UNLOCK CEI’s ambition is to UNLOCK the potential for accelerating the deployment of the Cloud-to-Edge-IoT (CEI) computing continuum in Europe by focusing on the demand-side drivers and challenges to identify technology-driven innovation and business opportunities driving demand value chains. The project represents the CEI demand constituency; provide insights and guidance to the Horizon Europe R&D projects in this domain; and contribute to a proactive dialogue with the supply stakeholders to encourage the development of an open European CEI ecosystem. It focuses on emerging value chains where investment is needed to foster the deployment of the Cloud-to-Edge-IoT continuum through the forthcoming CEI large scale pilots. This will ultimately foster European autonomy in the digital economy. The workplan is designed to provide early results to feed into the development of the HE Work Programme in 2023-24 based on the ongoing dialogue with the stakeholder ecosystem. The project pays specific attention to data governance issues, leveraging the relationship with industry-driven initiatives such as Gaia-X and CCAM (Connected, Co-operative & Automated Mobility) partnership. UNLOCK carries out a systematic assessment of the state of the open European CEI ecosystem and develop future market scenarios and related market pathways for the development of the open European CEI ecosystem. It will engage with industry stakeholders representing the most relevant industry value chains in Europe for CEI potential demand and develops a productive and effective interface between the demand constituency and the supply side, including the coordination of HE projects resulting from CL4-2021-DATA-01-05, CL4-2022-DATA-01-02, and CL4-2022-DATA-01-03 and Cluster 3 cybersecurity projects. It finally designs and implement a coordinated communication and dissemination strategy running throughout the lifetime of the project to create awareness about the whole of the European demand-side landscape.

TechConnect thoroughly explores the ongoing debate regarding the influence of emerging technologies on human labor and skills. It places a distinct emphasis on Human-Tech Skill Complementarity, highlighting the essential interdependence and mutual enhancement of both human and technological skills in a systemic manner. The primary goal is to deepen our understanding of the dynamic interplays between new digital technologies and human skills, generating novel and practical knowledge on this emerging topic of Human-Tech Skill Complementarity. The project brings together a multidisciplinary team and employs diverse methods, including policy analysis, systematic literature review, annual cross-sectoral industry landscape surveys, in-depth case studies in the healthcare sector and validating the findings beyond this sector via stakeholder engagement, workshops, and guidelines production. The key outcomes include the development and validation of the Human-Tech Skill Complementarity Conceptual Framework, Assessment Index, Strengthening Model, and TechConnect Stakeholder Toolkit. These outcomes reveal the how new technologies such as AI and robotics affect human skills, emphasising the development and deployment of technologies that enhance individual skills and workforce capabilities. Adopting a collaborative approach, TechConnect forms a consortium with academics, industry partners, and a stakeholder engagement firm. This collaborative effort fosters partnerships with technology associations, professional groups, and government entities. Grounded in the research-informed, evidence-based and practice-driven approaches, TechConnect will make a meaningful impact on the quality of employment and competitiveness, contributing to social and economic resilience. The collective efforts of the consortium are geared towards disseminating findings and recommendations widely, with the ultimate goal of influencing policy and practice for inclusive growth in the digital landscape.

The overall aim is to expand the impact and adoption of Space Tech by bringing together Space start-ups, SMEs, entrepreneurs and the IoT ecosystem to increase commercial relevance of the technologies across industrial sectors and accelerate their access to market and/or scaling. We will achieve this by designing and orchestrating a collaborative ecosystem with adapted tools and instruments that will position a greater number of space-enabled technologies in industrial markets. This ecosystem will be based on a blended community of IoT and Space that brings together a range of stakeholders, large and small, from academia, business and the public sector not just across the three local ecosystems that are directly taking part. The specific objectives are to: • Identify promising tech generated within the European space ecosystem that are susceptible to being used in Industry. • Identify SMEs, tech start-ups and founders who could benefit from space technologies through a range of local activities. • Design and deliver an acceleration programme for early stage space and IoT tech companies. • Facilitate access to innovative financial support to them consolidate their market offering and grow. • Increase the commercialisation and industry adoption of space tech. • Create a Europe-wide network of Space entrepreneurs . We will start by scouting promising space technologies that can be brought to market from across Europe. Their market relevance will be explored by stakeholders through locally delivered design studios. The ventures with the greatest potential will then be supported through an intensive 3+3 month acceleration programme than will build the founders capacity and further enable them to build and implement their go to market strategies. Over the 2 year period, t240 space and data technologies will be explored; the market potential of 90 of these will be scrutinised and 30-45 startups/ventures will have been helped to scale.

