PiiA: The Process Industry of the Future-Data-Driven and Sustainable - Autumn 2022

A call for proposals within the strategic innovation program Processindustriell IT and Automation (PiiA) for the autumn of 2022.

PiiA is part of Vinnova's, the Swedish Energy Agency's and Formas' joint effort on strategic innovation programs. The purpose of the investment in strategic innovation programs is to create conditions for international competitiveness and sustainable solutions to global societal challenges.

PiiA works to inspire the process industry and their suppliers to do more with their data; by making data available in the process industry's value chains in a reliable and commercial way. Work takes place in broad collaboration between companies, industry representatives, research institutes and universities / university colleges

For more information on the PiiA program

PiiA's program plan and report series provide additional background to the program and are relevant references for new projects project. The documents are available on PiiA's website

The strategic innovation program Processindustriell IT and Automation (PiiA) offers funding for feasibility studies or research, development and innovation projects (FUI project) with a focus on data analysis in process industrial value chains.

The purpose of the call is to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of the Swedish process industry, and their suppliers, by increasing the use of new technology and advanced data analysis in process industry value chains, both within and between companies.

By process industry we mean processes with continuous flows. We welcome applications from all industries in the process industry, such as the forestry, mining, steel, chemical, food or pharmaceutical industries. PiiA's focus area is not discrete manufacturing in the manufacturing industry.

The call is aimed at consortia consisting of companies, universities, university colleges, research institutes and other actors (legal persons) relevant to the project.

We welcome consortia that include smaller companies with cutting-edge expertise that complement larger actors.

Foreign actors are welcome to participate in project, however not as coordinators. Funding is only granted to Swedish organizations. Swedish organizations also mean foreign organizations that have a branch or place of business in Sweden. Costs in the project must be linked to the branch's or place of business's activities.

We finance project that address real needs in the process industry.

Project will be of strategic importance for participating companies and research groups and lead to sustainable growth and strengthened market position for Sweden in the process industry.

The projects are expected to address challenges related to how industrial data can be used to ensure that the Swedish process industry and its technology suppliers maintain and develop their competitiveness.

The following two types of project are funded in this call for proposals

The financing is expected to actively support the digital and green transition of the process industry.

Vinnova has the task of promoting sustainable growth by improving the conditions for innovation. Improved conditions for innovation strengthen the capacity to achieve the goals for sustainable development in Agenda 2030. Through our efforts, we contribute to the global commitment to achieve the goals.

Our work to contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030

Inom Agenda 2030, Vinnova has specifically pointed out climate and gender equality as two central sustainability perspectives to which our funded investments will make a positive contribution. Project financed by Vinnova are thus expected to take special account of the climate and gender equality aspects.

Sweden is a world-leading industrial nation. Digitization is changing the way industrial companies develop, manufacture and reach the market, and presupposes that IT and production systems digitally approach each other with enabling technology known as IndTech. Begreppet IndTech is a collective name for technologies that are implemented to make the industry smart and are delivered by hundreds of small and medium-sized technology suppliers who develop technology for industrial digitalisation for the world market.

In industry, the service life of technology is often determined by the availability of service and spare parts or major rebuilding needs. In practice, this means that existing structures can have a long life left, but at the same time gradually need to be supplemented with open digital solutions and standards.

Collaboration, concentration and innovation will be crucial to achieve the goals in Agenda 2030. With this call for proposals, we want more people to collaboratively develop their innovative capacity and create new solutions that contribute to the goals, within the framework of the call's priorities.

PiiA focuses on the Swedish process industry and includes both process industry companies and process industry suppliers. By process industry we mean processes with continuous flows. We welcome applications from the various industries in the process industry, such as the forestry, mining, steel, chemical, food or pharmaceutical industries.

Discrete manufacturing, ie manufacturing industry, is not included in PiiA's focus area.

The call is aimed at consortia that include at least one company, as well as other actors relevant to the project, such as universities, university colleges, research institutes, etc. All project parties must be legal entities. Foreign parties are also welcome to participate in project, but not as coordinators.

The joint project must have a positive impact on the parties to the project, which must form a well-balanced consortium that includes one or more of the following actors:

• Process industry that has identified an opportunity to radically improve its competitiveness by applying, for its field, new knowledge or new technology in a new way.
• Supplier company or so-called IndTech company that has identified a new market need, which is looking for a product or service with a new business model that meets this need, where the product / service differs significantly from what is already on the market.
• Research groupwho see the challenge as part of an important research problem that requires new knowledge, or who see opportunities for new application of research-based knowledge.

