Big results, even bigger expectations

The results of the third Horizon Europe Call are in, with 17 projects receiving funding across five categories.

Horizon called and Europe answered - in a very big way.

The third Horizon Europe Call received 63 proposals requesting a total of around EUR 100 million. These requests were submitted by consortium partners from a variety of different sectors and representing not only all EU Member States, but also nearly 100 associated and third countries. Over 35% of the participating companies were SMEs.

As the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe aims to tackle climate change, help achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and boost the EU's resilience, competitiveness and growth. EUSPA's Horizon Europe calls are focused on igniting the development of innovative space downstream applications.

"The number of proposals received, and funding requested shows that EU Space is the lynchpin of research and a critical tool for companies and organisations developing innovative space-based solutions," says EUSPA Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa.

With an overall budget of EUR 34.5 million, the third EUSPA Horizon Europe Call included five topics and covered such components of the EU Space Programme as European GNSS (EGNSS), including EGNOS and Galileo; Copernicus, the European Earth Observation programme; and GOVSATCOM, which will provide secure and cost-efficient communication capabilities to security and safety critical missions and operations managed by the EU and its Member States.

The following 17 projects received funding:

EGNSS - Transition towards a green, smart and more secure post-pandemic society

Develop and use commercial downstream solutions, based on synergies between the EU space programme components and digital technology for green, smart and more secure solutions that address a variety of social and economic challenges that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project	Description
GESTUS	Solution for body kinematics monitoring

EGNSS - Closing the gaps in mature, regulated and long lead markets

Fill gaps in mature, regulated and long lead markets (including rail, maritime inland waterways, fisheries and aquaculture, road and automotive, and aviation) and deliver concrete pathways to standardisation and certification towards broader EGNSS adoption.

Project	Description
ESERCOM-D	EGNSS-enabled standardised European road condition monitoring and distribution
VITOLMINS	Visual and instrument take-off and landing manoeuvres with EGNSS and Copernicus
VICE4RAILS	Hybrid virtualised testing for certification of EGNSS in railway train positioning

Copernicus-based applications for businesses and policymaking

Enhance existing or develop new applications and products relying on Copernicus data and services, including those based on in situ/ground-based information and, where relevant, other space capacities like data collection, satcom, navigation and, in particular, EGNSS technologies.

Project	Description
COASTS	Coastal observation advances leveraging space technology services
FUTUREFOR	Copernicus applications for next-generation forest monitoring
ENHANCE	Enabling one health coastal management through advanced AI over marine Copernicus and citizen science data
UNICORNE	Copernicus emergency applications for resilience addressing businesses' needs and policy making

Designing space-based downstream application with international partners

Build a critical mass of space based-application success stories, demonstrating the advantages and differentiators of EU Space solutions and services and making it an attractive option for public authorities, private industries and private investors in and outside of Europe.

Project	Description
KijaniSpace	Space-IoT solution box for climate-smart agriculture in Africa
REINFORM	Remote sensing integration for optimised resource management: scaling farm water balance toolbox for mapping the water productivity and sustainability of the Australian agricultural sector
SWIM	Surface water information management
HASHTAG	High accuracy service harnessed trusted application and governance
SNOWCOP	Unlocking the full potential of Copernicus data and infrastructure to improve meltwater monitoring in the Andes
GAIA-TSF	Geospatial artificial intelligence analysis for tailings storage facilities

EU GOVSATCOM for a safer and more secure EU

Identify and address technological challenges related to the provision of GOVSATCOM services, increase awareness on the benefits of using secure services provided by GOVSATCOM and foster user uptake.

Project	Description
EUSATFINDER	European space, aerial and terrestrial assets supporting first responders' operationsEGNSS-enabled standardised European road condition monitoring and distribution
SAT2Rescue	Secured SATCOM-based solution enhancing emergency services and search and rescue missions
5G-HUB	Fifth generation services hub for EU governmental satellite communications

"Linking space to user needs starts with research and innovation, and we have big expectations for each of our funded projects, which will now be tasked with leveraging EU Space to develop innovative ideas and game-changing solutions to some of today's most pressing challenges," concludes da Costa.

You can learn more about EUSPA's Horizon Europe calls here.

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