View this email in your browser (https://mailchi.mp/insme.org/insme_newsletter_issue211_july2022-1288648?e=2d...) ** ------------------------------------------------------------ ** Issue n. 211 ------------------------------------------------------------ News from INSME Tribute to Jaime Del Castillo (https://www.insme.org/tribute-to-jaime-del-castillo/) INSME mourns the sudden departure of one of its important members, Jaime del Castillo, President of INFYDE. INSME President Sergio Arzeni, close friend of Jaime, and the INSME team pay homage to him. Kick-off meeting of the AccelerAction project (https://www.insme.org/kick-off-meeting-of-the-acceleraction-project-in-catan...) On 21 and 22 September, 10 international partners met in Catania (Italy) to kick-off of the “AccelerAction” project, with the main objective to create more connected innovation ecosystems. Save the Date: 18th INSME Annual Meeting (https://www.insme.org/save-the-date-18th-insme-annual-meeting/) The next INSME Annual Meeting will take place on 1 and 2 December in Baku, Azerbaijan, co-organised with INSME member KOBIA, the Agency for Development of SMEs in Azerbaijan. Email us at secretariat@insme.org for more information! AECM Annual Event (https://www.insme.org/aecm-annual-event-2/) On 14-17 September, Giovanni Zazzerini attended on behalf of INSME the AECM Annual Event "Promoting structural change for a new sustainable Europe". The event gathered experts such as INSME member Martin Godel, who discussed how to best support SMEs during crises and fund their green transition. African Research Initiative Conference (https://www.insme.org/african-research-initiative-conference-afric/) INSME President Sergio Arzeni and Prof. Jay Mitra (INSME Board Member) will participate in the first edition of the virtual African Research Initiative Conference on 24-26 October. Updates and contributions from INSME Members BDB loan for SME energy efficiency (https://www.insme.org/bdb-with-a-new-loan-program-for-energy-efficiency-of-s...) The Bulgarian Development Bank has issued a new SME Energy Efficiency Program to support processing companies in their transition towards a green and low-carbon economy. Western Balkans Digital Summit (https://www.insme.org/western-balkans-digital-summit-2022/) Prishtina REA, part of the INSME network, organized on the 21 and 22 September the Fifth Western Balkan Digital Summit in Pristina, to promote the Western Balkans digital perspective in the context of EU integration. Content of the month EC guidelines for knowledge valorisation (https://www.insme.org/new-guidelines-for-knowledge-valorisation-in-research-...) The European Commission recently adopted a proposal for a Council Recommendation on the guiding principles for knowledge valorisation in research and innovation. WIPO 2022 Global Innovation Index (https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/) WIPO has published its 2022 Global Innovation Index (GII), during the official launch event that took place on 29 September. We are happy to receive your updates: share with us your projects, activities, and events: we will include them in the next INSME Newsletter and spread the information among our readers! Email us at secretariat@insme.org (mailto:secretariat@insme.org) ============================================================ Calls and opportunities This section is supported by: ** Second Women TechEU Call (https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opport...) Following the very encouraging response to the first pilot in 2021, the European Commission is more than doubling the budget to €10 million this year, which is expected to fund up to 130 deep-tech start-ups led by women. In addition to a €75,000 grant, the finalists receive mentoring and coaching for leadership, internationalisation, business modelling, implementation strategy, market entry, fundraising, negotiating with investors, and much more, through the EIC’s Women Leadership Programme. Deadline: 4 October 2022 ** Launch of the “EIC Scale up 100” call (https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/european-innovation-council-launches-scale-100...) The European Innovation Council (EIC) has launched the “EIC Scale-Up 100” call (coordination and support action), with the goal to identify, promote, and support the growth of 100 promising deep tech companies that show the potential to become “unicorns” (with a value of over €1 billion). The winning entity or consortia will receive European Commission’s funding to help companies develop their corporate and leadership strategies, reach strategic investors and partners, expand internationally, and obtain access to other scale-up support programmes. Deadline: 5 October 2022 ** European Training Foundation: Call for Learning & Training Resources (https://clustercollaboration.eu/open-calls/european-training-foundation-call...) The European Training Foundation (ETF) has launched a programme called UA Re-Emerge(ncy): e-learning and skills development to rebuild Ukraine, supported by Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science. The call is open to collect teaching and training materials in the areas of energy efficiency, construction and restoration, and green energy. Deadline: not specified, but to provide timely support to Ukrainian learners, it is encouraged to submit learning materials as soon as possible ** Enhancing synergies between the EIC and Start-up Europe (https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opport...) The European Innovation Council (EIC) is seeking to build synergies with the wider European start-up ecosystem via the second wave of actions under the Commission’s Start-up Europe initiative. These actions will connect local digital and deep tech start-up ecosystems and support cross-border acceleration activities for the scaling up of European digital and deep tech start-ups. Deadline: 17 November 2022 ** Strengthened Security Research and Innovation 2022 (https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opport...) The European Commission, as part of the Horizon Europe programme, has published a call on Strengthened Security Research and Innovation. The call covers the following four topics: Increased foresight capacity for security, Knowledge Networks for security Research & Innovation, stronger grounds for pre-commercial procurement of innovative security technologies, social innovations as enablers of security solutions and increased security perception. Deadline: 23 November 2022 ** New EUR 20 million fund for Ukrainian tech start-ups (https://clustercollaboration.eu/content/new-eur-20-million-fund-ukrainian-te...) The European Commission, through the European Innovation Council, has set up a €20 million support fund for Ukrainian innovation stakeholders to ensure their access to the EU market. This new initiative is targeted at over 200 Ukrainian tech start-ups and offers €60.000 in funding to each project, aside from non-financial measures like advisory and matchmaking services. It will be released with a call for proposals for networks of start-up associations, clusters, and other business organisations willing to support Ukrainian innovation stakeholders. Deadline: 31 December 2022 If you're interested in pursuing one of these opportunities together, drop us an email at ** secretariat@insme.org (mailto:secretariat@insme.org) Upcoming events 4-7 October – Online Event European Patent Office: ** Patent Knowledge Week (https://www.epo.org/news-events/events/conferences/patent-knowledge-week.htm...) 5-7 October – Online Event OECD: ** Forum on Green Finance and Investment (https://www.oecd-events.org/oecd-forum-on-green-finance-and-investment#bl-7d...) 11-12 October – Brussels (Belgium) The European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN): ** European Angel Investment Summit 2022 (https://www.eban.org/event/eais2022/) 12 October – Brussels (Belgium) European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO): ** October Events 2022 (https://www.earto-october-events.eu/) 1 November – Hybrid event, hosted in Geneva (Switzerland) The World Intellectual Property Forum (WIPO): ** High-level Conversation on Unlocking Intangible Asset Finance (https://www.wipo.int/sme/en/events/high-level-conversation.html) 9-10 November – Online Event The IPR Gorilla: ** IPR Gorilla Virtual Conference (https://theiprgorilla.com/) 21-22 November – Online Event European Patent Office (EPO): ** High-growth technology business conference 2022 (https://www.epo.org/news-events/events/conferences/hgtbc2022.html) 1-2 December: Baku, Azerbaijan INSME Annual Event 7-8 December – Brussels (Belgium) European Innovation Council (EIC): ** EIC Summit ‘22 (https://eic.ec.europa.eu/events/european-innovation-council-summit-22-78-dec...) ** Website (http://www.insme.org) ** Twitter (https://twitter.com/INSME_) ** Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/INSME-The-International-Network-for-Small-and-Mediu...) ** LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/insme---the-international-network-for-small...) 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