Esmera launches new robotics competition – each winner to receive more than €200,000
An EU-backed project called the European SMEs Robotic Applications, or Esmera, has launched a competition to find solutions to industrial end-user challenges.
Esmera says it is looking for real-life problems in which providers would like to introduce a robotics solution.
Eight of these challenges will be included in an open call in September 2019, to which SMEs all over Europe will apply to solve them.
Esmera is particularly interested in hearing about challenges faced by sectors such as energy, manufacturing, agri-food, and construction.
However, other sectors are also of interest.
Esmera is inviting people from all sectors to send information about the challenges they would like to solve using a robotics solution.
Esmera is hoping to receive requests by April 30th, 2019. The email address to send them to is opencalls@esmera-project.eu.
Alternatively, you can email Esra Icer at Esra.Icer@tum.de.
Operating within the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, Esmera aims to boost robotics innovation by European small and medium-sized enterprises.
In the context of Esmera, small-scale research projects, so-called experiments, will be conducted.
Industrial end-users pose concrete challenges in their area and SMEs developing robotics technologies apply to provide the respective solution.
The challenge winners will receive direct financial support through a cascade funding mechanism of up to €200,000 each.
Also, the ESMERA consortium – comprising universities and industrial partners – provides technical support, access to robotics facilities and mentoring.
In 2018, the first Open Call by Esmera was also looking for challenges from industrial end-users. Experiments have now been chosen to start their robotics development process.
If you are interested in the Open Call 2018 or would like to get inspiration by former challenges, you can find information here: http://www.esmera-project.eu/challenges/