Call for Applications: NearUS Match&Pitch @ CES

Call for Applications

NearUS Match&Pitch @ CES

January 7 – 11, 2018

A pilot service offered by NearUS, the Horizon 2020 initiative supporting the creation of ENRICH - European Network of Research and Innovation Centres and Hubs – in the USA.

Call opened: October 5, 2017 | Call closes: November 20^th, 2017 – 23h59 CET (updated)

1. Purpose of NearUS

NearUS is an initiative funded in the framework of Horizon2020, the most comprehensive EU Research and Innovation funding program to date. The NearUS initiative will increase European and US research and innovation collaborations while strengthening the position of Europe as the world´s leading partner in science, technology and innovation. Its overarching aim is to create a sustainable network of centers with US and EU-based nodes, to enable cross-continent R&I partnerships.

During its pilot phase, NearUS proposes a variety of services for researchers and entrepreneurs. The pilot activities will be evaluated to inevitably retain the initiative’s most successful components to ensure a sustainable plan for NearUS in the future.

Services will target various, commercially viable technology maturity levels: Research2Research (R2R), Research2Market (R2M) and Business2Business (B2B) stages. This includes research connection symposia, business matchmaking opportunities, working visits and innovation tours to US organisations to explore technology/product partnerships and/or business development middle / long term opportunities, pitching to potential investors, R2M and B2B boot camps, work space access, hands on business acceleration programmes, media promotion service and more.

The pilot services will be offered separately in specific calls. This call only refers to the NearUS Match&Pitch @ CES Tour taking place January 7th – 11th, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This first Match&Pitch is open to EU[1], early-stage Start-up founders, Researchers (pre-start-up stage), and Research Organizations with portfolio of R&D projects.

This NearUS program will take place around and during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), number one show in the world promoting innovation in ICT, IoT, Wireless Industry and all “Convergence” impacting consumers and the B2B value chain leading to the consumers, at such a level and with such a force: 175,000 attendees and 3,900 exhibitors (2.47 million net square feet of exhibit space). For more info please visit: www.ces.tech

Therefore the call for NearUS Match&Pitch @ CES is Business to Consumer (B2C), and Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C). The industries covered are the following:

3D Printing
Accessories
Audio (includes HR and 360)
Automotive Electronics
Broadcast & OTT
Communications Infrastructure
Computer Hardware/Software/Services
Content Creation & Distribution
Digital Imaging/Photography
Drones
Electronic Gaming
Fitness and Sports
Lifestyle
Personal Privacy and Cyber Security
Health and Biotech
Internet Services
Internet of Things
Digital/Online Media
Robotics
Sensors
Smart Home
Smart City / Smart Society
Startups
Sharing Economy
Vehicle Technology
Video
Virtual reality / Augmented Reality / 360 Immersion
Wearables
Wireless Devices & Services

2. Services offered in this specific call

In partnership with the organizers of the Euro Tech Week, NearUS is launching a first call for EU early stage entrepreneurs, researchers & research organizations looking for partnering and investment opportunities in the US (focusing on the West Coast) for their ICT, IoT & Wireless Industry Focus, and related “Convergence” innovations.

The selected 10 innovators will have the opportunity to present their prototypes and/or V1 to selected potential US partners during NearUS Match&Pitch @ CES 2018. More precisely, the selected organizations will be matched with partners, buyers, channels and investors during a matchmaking event (co-organized by Enterprise Europe Network/EEN) and introduced to early-stage focused investors during a specially organized NearUS pitch session.

The participants will also receive complimentary CES Exhibits Plus Passes, which provides access to all CES exhibits, Super Sessions, Keynote addresses and select conference sessions, in addition to an invitation to the US Department of Commerce International Reception, access to private business centres, and other exclusive benefits.

This service gives you the opportunity to:

• Be exposed to potential US partners and investors, for a low cost risk-controlled US market discovery process.
• Be introduced to individual investors that could become their active partners in the US.
• Have your early R&D project introduced for tech transfer and licensing opportunities to US corporate partners.
• Be introduced to more mature technologies/end-products to US manufacturers’ reps and channels, for feedback and a middle/long term relationship.

Schedule:

NearUS Match @ CES is a 5-day long program of matchmaking sessions from Sunday, January 7^th to Thursday, January 11, 2018, organized via the Euro Tech week matchmaking platform

NearUS Pitch @ CES is on Monday, January 8, 2018 - morning

The CES exhibit halls are open from Tuesday, January 9^th to Friday, January 12^th, 2018

Expected outcomes and impact per participant:

• ≥7 meetings/discussions with potential partners
• ≥4 meetings/discussions with investors
• ≥3 Follow up calls/meetings that same week/month for expression/validation of interest
• ≥3 next meetings in the next twelve months
• ≥1 deal with US/international prospected targets met at NearUS Match and Pitch events and/or at CES - in the next 24 months.

