Climate-KIC

The European organisation EIT (European Institution of Innovation and Technology) coordinates Europe's largest public-private innovation partnerships in climate cooperation, Climate-KIC.

The mission is to bring together, inspire and empower a dynamic community to build a zero carbon economy and climate resilient society. The vision is to enable Europe to lead the global transformation towards sustainability. The program integrates education, entrepreneurship and innovation resulting in connected, creative transformation of knowledge and ideas into economically viable products or services that help to mitigate climate change.

The activities are driven by four themes of climate change. Under these four themes, specific challenges to address climate change mitigation and adaptation have been identified. 

• Urban Transitions
  Integrated, interoperable, scalable and replicable systemic solutions to underpin the carbon-negative, responsive, resilient cities of the future.
• Sustainable Production Systems
  Low-carbon value chains based on the circular economy and bio-economy are the future foundation of Europe’s industry.
• Decision Metrics & Finance
  Decision-makers, investors and high-carbon consumers are confident and committed to climate action, unlocking finance and driving the climate relevant economy.
• Sustainable Land Use
  Land use climate mitigation and adaptation functions strengthened through innovative tools and systems that articulate new value chains and contribute to green growth.

The Innovation Office has been tasked to coordinate the work of Chalmers linked to Climate-KIC. Please contact Anne Alsholm (anne.alsholm@chalmers.se) if you have any questions. In the calendar (attached document) below you will find information relating to Climate KIC activities and events. 

Research projects related to Climate-KIC can be found here:
http://www.chalmers.se/sv/institutioner/cee/samhalle-naringsliv/Sidor/CLIMATE-KIC.aspx

Climate-KIC website:
http://www.climate-kic.org/

Current calls:

• EnCO2re Flagship

This call is aimed at projects that will begin in September (or earlier) and produce meaningful results within 2016.  A separate call for projects to begin in 2017 will be issued later this year. In other words, this is a chance for you and your industrial partners to get involved in one of the interesting Flagships within the Sustainable Production Systems theme of Climate-KIC.
 
The call is structured in two phases. The first phase requests a short Expression of Interest using a common template by 27 May. We are currently investigating one week extension of the deadline, however I encourage all to respect the given deadline of the 27 May until further notice.  The attached presentation includes details on the call and basic EnCO2re information.  The Word document is the template for the Expression of Interest, and the third file is a set of instructions for the template.  A fourth file provides an introduction to the important Climate-KIC and EIT KPIs and Deliverables that will be required in the second phase of proposals.
 
The EnCO2re Flagship would like to start involving new partners and as such, we urge all parties interested in joining EnCO2re to submit an Expression of Interest, even if you do not have a project that can begin in 2016.  I encourage you to visit the website at: enCO2re.climate-kic.org
 
Submissions should be emailed to ted.grozier@climate-kic.org

• PhD summer school on Sustainable Production Systems

NEW DATE !!: August 29 – September 9, Gothenburg, Sweden

Zero carbon value chains and zero waste systems based on the circular economy and the bio-economy are the future foundation of Europe’s industry. This PhD summer school aims to educate change agents ready to accelerate the transition to economically viable circular models, decoupling economic growth from unsustainable resource use and GHG emissions to create a zero carbon economy. 

Challenges 
During the summer school three companies / organizations will present core challenges related to the transition into sustainable production systems. Deadline: July 15.

For more information: 
http://www.climate-kic.org/programmes/phd-summer-schools/

• Smart Sustainable Districts

Climate-KIC is looking for ambitious Nordic city districts to join a pan-European programme of systemic innovation across infrastructure such as transport, utilities, and the built environment. Together with world-class partners district-wide energy efficiency, resource consumption, and optimising the benefits of new products, technologies and services is addressed.

The purpose of this call is to expand the SSD programme to additional districts and partners thus increasing impact and strengthening the position of Europe’s cities as leading the climate change adaptation and mitigation agenda. Deadline: 10 June 2016.

For more information: 
http://www.climate-kic.org/programmes/smart-sustainable-districts/

For questions, contact interim Innovation lead Peter Normann Vangsbo peter@climate-kic-nordic.org, +4541762849

• Pathfinders

This call is open for researchers at Chalmers.

The second call for 2016 Pathfinder projects is officially launched with deadline for submission on 10 June 2016.  With this call, Climate-KIC aims to support and invite its partner community to investigate Innovation opportunities which address the challenges and priorities in the overall 4 thematic areas.

Below you will find the Pathfinder application form. The application form is very short and only the successful projects will be asked to fill out more detailed information. We have decided to re-use the exact same Pathfinder Application form as used during the first call in March 2016.

The evaluation process will follow an integrated approach, which will ensure balanced representation of Local and Theme interests. The evaluation criteria are similar to previous Climate-KIC practice and are outlined on pp. 28-30, but please pay SPECIAL ATTENTION to the thematic priorities set out in Annex 1.

The Pathfinder call is meant to enable Climate-KIC Partners to build consortia and work together in a structured way to identify and confirm innovation opportunities. The projects should be quick (maximum 6 months) and we anticipate all projects to be in the range of Euro 15K-30K. Up to a maximum of Euro 50K is available for the most complex innovation opportunities. The total budget available for this first Pathfinder call is Euro 0.8-1 million and similar Pathfinder calls will be repeated in May and September.

Two step preselection: integrated responsibility

Step 1 pre-selection

• Innovation pipeline managers score projects according to criteria. Thematic Portfolio Managers are available as support to ensure strategic fit.
• Pre-selection 1 based on score, rather than quota. Both a score and a comment for each of the criteria are required. This will help with the approval round of the evaluation, and for feedback to projects rejected at this stage.
• Each preselected proposal shall fall under minimum 1 Theme.
• Discussion and final decisions (at local level) of recommendations to be made in conference call chaired by Local Innovation Lead (thematic portfolio manager attends if requested).

Step 2: Approval by Pathfinder Board

• Review and approval of the recommendations of Step 1 by Pathfinder board.
• Pathfinder Board member: Thematic directors and Geographic directors

From the Nordic side, we strongly encourage you to vet your ideas with Peter Normann Vangsbo peter@climate-kic-nordic.org, +454176284. From the thematic side, contact persons are listed on p. 11 if you wish to clarify the strategic fit of your idea or get further suggestions for possible European collaboration partners.

• Climate Launchpad

Once again, Chalmers is hosting the Swedish part of the idea-competition Climate Launchpad, the world's largest cleantech-competition. The goal is to find the best projects with an ability to alter climate change.

Requirements for participating: 

• Anyone with a promising cleantech idea, being a start-up, SME, researcher, student, public organisation, consultant, engineering company or a combination of these
• You can only enter in your own country
• You cannot enter ClimateLaunchpad if you've already been accepted into Climate-KIC Accelerator or have participated in ClimateLaunchpad (or the former CleanLaunchpad) in a previous year

Besides a price of 10 000 Euro, the winner gain access to the Climate-KIC accelerator and a large European network in the business. Deadline: May 27.

More information can be found here: 
http://climatelaunchpad.org/countries/sweden/