Distribution of the nearly 32 million EUR funding in % (Phase 1)

In Phase 1, out of 180 current contractors 150 are from industry.

 70% of the industrial partners are SMEs and mid-caps.

 As 50% of the industrial participants are end-users, the direct application of the experiments’ results is guaranteed.

SAE provides SMEs with easy access to:

• competences and skills
• pan-European competence and business networks
• financial support

More than 60% of the experiments have a relevant European dimension and are executed in collaboration of partners from different EU member states combining existing regional strengths and know-how. Even more of them facilitate collaboration and interaction across different regions.

23 member states and associated countries are involved.

160 experiments have already been launched in Phase 1. They have either been completed achieving the inten­ded technological and economic impact or are in their final state of implementation.

More than 120 experiments are foreseen in Phase 2, involving 40 new DIHs and 120 SMEs.

 More than €18 million funding was used to support SMEs and mid-caps with their digital transformation in 9 calls during phase 1. More than 15 calls are expected to be launched in 2018 and until 2020 in Phase 2.

Light, SME friendly application scheme:

• 10 page proposal
• Calls tailored to market challenges
• Very short time to experiment start

Interest of SMEs and mid-caps has strongly increased, e.g. doubling the proposal numbers from one call to the next and receiving up to 100 proposals per call.