ENRICH in the USA Advanced Manufacturing-focused Tour

Call for Applications

ENRICH In the USA Advanced Manufacturing-focused Tour

October 21– 25, 2019

A pilot service offered by ENRICH in the USA.

Rolling Application opens: July19, 2019 | Call closes: September 15, 2019 – 23h59 CET (extended)

1. Services offered in this specific call

ENRICH in the USA is launching the ENRICH in the USA Advanced Manufacturing-Focused Tour to assist European Union and EU-affiliate stakeholders interested in US-based business and/or collaborative partnership opportunities. This Advanced Manufacturing-Focused Tour, hosted by the Council of the Great Lakes Region, provides connections and information to help explore and/or identify transatlantic customer, supplier, and/or investment opportunities for visiting EU stakeholders within the advanced manufacturing industry in the binational Great Lakes region, North America’s economic engine. Tour participants will leave this five-day itinerary with a clear understanding of investment, incentive, and operational gains the Great Lakes region has to offer should they be interested in conducting and/or opening a local office for business.

The unique opportunities leveraged by the host ENRICH in the USA Landing Hub, will enable participants to experience a one-of-a-kind interaction with US-based government, industry, and research experts who share similar challenges and solutions within the advanced manufacturing industry. These action- and connection-packed 5 days spent with the Council of the Great Lakes Region will provide EU visiting stakeholders a deep understanding of quicker pathways to access US and Canadian business, regulatory and technological resources, ensuring a smooth internationalization of advanced manufacturing equipment, processes, and/or software technologies or businesses. Every participant will leave the Tour with at least one major potential connection to a US and/or Canadian based entity with which to further explore partnership opportunities.

Located in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls metropolitan area and hosted by the Council of the Great Lakes Region, the Advanced Manufacturing Landing Hub provides European stakeholders unprecedented access to two national economies – the United States and Canada. The Great Lakes region is home to the third largest economy in the world, of a combined GDP of nearly $6 trillion (USD), and its most significant sector is manufacturing. On the US-side of the region, visiting European stakeholders can enjoy networking with manufacturing giants such as General Motors, Praxair Tesla, Moog Inc., and Dresser-Rand, who add to the nearly 2,000 other manufacturing companies within the area. These companies are deploying the latest state-of-the art technologies in additive, subtractive, robotics-based, and other advanced manufacturing methods to produce a wide variety of products for consumer, government and commercial use.

The first cohort will be hosted October 21-25, 2019, but subsequent annual Tours will be available in mid-October in a consecutive 5-weekday span each year after. The Tour is ideal for advanced manufacturing stakeholders from research, innovation, and/or business organizations from the EU, ideally C-level or other executives from departments covering R&D, Engineering, Product Development, Manufacturing, Operations, Business Development and/or Finances.

This first Advanced Manufacturing-Focused Tour will accept up to 40 participants. If 40 qualified participants who meet the eligibility and other selection criteria apply, a waiting list will be created; therefore, you are highly encouraged to apply for the service immediately upon interest. If any spots on the Tour become available, potential participants on the waiting list will be invited on a first come, first serve basis, so long as they also meet the eligibility and selection criteria. The Tour is open to EU Member States and Horizon 2020 Associated Countries advanced manufacturing (further defined in Target Group section) stakeholders.

This service gives you the opportunity to:

• Find relevant advanced manufacturing customer, supplier, technology development/research, and/or other partnership contacts, in a financially efficient, timely manner
• Find US financial support for international entities interested in locating a new global office to be closer to these customers/partners
• Explore business and investment opportunities in a bi-national location
• Find an international location with convenient major infrastructure accommodating trade logistics between three nations
• Explore the above opportunities in an area of the US that provides a highly attractive business, investment, and regulatory environment in the global advanced manufacturing market

