The Smart Communities Tech Cluster, together with a network of European partners, is pleased to announce the new edition of Partnerships for Horizon Europe (P4HEU), the international event dedicated to building project partnerships for participation in Horizon Europe calls.

The 2026 edition will take place online on 29 September and 6 October, featuring two days of presentations, networking sessions and targeted meetings among companies, universities, research centres, public authorities, clusters and European stakeholders interested in developing new collaborative projects.

Call4Ideas opens on 18 May

Starting from 18 May 2026, the Call4Ideas will officially open. This opportunity is addressed to companies, research organisations, cities and institutions interested in submitting project ideas or technological and scientific expertise for future collaboration proposals under European calls.

Selected applications will have the opportunity to be presented during the event to an international audience of potential partners, with the aim of fostering the creation of competitive consortia for upcoming Horizon Europe calls. In the days following the plenary sessions, a full agenda of B2B matchmaking meetings will also take place.

A proven format for new European collaborations

In previous editions, Partnerships for Horizon Europe engaged hundreds of participants from several European countries, confirming its role as a key appointment for organisations active in the fields of smart and sustainable mobility, energy and environment, digitalisation and data economy, urban security and resilience, innovative services and quality of life.

Further details on the application process, programme and registrations will be available soon.

For further information: networking@smartcommunitiestech.it

Info Day Webinar on 15 May AT 10:00 AM CEST for the Business Innovation Services and Technology Adoption Call

Smart Communities Cluster is pleased to share the upcoming Info Day Webinar dedicated to the PowerUp NetZero Business Innovation Services and Technology Adoption Call.

This opportunity is addressed to SMEs, start-ups, technology providers and innovation stakeholders interested in accelerating the transition towards Net Zero solutions through advanced services and technology uptake.

The initiative aims to support companies in improving competitiveness, sustainability and innovation capacity.

REGISTRATION

Agenda

• Welcome and project introduction
• Overview of the PowerUp NetZero Open Call
• Eligibility and funding conditions
• Services examples
• How to apply and evaluation process
• Q&A session
• Closing and next steps

The webinar is a valuable opportunity to learn more about the call, understand the available support services and discover how to apply.

We encourage SMEs, start-ups, clusters, business support organisations and all relevant stakeholders to join the session.

REGISTRATION

This portal serves as the main communication channel for the project and presents its objectives, activities, and the territories involved in cross‑border cooperation between France and Italy.

Available now the strategic document National SmartCommunities Roadmap – update 2024, presented to Italian MUR, Ministero per l’Università e per la Ricerca.

The Roadmap speaks to many players: Ministries, Regions and Public Administrations, companies and research institution, in order to evolve new technological solutions for the urban development.

The Roadmap focused on sustainable urban future, safe and inclusive, which special attention on frontier technologies and people’s needs; the document is organised in three sections:

1. Research and Innovation Agenda di Ricerca.
2. Advices for Cluster’s specialization areas development
3. Future City Scenario

DOWNLOAD THE ROADMAP 2024

The European Cluster Collaboration Platform, on behalf of the European Commission, and in partnership with AFIL – Lombardy Intelligent Factory Association and the Lombardy Regional Authority, will be jointly organising the next ‘Clusters Meet Regions’ event in Milan, Italy, on the 26 and 27 March 2024. The event will focus on the Twin Transition and will address three main objectives:

• To analyse the policy effectiveness of central-level strategies and their implementation at the local level.
• To focus on the best practices and models by Italian and European regions, including supportive initiatives for the business, industry and research ecosystem, and provide some examples of their impact.
• To provide an opportunity to build networks and projects among participants.

The Clusters meet Regions event in Milan aims to bring together onsite over 200 representatives of European Clusters and companies, national and regional public authorities, business support organisations from Italy and other European regions, investors and other actors in industrial innovation.

The program will include: high-level plenary sessions, panel discussions, pitching sessions and a guided site visit to MIND – Milano Innovation District.

REGISTER

The 2024 REGIOSTARS competition, 17th edition, is now open, for applications until 31 May 2024.

Since 2008, the REGIOSTARS are Europe’s yearly awards for cohesion policy-funded projects that demonstrate excellence and new approached in regional development. Over the years it has become Europe’s label of excellence for EU-funded projects that demonstrate the impact and inclusiveness of regional development. By putting forward solutions to common challenges and tapping into the biggest opportunities, the REGIOSTARS have inspired regions to deliver ever more impactful EU regional policy.

Last year competition was the most participated one ever, with 228 applications. Let’s beat that record!

This year, you can apply in five categories corresponding to cohesion policy objectives, as outlined here below and in the guide for applicants.

Projects must be completed at the moment of submission. An independent jury of academics will select up to 5 finalists per category, which will compete in a Final Round during the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels. Also the Award ceremony will be back in Brussels, this year, in the same week.

