OPEN CALL FAQ

Is it possible to apply to challenges from any country?

Yes, regardless where your start-up or SME is based, you can apply to any challenge from any country.
However, please note that eligible SMEs and start-ups must have legal entity based in:

• European Union countries and United Kingdom
• H2020 associated countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine)

Is it possible to apply to several challenges?

An SME, start-up can submit more than one short proposal to the Open Call and can participate in several Hackathons, however, an SME, start-up is only eligible to one MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT VOUCHER (see later funding structure).
For technical support to submit several proposals, you need to contact F6S Support on [email protected].

Can a start-up without being registered as a company apply?

Only SMEs and start-ups with legal entity can apply.

Can applicants contact challenge owners for more questions?

At the short proposal phase (A1), it is not planned that SMEs, start-ups contact challenge owners. The Hackathons will bring together challenge owners and solution providers. This will include 1-to-1 meetings between the challenge owner and solution provider to get the background information and access to resources (data mostly).
All questions have to be submitted to [email protected].

Is the Agreement available?

The Subgrant Agreements will be signed on behalf of the URBAN TECH consortium with:

• Kaunas Science and Technology Park for the Travel Voucher (TV) and Minimum Viable Product Voucher (MVPV)
• Technopol for the Piloting Voucher (PV)
• Cyberforum for the Market Discover Voucher (MDV).

The Subgrant Agreements will be sent to SMEs, startups that are selected and qualify to enter the next phase(s). A contract with the relevant host organisation for the programme, that is based on the challenge selected, might be also signed. This will be also sent after the evaluation process(es).

What is the meaning of URBANTECH Hackathons? What should a startup/SME do there? 

Hackathons bring together Challenge Owners and solution providers. Duration of Hackathons is 1-1,5 days and the format is flexible depending on the host organisation. However, the format will include the following: 

• Inspirational session, 
• Training session, 
• 1-to-1 meetings between the Challenge Owner and solution provider to get the background information and access to resources (data mostly).
• Hacking the business case – solution provider takes the information and starts to describe/ build/ develop the service or product needed, to prepare a presentation of the demo solution, to create a business model for the solution to scale globally, to draft a pilot action plan together with Challenge Owner (incl. timeframe, budget, agreements on funding, needed funding from the project, KPIs that are going to be achieved).  
• Pitching – results from previous steps are presented to the Technological and Business Validation Panel.  

All participants shall sign an NDA in the beginning of the Hackathon. 

Solution providers will work on the provided solution together with the Challenge Owner and they will pitch the elaborated solution at the end of the Hackathon. 

Can I use the solution afterwards to sell it on the market?

All SMEs who have entered the Piloting Phase are qualified to apply for a Market Discovery Voucher (MDV). MDV up to 14.000 EUR can be used for travel activities or consulting services for going-to-market activities, finding new partnerships and investors and to establish themselves in a specific market or business sector. 

Who can I contact in my native language to help me for the proposal writing?

The URBAN TECH consortium can only provide information on the Open Call and cannot give direct support to write a specific proposal. Please note that the short proposal has to be submitted in English.  However, you can contact us at [email protected] for specific request on receiving information on a certain language. The consortium is located in 9 countries (Austria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden).  

What is the expected TRL?

In the MVP phase an SME develops their MVP to the TRL6+ level while in the piloting phase the level should be TRL7+.

Can I double-check before applying if our business model fulfils the overall criteria?

As the URBAN TECH project is part of the European Union Horizon 2020 funding programme, it follows the same rule and all proposers shall receive equal treatment. It is therefore not possible to give any specific opinion on eligibility of applicants or make any pre-assessment of short proposals. The Guide for Applicants details the full process. If the URBAN TECH programme is a good fit for your company, we have a very easy and quick process by submitting only 1-page short proposal(s) on F6S as a first phase. The short proposal will be assessed after 14 September 2022.

Will there be a Hackathon and a pitch?

In the URBAN TECH programme, there is a Hackathon phase and at the end of each Hackathon there will be a pitch competition. The Hackathons are organised in 8 countries depending on the place of the challenge.

How much weight has the points of Challenge Owners compared to the points of rest of the International Selection Committee?

In the Short Proposal phase, each criterium will be awarded a score of 1-10 and each Selection Committee members and Challenge Owners will be able to give one score per criterium, so a total of 30 scores per committee member and per Challenge Owner will be available. There will be three evaluators (two members of the International Selection Committee and one representative of the Challenge Owner) assessing a short proposal. Each of them can give a maximum of 30 points, so a total of 90 points can be received by a short proposal. Up to 33,33% of the maximum points can come from the Challenge Owner.

Is the Subgrant provided by the URBAN TECH programme a De Minimis scheme?

No

In case a company succeed to provide adequate solutions to multiple challenges after Hackathons, how it is decided for which one the company receive the Minimum Viable Product Voucher?

In case an SME qualifies to address several challenges, it is up to them to decide with which Challenge Owner they continue working on MVP.

When applicants need to meet the eligibility criteria?

All applicants need to meet the eligibility criteria upon submitting the short proposal.

One full-time employee requirement can be also counted with FTE?

Yes

Are founders considered as full-time employee?

Founders are only considered as full-time employee if the law, in which the company is registered, considers them as full-time employees.

Can an already finalized and submitted short proposals be revised?

There is no pissibility for the revision of an already finalized and submitted short proposals. However, companies are allowed to submit several short proposals.

Get ready and enter URBAN TECH Programme!

Visit our Library of Challenges and apply!