INSTAR promotes Europe’s position as a forerunner in global standards-setting in advanced ICT technologies (eg. AI, 5G and 6G, internet protocols, IoT, cybersecurity, data, eID, quantum or DLTs) with strategic international partners. The 30-month project shapes the definition & uptake of standards in target countries, delivers studies & analyses on ICT standards, and monitors international standards in trade & cooperation agreements. INSTAR’s active and experienced ICT standardisation experts will manage a set of technology domain workstreams to build high-level standardisation frameworks, engaging key stakeholders; map standards onto a Standards Dashboard; activate high-level task forces to provide inputs; organise webinars and workshops; deliver monthly and bi-annual reports on agreements on common standards and roadmaps; monitor international standards implementation in trade and cooperation agreements. Impact: a)high-level standardisation frameworks; b)Standards Dashboard with a common vision in international fora/SDOs; c)6 High-level Task Forces (TF) to manage technology domain workstreams; d)bi-annual reports on agreements on common standards and roadmaps; e) monitoring implementation of int’l standards in trade & cooperation agreements. The strong Consortium of 10 partners, 8 countries with complimentary skills: 4 specialist consultancy SMEs, 4 RTOs, an industry association & a university, active & well regarded in the standardisation community, EU & internationally. Partners are embedded in existing SDOs and standardisation initiatives, in committees centred on the key technologies while retaining independence; have trusted relationships with stakeholders in target countries, and are experienced in supporting the development of effective standardisation policies. Engagement includes 6 task forces, 6 joint committees, 6 workshops, 6 Webinars, 1 Impact event, 2 Coordination Board meetings, 10 signed MoUs, 24 3rd party events; 1,000 engaged community members.

The GENDEX mission consists of the development of the Pilot Innovation Gender and Diversity Index, providing consistent information (currently missing or fragmented) to startups, scaleups, corporates, the EIC, other investors and funding bodies, market actors and policy makers across Europe. The overall aim is to improve the availability of all talent, particularly female talent, to the EIC portfolio of projects and companies and the EU innovation ecosystem. For the first time ever, a G&D Index will be elaborated including a wide range of indicators related to gender but also to diversity factors covering all European Member States plus the U.K. GENDEX will review the existing baseline and access a high number of data sources, but it will bring a unique value by carrying out additional primary research both at quantitative and qualitative levels. Data sets will be assessed, gaps will be identified, a more standard-based approach to data will be suggested, all resulting in a richer definition of indicators and hence a G&D Index that will become a reference in Europe supporting evidence-based decision-making. A full report on the Index will be released with complementary material, including a web-based interactive dashboard that will enable smart data visualizations and a widget that will be used for company self-assessment and as a potential data collection tool. A wide dissemination, communication and awareness campaign will be implemented to ensure engagement and maximize the adoption of the G&D Index. The GENDEX consortium comprises a complementary set of recognized partners that includes IDC, European Women in VC and BluSpecs, authors of some of the key works in the field and also a guarantee of the best possible networks for stakeholder engagement. Such engagement will ultimately lead to maximization of the use of the G&D Index and hence, of its impact. GENDEX will also run a 2-phase validation with an experts’ group composed of at least 18 senior leaders.