Block.Is Accelerator open call launched

Block.IS is a new acceleration programme that aims to build an open and collaborative cross-border, cross-sectoral innovation ecosystem that fosters the use of blockchain technology in three vital sectors for the European economy: agrifood, logistics and finance.

Block.IS accelerator will support SMEs and start-ups from the ICT sector all the way from ideation to commercialization offering them tailored business and technical support as well as direct funding. To help founders build high-tech venture-backable enterprises, Block.IS will offer €2.8 M of total funding through 2 open calls.

Block.IS aims to provide to competitive and market oriented European SMEs access to knowledge, technology, capital and markets with the aim to place new products/ services in the market targeting blockchain technology. The project has three main dimensions:

CONNECT & STIMULATE | CATALYZE | BOOST

BOOST represents an ambitious 3-phase acceleration programme that aims to support the market uptake and impact of the proposed innovation/solutions and it will be repeated for two batches:

INNOVATE > EXPERIMENT > COMMERCIALISE

In each phase, the selected candidates will be offered a set of tech & businesses services and financial support to develop their projects in close collaboration with relevant clusters networks, sector specialists and technology experts.

*Stage*	*Overview*
INNOVATE	● Duration: 1-month, SMEs-innovators work remotely ● Number of SMEs: Top 45 ideas/projects per open call. ● Activities: SMEs will be invited to fine-tune their concept, elaborate an early prototype or mock-up and the technical architecture of the proposed solution and prepare a tech-business pitch to present at the Innovation Event/Clusters-Innovators Assembly ● Funding: €3.000 (lump sum) per SME, attached to the participation in the Block.IS Innovation Event and a pitch of the proposed solution. ● Evaluation to Stage EXPERIMENT: Evaluate the technology and the business potential via a face to face (f2f) technical interview and pitching during the Innovation Event/Clusters-Innovators Assembly. The top 23 SMEs will be selected to enter the EXPERIMENT stage.
EXPERIMENT	● Duration: 8 months, SMEs work remotely and occasionally participate in face-to-face meetings/workshops and trainings (bootcamp) organized by the consortium ● Number of SMEs: Top 23 ideas/projects per call. ● Activities: SMEs will be developing the proposed Block.IS projects in collaboration/ connection with Clusters networks, sector specialists and technology experts, participating in Block.IS programme community events and continuously communicate with their coach. Each SME will develop an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) targeting the agrifood, logistics and/or finance market. ● Funding: €50.000 per SME, being attached with accomplishing 2 milestones (Design and MVP prototype) assessed by external reviewers. ● Evaluation to Stage COMMERCIALISE: Analysis of the MVP/ demonstrator technology and stage of development (TRL); business potential of the solution; initial traction or early adopters. These criteria will be judged by the Block.IS evaluators. The top 10 solutions will be selected to enter the Commercialise phase.
COMMERCIALISE	● Duration: 2 months, SMEs work remotely and participate in several meetings and events where they can promote their projects goals and outcomes ● Number of SMEs: Top 10 ideas/projects per call. ● Activities: SMEs will develop activities associated with the promotion and exploitation of their project, aiming to engage new customers and/or partners and/or investors. ● Funding: €7.000 per SME, attached to the participation in the final demo day and planned promotion/ commercial activities of this stage.

Timeline

Submission to the 1^st Open Call will be enabled on the 4^th of September 2019 and will end on the 6^th of November 2019 at 17:00 CET (Brussels time).