Calls for project proposals

The second call closed on 14th March 2022.

MINE.THE.GAP provides direct financial support to SMEs through innovation vouchers. These vouchers are dedicated to strategic plan preparation, validation of ideas and proof of concept/demonstrations activities to innovate the mining and raw material value chain. They are distributed through two open calls during the MINE.THE.GAP project lifetime.

VOUCHER MINE-PoC

The voucher “MINE-PoC” aims to fund projects for the design and implementation of a prototype/proof-of-concept to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution. This voucher has to address at least one of the top 10 challenges and needs of the raw materials and mining value chain (see Guide for Applicants) while focusing on at least one of the “Key Actions” to be funded.

What was in it for the SMEs? These are the quick facts:

  • Achievable funding per SME: 25,000 EUR
  • Expected TRLs for projects funded under this call: TRL 6-7
  • Type of financial support: lump sum
  • Project duration: up to 9 months
  • Project start: 1 June 2022

Application closed on 14th March 2022, 17:00 CET.

VOUCHER MINE-Demo

The voucher “MINE-Demo” will fund projects for developing and testing in a production environment of a simple functional demo/pilot with all the major features of the product/service/solution. This voucher has to address at least one of the top 10 challenges and needs of the raw materials and mining value chain (see Guide for Applicants) while focusing on at least one of the “Key Actions” to be funded.

What was in it for the SMEs? These are the quick facts:

  • Achievable funding per SME: 50,000 EUR
  • Expected TRLs for projects funded under this call: TRL 7-8
  • Type of financial support: lump sum
  • Project duration: up to 12 months
  • Project start: 1 June 2022

Application closed on 14th March 2022, 17:00 CET.

Support to SMEs Who can apply for funding?

MINE.THE.GAP will fund collaborative activities between two or three for-profit and/or public SMEs that work in the raw materials and mining sector, ICT, Advanced Manufacturing, Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy. They need to come from at least two of the MINE.THE.GAP consortium countries or from a country of the Mining Industry Smart Specialisation Platform, which are: Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Spain, or Sweden. Each interested SME can apply with one or several projects in one or more calls in accordance with its needs. The maximum funding amount through innovation vouchers per SME under MINE.THE.GAP is altogether 50,000 EUR.

The following combinations of SMEs for the collaborative activities are possible:

The proposed solutions under the projects can be for any part of the raw materials and mining value chain.