Tentative schedule

• Monday October 21st: Welcome from Council of the Great Lakes Region
  • 9AM  Welcome and Overview of Great Lakes Region (Council of the Great Lakes Region)
  • 10AM New York State Incentives & Foreign Corporations Programs (Empire State Development)
  • 11:30AM Lunch and presentation of University of Buffalo ecosystem
  • 1PM Tour of University of Buffalo
  • 4PM Plant tour and Presentation on the Power of Niagara’s Hydropower
  • 5PM Dinner and Investor Meet-ups (hosted by Invest Buffalo Niagara)
     
• Tuesday, October 22nd: Buffalo-Niagara Business and Innovation Ecosystem Resources
  • 8AM Breakfast and Panel Discussion with Foreign Manufacturing Corporations Headquartered in Region
  • 10AM Buffalo Manufacturing Works tour
  • 12PM Lunch with Buffalo Angel Network and Launch New York on investment opportunities
  • 1:30PM Panel of experts from Innovate Niagara and Niagara Canada’s Manufacturing leadership, including a side by side comparison of advanced manufacturing assets, logistics capabilities, and costs between the US and Canada
  • 5PM Dinner and Night-time Tour of the Niagara Falls (zipline attraction for the bravest participants)
     
• Wednesday, October 23rd: Invest Buffalo Niagara Advanced Manufacturing Assets
  •  9AM Breakfast and Workforce Development Talent Pipeline Panel
  • 10:30AM Tour of Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park
  • 12:30PM Lunch
  • 1:30PM Tours of Large Manufacturers in Region
    • Moog Inc
    • Tesla-Panasonic Solar Gigafactory
    • GoodYear
  • 4:30PM Summary and Celebration of Advanced Manufacturing (hosted by Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance)
     
• Thursday, October 24th: Ontario Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem and Assets
• • 8AM Breakfast and Panel Discussion with Manufacturing Corporations Headquartered in Ontario
  • 10AM Meeting with Next Generation Manufacturing Canada Supercluster
  • 12PM Lunch with Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade on investment opportunities
  • 1:30PM Panel of experts from Toronto Board of Trade and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership to discuss binational manufacturing advantage
     
• Friday, October 25th: Pennsylvania Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem and Assets
  • 8AM Breakfast and Panel Discussion with Manufacturing Corporations Headquartered in Pennsylvania
  • 10AM Tour of Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center, (AMIC)
  • 12PM Lunch with Ignite Erie and Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership
  • 1:30PM Panel of experts from Pennsylvania Department of Community and thePennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association
  • 5PM Dinner

Expected outcomes and impact per participant

Average per participant

• ≥3 connections with government officials from the region regarding economic incentives, investments and other information
• ≥4 different geographic visitations to explore a variety of ecosystems
• ≥1 business connection per participant resulting in direct follow-up between participants and potential customers and/or industrial partner
• All participants will have at least one follow-up conversation post-Tour on regional incentives and other opportunity leads from ENRICH in the USA Advanced Manufacturing Landing Hub host organization and regional government representatives

2. Target Group of this Call

Applicants must be taxpayers in an EU Member State or Associated Country AND/OR be an EU Member State or Associated Country passport holder. Welcome advanced manufacturing industry stakeholders include but are not limited to:

• Startups and SMEs developing innovations and products
• Researchers
• Large corporation executives in R&D, Engineering, Product Development, Manufacturing, Operations, Business Development and/or Financial Departments
• Cluster coordinators
• Economic development organizations
• Multipliers
• Industry and trade organization representatives
• Local or regional government representatives
• University administrators
• Science/Technology/Industry/Research/University Park executives

Advanced manufacturing products, processes, and services are defined as those which may utilize: software aided design; high-performance computing for modeling, simulation, and analysis; additive or subtractive processes of fine resolution (< microns) and/or which can accommodate a wide range of man-made materials; high precision manipulations, control or detection/sensing; information technologies; automation, advanced robotics and other intelligent production systems; sustainable, green processing; modern synthetic material handling or creation; custom manufacturing techniques; agile volume production; or high/fast rate production techniques.

3. Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• If an individual, applicant must be a tax payer in an EU MS/AC AND/OR be an EU MS/AC passport holder
• If incorporated, applicant must pay taxes in an EU MS/AC AND/OR have as the majority of shareholders EU MS/AC passport holder
• Be able to communicate (read and speak) in English

4. Funding Principle

Due to funding of this service by the European Commission, the cost per participant for all expenses is a non-reimbursable fee of 525€ (The Tour’s actual value is over 1300€ per participant.) This highly reduced participant fee covers two meals per day, entrance fees to associated events/venues, and transportation to/from hotel and all Tour stops.

Participants will also 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.

5. Submission Procedure

All applicants must register at the electronic submission tool F6S under https://www.f6s.com/enrichintheusaadvancedmanufacturingtour. It is highly advised again, that interested applicants should apply as soon as possible, and not wait for the application deadline, as eligible applicants who meet the selection criteria will be invited to the Tour in the order in which they applied. ENRICH in the USA staff will assist with questions or portal issues for applicants. Besides basic information, applicants must mark a checklist for actual criteria and must complete each section of the application.

In F6S, the applicant is asked to register themselves and fill in general information, personal information (such as name, institution, organization type, contact details, and specific questions referring to the organization type). All applicants must acknowledge that they are made aware that some costs have to be covered individually.

You will need to complete all required questions in the F6S application form before you are allowed to submit. Applicants for the Tour should be able to confirm that they:

• Engage in commercial and/or research activities within the advanced manufacturing industry (see previous section for definition/areas of alignment)
• Are a major decision maker in executing new customer, supplier, or partnership relationship developments
• Have a sincere interest in US-based business, technology development, and/or other partnership collaboration opportunities and be a decision maker in potential location scouting activities

The questions listed under Specific Questions were designed to help both the applicant and Host organizations foster ideal connections within the ecosystem, as well as to refine the Tour’s itinerary. These questions include:

• What types of products/services and/or research does your organization work on? If you do not directly conduct technology development, please indicate if you have stakeholders (customers/clients, members, tenants, etc.) that do conduct technology development and in what areas relevant to the Tour sector
• What are your expectations from the ENRICH in the USA Advanced Manufacturing-Focused Tour?
• Why are you interested in learning more about the US market?
• Please list particular companies, investors, and/or institutions you are interested in being connected to within the Landing Hub region this tour is held within. (Please visit: https://usa.enrichcentres.eu/landing-hubs for more information on Tour hosts and listings of potential customers/investors/partners; you are welcome to access your own resources to answer this question)

Note that all application responses have to be submitted in English.

6. Evaluation and Selection 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.

Selected participants must meet basic eligibility criteria and participant fee must be received by September 22, 2019. Applicants who meet the criteria will be contacted with payment information.

Step 1: Eligibility Check: Will be done by the ENRICH in the USA staff following the criteria defined in section 3:

1. If they meet the respective eligibility criteria (outlined above)
2. If they meet the respective target group for this call (outlined above)

Step 2: Applicants who meet the optimal selection criteria and satisfactorily answer the Specific Questions outlined in Section 5 listed above, will be invited to the Tour. Unanswered or partially completed questions will not be considered to move forward in the process. A team formed of ENRICH in the USA staff and ENRICH in the USA Advanced Manufacturing Hub organization executives will review applications in the F6S portal, every two weeks leading up to the application deadline.

Step 3: Scoring: All applicants will be evaluated on a five-star evaluation scale – if applicants can confirm all three selection criteria statements and answer all four of the Specific Questions thoughtfully, they will earn a 5-star rating.

Step 4: Admission: The first 40 candidates with 5 star-scores will be invited to attend the Tour. Within two weeks of applying, if not sooner, applicants will be notified of their selection.

Please note: ENRICH in the USA is beholding the right to create a wait list of suitable candidates reaching the necessary 5 stars score

Time Schedule

Contacts

For questions regarding the ENRICH in the USA Advanced Manufacturing-Focused Tour, please contact