The REGIOSTARS are awarded to projects in five categories:

• Category 1) A COMPETITIVE AND SMART EUROPE- Promoting competitiveness, innovation and economic resilience

• Category 2) A GREEN EUROPE- The green transition as the enabler of regional development

• Category 3) A CONNECTED EUROPE- Enhancing mobility and connectivity between regions

• Category 4) A SOCIAL AND INCLUSIVE EUROPE – Achieving a more inclusive Europe by harnessing regional talents

• Category 5) A EUROPE CLOSER TO THE CITIZENS- Fostering the sustainable development of all types of territories

DISCOVER MORE

This Open Call supports Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in accessing to training activities for supporting their staff in the development of their competences, improving specific digital capacities and skills that can further enable digitalisation and greener transition of the company through ICT (AI or BC), notably in the manufacturing, mobility, logistics and energy sectors

Opening date: 15 December 2023, 17:00 Brussels time. 

Deadline: 15 February 2024, 17:00 Brussels time. 

Applications can include more than one training activity, as long as: 

• The training activities are linked to each other, meaning there is a training plan to follow with a specific objective and impact for the SME. 
• The total cost of the training activities altogether does not exceed 5.000,00 EUR, or if it does, the SME must declare that they will cover the remaining cost.  
• The training activities proposed have a cost of at least 500,00 EUR. 

These activities must include Artificial Intelligence / Blockchain technologies, support Green and Digital transition.  

For further information, visit AIBC EUROCLUSTERS – Piemonte Innova  Training & Skills.

E’ stato pubblicato il primo bando di gara di Climaborough, uno dei tre progetti scelti dalla Commissione Europea per sviluppare in 12 città europee soluzioni innovative a basso costo nella gestione dei rifiuti, l’energia verde e la mobilità sostenibile. Il progetto, finanziato dal programma Horizon Europe con circa 11 milioni di euro, è coordinato da Anci Toscana e nella prima fase coinvolge otto città: Torino, Atene e Ioannina (Grecia), Differdange (Lussemburgo), Grenoble (Francia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Cascais (Portogallo) e Maribor (Slovenia).

Con il nuovo bando, che impegna 2.4 milioni di euro, verranno scelti fino a 16 progetti pilota, due per ciascuna delle 8 città; la partecipazione è aperta a qualsiasi operatore economico, che può presentare una domanda fornendo le informazioni richieste dalla stazione appaltante. Il 20 novembre, Climaborough organizzerà un workshop online per informare i potenziali candidati  (iscrizioni qui).

Nel progetto ogni città ha definito una sfida specifica, considerata centrale per raggiungere l’obiettivo della neutralità climatica entro il 2030: Torino, Cascais e Maribor lavoreranno per migliorare la raccolta dei rifiuti tessili, Atene su energia ed edifici, Grenoble-Alpes per modellare l’impatto ambientale di un progetto di rigenerazione urbana, Differdange per produrre localmente il 100% dell’elettricità pulita, Sofia per ridurre il traffico nel centro della città, e infine Ioannina si concentrerà sulle acque reflue.

Candidature entro il 30 novembre 2023

Cluster SmartCommunitiesTech signed the collaboration agreement with SCEWC 2023

The Cluster becomes a partner (collaborating organization) of Smart City Expo & World Congress, the leading international event dedicated to innovative technologies for smartcity, which will be held from 7 to 9 November 2023 with the physical event in Barcelona, at the Gran Via Exhibition Center, and a parallel digital program broadcast by Tomorrow.City.

SCEWC23, under the theme “Welcome to the New Urban Era”, will focus on eight main tracks touching the most pressing issues facing cities: Enabling Technologies, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Governance, Living & Inclusion, Economy, Infrastructure & Building and Safety & Security. 

PARTICIPATE WITH THE CLUSTER IN SCEWC 2023
Come and visit us at the ICE area!

Buy the ticket at this link with the 25% discount dedicated to us (or enter the code F0LJHW4U) and join us in Barcelona!

FREE ENTRY FOR OUR MEMBERS
To request passes, contact us at pec@pec.smartcommunitiestech.it

Free entry passes to the expo will be assigned to our members based on the order of requests received

Among the many opportunities offered by the event, we would like to point out:

• the third edition of Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress #TMWC22 with focus on urban mobility, co-organized by Fira Barcelona and EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the EU’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
• the first editions of Tomorrow.Building and Tomorrow.BlueEconomy — focusing on the opportunities of the blue economy — to strengthen the role of the event and Barcelona as a global hub of smart solutions and provide answers to the challenges facing today’s cities.
• the 10th edition of the Brokerage Event! Smart City Challenges: online 2-3 Nov and  on site 7-9 Novembe .

For more information on the streaming event, visit the tomorrow.city platform

online event: GET YOUR LINK 

The AIBC EUROCLUSTERS project lauched four exciting open calls related to the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain (BC) technologies in manufacturing, mobility, logistics, and energy fields. This webinar will briefly explore the 4 open calls and then will leave time for a Questions and Answers session!

AGENDA

14:00 – 14:30 The AIBC Open Calls – Fondazione Piemonte Innova, AIBC project coordinator

14:30 – 15:00 Q&A

REGISTER HERE

AIBC EUROCLUSTERS facilitates access and connections to potential experts and entities as well as information about international events linked to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain (BC), through its online Info&Match platform

All interested organisations, aligned with AIBC target, are invited to visit and use it for organising meetings and developing partnerships and collaborations.