3. Target Group of this Call

• Start-up founders, mainly early stage looking for market opportunities and funding for their innovation;
• Researchers looking for market opportunities and private funding for their R&D project (pre-start-up stage);
• Representatives of a Research Organization looking for market opportunities and funding for a limited portfolio of “hot” R&D projects.

4. Eligibility Criteria

In order to qualify for the provided services, applicants have to:

• Be based in EU Member States or Associated Countries
• Be able to demonstrate a working prototype or V1
• Have registered Intellectual Property or are registering IPs
• Read, understand and speak English
• Be industry focused in ICT and/or ICT convergence (see list in 1.)
• Upload their pitch deck

5. Funding Principle

This call will fund 10 participants. The costs for the venue, materials, guest speakers, matchmaking platform, and catering during the welcoming cocktail are covered.

Participants will however have to cover the costs for flights to and from the United States, as well as other costs not mentioned above (e.g. ESTA/VISA application costs, health insurance, accommodation, dinners, etc.) by themselves.

6. Submission Procedure

All applicants must register at the electronic submission tool PT-Outline https://secure.pt-dlr.de/ptoutline/app/nearus_Services. It is highly advised that applicants submit no later than two days before the participant cycles end of each program, NearUS staff will assist with questions or portal issues for applicants. Besides basic information, applicants must mark checklist for actual criteria and must complete each section of the application.

The Online Submission Form is structured in four different pages, each one including various sections that need to be filled in by the applicant.

In PT-Outline the applicant is asked to fill in general information, such as the service for which the application is made, personal information (such as name, institution, organization type, contact details, and specific questions referring to the organization type if it is a SME). SME´s have to confirm that they are aware of EU-Regulation no. 651/2014 by the European Commission as well as other relevant regulations. All applicants have to select that they accept the privacy policy and are made aware that some costs have to be covered individually.

On page four you will find the "Application form" and “Pitch deck”, which have to be uploaded at the final submission stage.

Additionally, there is a fifth page for checking and submitting the application.

7. Evaluation and Selection Procedure.

1. Procedure

The fundamental principles governing the evaluation of the applications are:

• Transparency: The process for selecting applicants will be clearly described and made available to any interested party.
• Fairness and Equality of treatment: All applications shall be treated alike, irrespective of where they originate or the identity of the applicants.
• Ethical and Legal considerations: Any application that contravenes ethical principles and legal regulations may be excluded from being evaluated and rejected at any time.

The evaluation process involves three steps:

1. Eligibility Check: Will be done by the NearUS staff following the criteria defined in section 4.
2. Evaluation Panel: will be comprised of a committee of NearUS representatives and NearUS associated partners - Institutional Investors, consultants and corporate experts in ICT and industry convergences; rating of applications and down-selection of 20 candidates. The application matches to an evaluation rubric the evaluation panel will utilize to scale/rate strong proposals from those that require more information/improvements. You can download the rubrics to ascertain what you should submit in your application to provide thorough and fair review of your business/product/technology.
3. Interview: the 20 selected candidates will be interviewed to present their submitted pitch deck (30 min face-to-face or web-conference) for the final selection of 10 participants.

1. 2. Criteria

The applicant must:

• Demonstrate a Business model (being) proven with existing or future short term revenue streams
• Demonstrate the actions taken to fund / start / grow the business idea (i.e. already talking to their government for funding, and/or banks for guaranteed loans, and/or to investors)

Evaluation rubrics (criteria) can be consulted on the page of this call.

8. Time Schedule

• Oct. 5, 2017: Online application – close on Nov. 20, 2017 at 23h59 CET (updated)
• Nov. 20, 2017: First Selection of 20 candidates
• Nov. 21-29, 2017: 30-minute Interviews
• Nov. 30, 2017: Results
• Nov. 30 - Jan 07, 2017: Registration on the matchmaking platform www.b2match,com/eaec-ces2018 i.e. publication of the participant’s focus and your collaboration wishes (technology and business offers).
• Nov. 30, 2017 - Jan 07, 2018: Send and accept meetings requests with platform participants.
• Jan. 1-5, 2018: Preliminary meeting schedule by email. You send your last meeting requests and accept last minute requests.
• Jan. 7, 2018: Pick up updated schedule at the NearUS orientation desk.
• Jan. 7-11, 2018: NearUS Match @ CES
• Jan. 8, 2018 morning: NearUS Pitch @ CES

9. Contacts

For questions regarding the Innovation Tour, please contact:

For questions regarding NearUS Network, please contact: