir. Regional Collaboration: Facilitate regional interactions and collaborations within these strategic locations. Matchmaking Opportunities Find the Right Partners: Offer access to matchmaking opportunities to connect with potential partners for EU projects. Expand Project Horizons: Broaden the scope of your project by collaborating with suitable partners across Europe. Open Day Event: Culminating Networking Opportunity: An Open Day, possibly aligned with our annual meetings, to showcase startups to the consortium and investors. Connect with Investors: Direct interaction with potential investors and key stakeholders in the solar energy sector.
