FUNDING PROPOSALS EVALUATIONS AND SOCIAL INNOVATION PRIZE

Client: European Commission – European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)

Location: remote

17 assignments completed since 2020

 

The EISMEA implements DGs GROW, RTD and INTPA* public policies, deploying European priorities such as the green-digital transition (‘twin transition’), the Green Deal, NextGenerationEU, the Africa-Europe Innovation Agenda, the Juncker plan. These programmes support businesses but also universities, professional organisations, local authorities, unlocking a large number of interregional cooperations in Europe and beyond.

 

Within EISMEA, the European Innovation Council awards a yearly Social Innovation Prize, offering visibility and acceleration programmes to laureates.

 

Inecko** frequently scores funding proposals and writes summary reports based on 20-30 criteria and sub-criteria. We attend consolidation meetings with 2 fellow evaluators and Commission officials and moderate about half of them as Rapporteur. We also write final evaluation reports (‘consensus reports’), sent to proponents and complying with strict guidelines.

 

Specifically, we have:

 

• Assessed and scored 222 funding requests relating to innovation, innovation ecosystems (Europe, Africa), SME/startups finance, green and circular innovation, regional development: EUR 1-60M envelopes per call, 12% selection rate, EUR 0.1-8M budgets, 1-5-year projects

• Wrote 86 consensus reports, took part in 84 consensus meetings with 2 fellow evaluators, moderated 36 of them, took part in 16 ranking panel meetings

• Been Jury member and Rapporteur for the 2022 and 2024 Social Innovation Competitions awarded by the European Innovation Council (2 stages), moderated 2 panel meetings; topics: sustainable and affordable housing/cities, digital democracy; 3 green tech SMEs funded, 19 enrolled in acceleration programme

 

* Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs; Directorate-General for Research and Innovation; Directorate-General for International Partnerships.

** Inecko’s founder Aurelien Leblay as External Expert, Rapporteur, or Jury Member.