A European project led by the Institute of Engineering, Technology and Systems and Informatics Sciences (INESC TEC) will support, with 3.3 million euros, social innovations that promote the reduction of the carbon footprint in industry.
In a statement, the Porto institute clarifies this Thursday that the project, entitled SoTecIn Factory, began in June and aims to contribute to the implementation of the European Union Circular Economy Action Plan.
Stimulating the creation of new solutions with social and environmental impact in the areas of electronics and information technology is the main objective of the project, contributing to the development of a “more sustainable and resilient” industry in the areas of batteries and vehicles, packaging, plastics, textiles, construction, food and water.
Quoted in the document, the project coordinator, Gustavo Dalmarco, clarifies that the project will support “ideas of social innovation with the aim of creating alternatives for more circular value chains.”
“As a result, companies will have more durable products that can be repaired, recycled and reused,” says the INESC TEC researcher, noting that the goal is to find alternatives to “increase European autonomy”as well as “develop social entrepreneurship skills for the green and digital transition”.
“Imagine a company in the food sector with food waste problems, the project will try to bring technology to reduce waste and help solve this problem,” he exemplifies.
Over the next three years, the project will unite the different sectors of the industry and identify their main challenges, “in a geographical area that includes more than 20 European countries”.
In 2023 and 2024, the launch of two open calls (applications) for social innovators (researchers, small and medium enterprises and Opening) in order to respond to the needs found in companies.
within the framework of open calls 50 social innovators will be selected to receive 15,000 euros to support the development of products and services with a social impact, of which 30 will have the opportunity to participate in a technological demonstration, which included a additional support of 85 thousand euros.
In addition to financing, social innovators will benefit from mentoring actions, training with scientific contributions for the implementation of their solutions and the design of business models.
Led by INESC TEC, the project, which is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme, has as partners the F6S Network (Ireland), bwcon (Germany), Impact Hub (Austria), Metabolic (Netherlands) and CNR ( Italy). .
Source: Observadora
