On research and innovation projects, there’s a very important part that involves being aware of subsidies and financing, of proposals, forming consortia, and doing pilot tests to see if things work or not.

The European Union (EU) is seeking to boost the technological and intellectual fabric of its Member States. And that’s good news. Yes, for you too, even if you don’t do research… because you’re bound to notice how European countries are becoming more competitive globally.

This brings about a positive impact on the quality of citizens’ quality of life and the quality of work by SMBs and companies. Thanks to its different aid programs subsidizing Research and Innovation (R&I) projects, there’s more money, so there is more prosperity and space for good ideas.

A NEW TECH HORIZON

Horizon Europe – Horizonte Europa

This is one of the most important programs, launched by the EU in 2020 and recently extended until 2027. It focuses on financing projects related to R&I, and its aim is for its investments to have a scientific, technological, economic, and social impact.

For those who are not entirely familiar with the terms, and this sounds like Chinese, a program is the set of objectives, priorities, and actions defined by the European Commission for a specific period; in this case 2021-2027.

Thanks to this program, Europe’s resilience and technological capacity will be strengthened so that the business fabric can advance in its digital transformation.

Digital Europe – Europa Digitala

This program arose in response to the two great concerns of our time: the planet and digitalization. Ever since the European Green Deal, the Commission has also put on those new green glasses while opening up debates on the digital transition.

With the common goal of bridging the gap between digital technological research in and of itself, and how to bring that research to the market, Digital Europe will benefit European companies, but also citizens who are now at the center of this transition and service design (together with the planet).

GOVTECH4ALL AS A STARTING POINT

It was in January of 2022 when Lantik came across an interesting call from the European Commission (in research jargon, this is an official announcement that each program sends out so that you can get your project to participate; a type of “Pssst, if you have a project that meets X requirements, present it now!”).

This call was “GovTech Incubator (DIGITAL – 2022 – GOVTECH – 02 – FPA)”, part of the Digital Europe program. The application process was undertaken, and from there emerged a consortium made up of 17 organizations from 12 countries, including Spain, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, Lithuania, Latvia, and Ukraine.

This challenge will last four years, divided into two cycles of two years each. The goal is the same for everyone: to promote innovative pilot projects that provide joint solutions in the field of e-government (GovTech). Its first cycle will be coordinated through the GovTech4All project, with the following objectives:

1. To provide a space and a methodology for governmental agencies to share challenges and solutions in order to grow together.
2. To launch, in the first cycle, three transnational pilot projects using a variety of technological solutions.
3. To support the scale-up and deployment of pilot projects, and encourage sustainability.
4. To strengthen the internal exchange of knowledge between partner countries and increase external awareness in the rest of the countries, including those that join.

PILOT PROJECTS TO TEST INNOVATION

This consortium has already selected three pilot projects, which are currently in the definition phase:

1. Secure information in cross-border data spaces – This project will make it possible for interested GovTech4All partners to agree on a cross-border case, with security, privacy, and interoperability in the exchange and storage of sensitive information being a priority.
2. Personal Regulations Assistant (PRA) – This project will offer a digital tool that will help citizens identify and apply for benefits they are entitled to in such a way that, even if they have limited business/legal knowledge, they can get aid and benefits.
3. Startup Challenge – This project will identify technological solutions that can help European institutions use energy more efficiently and minimize its use, with possible applications in all countries.

Lantik got involved in the innovation and proposed the first pilot, “Secure information in cross-border data spaces,” coordinating and leading the project with the help of the French and Greek governments.

The project has four main axes, which, in turn, translate into four technological areas:

1. Using secure encryption algorithms (quantum-safe encryption algorithms).
2. Working with encrypted data (homomorphic algorithms).
3. Giving information once (Once Only Technical Systems – OOTS – EU Regulation).
4. Using shared data spaces (open-source implementations – IDSA DSC/Eclipse DSC).

In the summer of 2023 the three pilot projects proposed in GovTech4All will get underway. For practical purposes, this means that we’re on the path towards achieving a greater and better digital society, one in which governmental agencies organize to design better experiences for citizens; in which we take into account that the flip side of digitalization is cybersecurity and privacy, ensuring that these facets are upheld; above all, one not losing sight of the climate crisis and how we can optimize the use of energy to do more with less.