The parties in a project consortium are expected to jointly have:

• Identified one or more important challenges associated with an existing or future process industry problem.
• An idea for a solution to these challenges (technology and / or business model).
• Focus on a growth-driven and innovative digitalisation of the process industry and its suppliers.
• An ambition to jointly develop and make this solution available within the industry or as a cross-industry solution.

Activities for which funding can be funding for

The following two types of project are funded through the call:

• Feasibility study
  The study lasts for a maximum of 9 months and consists of at least two parties, of which is at least one company. The study aims to investigate and test concepts and serves as preparation for a FUI project.
• FUI- project
  The project lasts for a maximum of 36 months and consists of at least three parties, of which must be at least two companies. The project is expected to indicate potential in the application and / or value creation of new technologies and, if possible, validate / demonstrate its results in a relevant environment.

The planned budget for the call is SEK 15 million and we intend to finance 2–6 FUI project and 3–8 feasibility studies.

Eligible costs

Our funding is through funding. Funding for organizations that conduct financial activities is covered by rules on state support.

The rules govern, among other things, the types of costs and the proportion of them that may be covered by funding.

Government support for financial activities (companies)

Rules for eligible costs

In order for a cost to be eligible, it must be actual, auditable and arise within the project period.

Eligible costs for individual project partnersmay be covered in whole or in part by

funding from Vinnova. The part covered by Vinnova's funding constitutes the so-called support level and is expressed as a percentage.

In this call for proposals, the project as a whole can receive funding from Vinnova with a maximum of 50 percent of the total eligible costs.

The maximum support level is determined per beneficiary and different rules apply to different types of organizations, activities and projects project

We will only assess applications that meet the following formal eligibility requirements:

• The consortium consists of
• at least two parties, of which at least one company for feasibility studies
• at least three parties, of which at least two companies for FUI project
• The project parties are legal entities
• The coordinator is a Swedish organization
• Participant seeking funding is a Swedish organization. Swedish organizations also mean foreign organizations that have a branch or place of business in Sweden.
• project For projects involving SMEs as participants, the company must have:

at least one full-time employee.

User guide on the definition of SMEs (vinnova.se)

• The project has not started before the proposal is submitted
• Proposal is written in Swedish or English

The proposal must include the following mandatory annexes (in PDF format):

• Project description.

Project description for FUI project must comprise a maximum of 11 pages, and for feasibility studies 7, standing A4 pages with single-column 12-point black text, and written according to a template.

• Project summary, including a page with contact information, must be written according to a template. The text must be able to be distributed and published freely and must therefore not contain confidential or other sensitive information.
• CV Annex in A4. It must contain the relevant CV for the project manager and all key people. Varje CV must be a maximum of 1 A4 page with 12 points of text and follow the structure of the template.
• SMF Annex(maximum one page per participating SME SME) according to the template if such companies are included in proposal.

Only requested pages and attachments will be assessed. References to web pages, previous project descriptions or final reports will not be considered.

OBS! Om proposal is further based on an ongoing feasibility study or other ongoing project, these must be planned to be completed before the new project is planned to start.

At the same time as the proposal is sent to Vinnova, the appendix Project minutes must also be sent to PiiA via e-mail info@sip-piia.se.

What is assessed?

Proposal must be in line with the announcement aim and objective stated in section

What does PiiA want to achieve with the financing

and assessed according to the criteria below.

Potential for the process industry and its suppliers (for feasibility studies, the potential of subsequent FUI projects project is assessed)

• Relevance:The project will contribute to PiiA's overall objective and the specific objective that exist for the call.
• Innovation and business concept:Clear innovation and great potential for future business through the introduction of new technology, new processes and business models in process industry applications.
• Applications: Clearly described application areas and benefits for the process industry and its suppliers.
• Effects: The project's potential to contribute to the benefit of many actors in the process industry and among its customers and suppliers.
• Global goals in Agenda 2030: The project potential to contribute positively to the global goals in Agenda 2030, as well as minimize the negative effects and demonstrate the effects with relevant metrics.

Introduction to Agenda 2030, Statistikmyndigheten SCB

Analysis of synergies and goal conflicts in Sweden's voluntary review of the work with Agenda 2030

Actors

• Collaboration:That the project parties collaborate in the project and that the project is well rooted in participating organizations.
• Competences: That the project parties have access to the skills, partners and networks needed to develop the project's idea / solution. It also includes relevant sustainability expertise. [recommended to specify type of sustainability competence]
• Relevance:At least one participant must be active in the process industry
• Finance:That the project parties have the financial means to be able to carry out the project.
• Gender equality:How well the project team is composed, as well as the distribution of power and influence between women and men.

