DeepTechSeeds addresses the critical need for a highly skilled and adaptable research workforce in Europe's deep tech sectors. As global competition intensifies in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, and advanced materials, the project aims to create a dynamic and interconnected talent ecosystem that seamlessly bridges academia, industry, and the public sector. The project's core objective is to reshape the landscape of early research careers in deep tech fields by implementing a comprehensive framework based on the new Charter for Researchers. This framework will guide participating organizations through a process of structural change, creating more attractive and sustainable career pathways for Early Career Researchers (ECRs). DeepTechSeeds will: 1. Develop and implement a tailored DeepTech Framework for applying the Charter for Researchers in deep tech sectors. 2. Enhance ECR competencies through targeted training modules and open innovation programs, training at least 500 researchers. 3. Facilitate balanced talent circulation across sectors and regions, establishing at least 10 new cross-sector collaborations. 4. Create a digital DeepTech Talent Ecosystem Platform to facilitate networking, knowledge exchange, and career opportunities. 5. Organize open innovation challenges to foster collaboration between ECRs and industry partners. 6. Provide evidence-based policy recommendations for scaling the talent ecosystem model across the European Research Area. DeepTechSeeds serves as a comprehensive effort to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that nurtures talent, drives innovation, and strengthens Europe's position in critical deep tech fields. By addressing the challenges faced by ECRs holistically – from working conditions and skills development to cross-sector mobility and open innovation – the project aims to transform the nature of research careers in Europe.

BOOST Project aims to ease the access of EIC Awardees (mainly EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition projects as well as related third parties) to the EIC Booster Grants. BOOST Project will distribute EIC Booster Grants (lump-sum grants to finance innovation and portfolio activities) to at least 100 invited EIC Awardees. The Booster grant projects will receive up to €50,000 following a first-come, first-served schema. BOOST Project will also provide the EIC and EISMEA with data relevant to assessing the impact of such support. BOOST Project will do this by guaranteeing efficient and EC-rules compliant governance, adequate integration of EIC Booster grants within the EIC community support and EIC/EISMEA portfolio management activities, and gathering operative and impact data that will support evidence-based decision-making by the EIC and EISMEA. To ensure effective task execution and maximize available resources, BOOST Project utilizes a compact and agile consortium. This allows up to 83% of the total budget to be allocated to EIC awardees. The consortium includes SPL, entity specialised in cascade funding, as Call for proposals manager, MWCB, especialised in tech transfer, as Booster grant projects manager, EurA PT as monitoring and impact manager, all of them coordinated by FBA as Project Coordinator and FSTP Manager. This streamlined consortium will rely on a high-quality, curated database of over 820 experts (who regularly collaborate with the partners) to support the evaluation and assessment of Booster grant projects. All this ensuring a seamless connection with EIC procedures and practices, as all partners are actively involved in EIC projects.

PhotonQBoost is committed to empowering European SMEs to achieve sustainability, resilience, and global competitiveness by harnessing the transformative potential of Photonics and Quantum solutions. Recognizing, firstly, the challenges SMEs face in accessing and integrating these advanced technologies due to limited awareness and resource constraints, and, secondly, the potential that technology deployment represents to boost the sustainability and competitiveness of European industry, PhotonQBoost aims to serve as a gateway for European SMEs to match their sustainability and resilience challenges with the solutions offered by Photonics and Quantum technologies. This will be done through a comprehensive pipeline of services, comprising advisory-driven innovation support, technology support and sustainability transition activities, complemented by piloting-driven projects funded under three FSTP open calls. More than €3,6 million will be spent on direct support services to the 600 SMEs that will be onboarded into PhotonQBoost service pipeline. These SMEs will achieve improved KPIs in terms of resource consumption, enhanced productivity and derisked supply chain disruptions. The initiative is also dedicated to fostering cross-fertilization across countries and ecosystems, through matchmaking activities and delegation visits, thereby facilitating market access for SMEs and bridging gaps in knowledge, networks and infrastructure. PhotonQBoost is a strong alliance of seven experienced European Photonics and Quantum clusters, four specialised consultancies and two Research and Technology Organisations, spread across nine EU Member States, that gathers a broad array of competencies. Altogether, PhotonQBoost members will help to consolidate an EU-wide Photonics and Quantum technological innovation ecosystem, ultimately contributing to Europe’s global leadership in both fields and to securing its strategic autonomy in critical technologies.

SPIDER aims to support the exploitation of the full potential of the newly established BELLA network and the implementation of the outcomes of EU-LAC dialogues in the context of digitalisation and R&I. SPIDER proposes a multi-stakeholder approach to enable the development of an EU-LAC strategic partnership. SPIDER will engage relevant R&I stakeholders from EU and LAC more actively and strategically in supporting dialogues and creating a common and orchestrated vision and strategy for the exploitation of the full potential of BELLA network and the implementation of the outcomes of digital dialogues enhancing EU-LAC cooperation in R&I. SPIDER will adopt a human-centred and participatory approach, combined with an inclusive and intersectional perspective to support the development of strategic partnerships to stimulate the use of digital technologies that can benefit from BELLA and are relevant for EU-LAC R&I cooperation. At the core of this strategy is the EU-LAC Digital Dialogues Implementation Forum (DIF) that is unique of its kind in international cooperation in R&I and will serve as a multi-stakeholder platform to foster dialogues and exchange of best practices to support the implementation of digital dialogues’ commitments. Furthermore, DIF Working Groups will support the adoption of a human-centred approach to technology development, alongside Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) principles. Coupled with this, SPIDER will assess the use of BELLA and identify pathways for its future exploitation by engaging key actors of the digital ecosystem in project activities. Moreover, SPIDER will implement a Twinning Programme to foster digital partnerships by connecting EU and LAC innovation hubs that can seize the opportunities of BELLA for digital transformation. On top of that, a cascade of events, including Dialogue Forum events, focus groups, call for ideas, webinars and workshops, demo-days and a final conference will support the project actions.

The EIC Scaling Club’s mission is to grow Europe’s tech success stories. It is to be the home where 100 selected European deep-tech scale-ups, their investors and stakeholders collaborate to develop market opportunities and contribute to a better world. It will deliver 6 sets of services to its members over a period of 3.5 years: - Engage the most active investors, corporations, agencies, clusters and media and mentors - Grow the value of the 100 selected member companies with a best-in-class venture mentoring programme; - Facilitate the financing, partnering and hiring of talent through a curated roadshow of events - Share the inspirational success stories of the scale-ups - Develop relationships with the key institutions at EU and Member States - Manage the Club to a self-sustainable future The Club is led by 6 complementary partners who believe that Europe is a technology and unicorn powerhouse with a purpose. Its deep tech sale-ups are at work to bring solutions to the world’s biggest challenges.