The Azores Put Nine Million Euros Into Applied Research Calls, Most of It for Green Projects Open to Companies of Any Size
Three Açores 2030 calls, announced at Macaronight in Ponta Delgada, fund green research and development, business R&D and proofs of concept, as the regional government tries to bring science and companies together.
The Azores regional government is opening nine million euros in funding calls for applied research under the Açores 2030 programme, with most of the money reserved for projects that help the islands' economy become greener and more resilient to climate change. The calls were announced on Friday in Ponta Delgada, at the opening of Macaronight, the Azores edition of European Researchers' Night.
The regional government says it also wants to "promote the link between scientific knowledge and the region's business fabric", and two of the three calls are aimed squarely at getting research out of the laboratory and into companies.
Three calls
- 6.5 million euros for research and technological development (I&DT) that contributes to the transition to a greener, more sustainable economy resilient to climate change. It is open to companies of every size, from small firms to large ones, and to the bodies that make up the Azores scientific and technological system (SCTA), such as the University of the Azores' research centres.
- About 2.6 million euros for research and development projects carried out in companies and aligned with the region's smart specialisation strategy, RIS3 Açores. The stated aim is to raise the technology readiness level (TRL) of innovative goods and services that could be sold, and to bring the scientific system and companies closer together.
- About 500,000 euros for "Estímulo às Provas de Conceito Empresariais", which encourages companies to hire highly qualified staff to develop proofs of concept with commercial potential.
The announcement did not include application deadlines. These will be set out in the notices (avisos) published by Açores 2030, the regional programme through which the islands manage their share of EU cohesion funds for 2021 to 2027.
A night of science at the Portas do Mar
Macaronight took place at the Portas do Mar, on the Ponta Delgada waterfront, with more than 30 interactive activities and more than 50 researchers. The vice-president of the regional government, Artur Lima, called it "a unique opportunity for the public of all ages to get close to the best of scientific research in the region", thanks to the Azores science centres, the University of the Azores' research centres and their partners.
The "great aim of the event", he said, is to bring science closer to people, "showing the positive impact of science on our daily lives and demystifying the role of the researcher" in an accessible way. European Researchers' Night is held on the same Friday in cities across Europe, and in Lisbon hundreds of people took part in activities at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento.
Researchers and companies in the islands, including firms set up by people who have moved to the Azores, should watch the Açores 2030 notices for the eligibility rules and closing dates once the calls open.