Feasibility

• Objective: Clear project objectives, which include, for example, demonstrators or evidence that a solution or technology works.
• Planning: That the budget, plan and approach for the implementation of the project are credible and relevant in relation to the project's objective, for example that staff costs and other costs are reasonable.
• Work packages: Clearly described work packages.
• Dissemination of results: Clear description of how the project results will be disseminated to other actors.
• Risk management: How well the project team is aware of and manages risks.
• Sustainability perspective: How well the project plan integrates relevant sustainability perspectives in terms of the entire value chain. This refers to Agenda 2030 with a special focus on climate and gender equality.

How do we rate?

Proposal is assessed in competition with other applications received when the call closes on 23 November 2022 at 14:00. The assessment is based on the electronic proposal submitted to Vinnova via Vinnova's eservices portal.

The decision-making process is as follows:

• Proposal is submitted via Vinnovas Intressentportal.
• The applications that meet the formal requirements are assessed by specially appointed evaluator from relevant areas and industries against specified assessment criteria. The evaluators are appointed by Vinnova and work under secrecy and confidentiality. This results in a recommendation for funding and in a ranking of the applications.
• Representatives of the strategic innovation program PiiA are given the opportunity to submit an opinion on the assessors' recommendation.
• Vinnova decides which project are to be financed.
• Decisions are announced to the applicant and the management of the strategic innovation program PiiA is informed of the outcome.

About our decisions

How much each party in the project is granted in funding is stated in the decision. Funding will be granted with the support of ordinance (2015: 208) on state support for research and development as well as innovation and art. 25 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 (GBER) for industrial research or feasibility studies.

Organizations engaging in non-economic activities may be granted funding -state funding when participating in their non-economic activities.

The basis for support is stated in the decision and also governs which costs are eligible.

Vinnova's decision to grant or reject a proposal cannot be appealed.

Term for granted funding

For funding, our general terms and conditions for funding apply. The terms include rules on project agreements, conditions for payment, follow-up, reporting and utilization of results.

Our rules and term for funding

Think about the order

Start each section with what is most important for your receiver to know: What does it need to know first in order to absorb the rest?

A good question to ask is: If the reader does not read all the way to the end, what can he not miss? The answer to that question should come first.

Dare to air - make many pieces

One thought - one piece. A compact text is difficult to read and is perceived as cumbersome. By making a new paragraph after 3-5 lines, the text becomes easier to read.

Keep sentences short

Long sentences are difficult to read, especially for dyslexics. A sentence should never be longer than 2 lines.

How to get shorter sentences:

• Set point.
• Remove unnecessary words: Radically innovative new products - innovative products.
• Convert nouns to -ing into verbs: Pursue development - develop, conduct research - research, carry out an education - educate
• Remove unnecessary word extensions: Objective - objective, cost budget - budget, development process - development

Be specific

Vague words, words that can mean anything and nothing, are easy to misunderstand and easily end up in the phrase jargon. Words like organizational solutionopens up for the reader to choose what they mean. By using more concrete, clear words, you reduce the risk of misunderstandings and are perceived as more serious.

Some examples:

Office infrastructure - office space or premises and office equipment, depending on what you mean.

Individual mobility - opportunity for people to try another industry

Application-oriented solutions - the solution must be practicable

Vinnova develops system innovation for a sustainable future

In 2021, Vinnova was involved in financing a project, Kick Start Hållbarhet, coordinated by IUC (Sverige Industriella Utvecklings Centra)

Om IUC Sverige | IUC Sverige

Projektets aim and objective was to inspire green conversion in 10–12 industrial companies with the help of examples, expertise, methods and systematics. Based on the 17 global sustainability goals, helped Kick Start Hållbarhet break down the goals into activities close to the company, understandable and concrete for the individual company. The participating companies were given a process to start future-proofing the operations and help to identify the most important driving forces for sustainability work.

Kick Start Hållbarhet has been positive and evaluation and interviews testify that companies have gained new knowledge and seen new opportunities for sustainable development. Several companies made ambitious and concrete plans during the process and three months later, some project have been launched.

Materials and links from this project have been collected here as inspiration.

KICKSTART HÅLLBARHET - KONKRET HÅLLBARHET FÖR INDUSTRIN (kickstarthallbarhet.se)