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EIT Awards 2016
Call for Nominations for the EIT
Venture Award
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
www.eit.europa.eu
The EIT is a body of the European Union
00508.EIT.2015.D.JP
EIT Author Date: 8/24/2015
Contents 1 Introduction - Background ...................................................................................................... 0
2 Objectives ............................................................................................................................... 0
3 Timetable ................................................................................................................................ 1
4 Prize ........................................................................................................................................ 1
5 Admissibility Requirements ..................................................................................................... 2
6 Eligibility Criteria ..................................................................................................................... 2
7 Exclusion Criteria .................................................................................................................... 2
7.1 Exclusion from nomination ............................................................................................... 2
7.2 Exclusion from award ....................................................................................................... 3
7.3 Evidence provided by supporting documents................................................................... 3
8 Selection Criteria ..................................................................................................................... 4
8.1 Criteria .............................................................................................................................. 4
8.2 Evidence provided by supporting documents................................................................... 4
9 Award Criteria ......................................................................................................................... 5
9.1 Criteria .............................................................................................................................. 5
9.2 Evidence provided by supporting documents................................................................... 6
10 Legal commitment .................................................................................................................. 6
11 Publicity .................................................................................................................................. 6
11.1 Publicity prior to the EIT Awards event ............................................................................. 6
11.2 Publication of prize-winner ............................................................................................... 7
12 Data protection ....................................................................................................................... 7
13 Procedure for the submission of Nominations ........................................................................ 8
14 Award process ........................................................................................................................ 9
EIT Author Date: 8/24/2015
1 Introduction - Background In order to promote an entrepreneurial mind-set and a risk-taking culture within the EIT’s
Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), the EIT introduced the EIT Entrepreneurship
Award in 2012. This award was presented to three successful ventures that had benefitted from
each KIC’s business creation support activities.
In 2013, the EIT further developed the concept of the EIT Award. The ‘EIT Entrepreneurship
Award’ was renamed to ‘EIT Venture Award’. The ‘Change Agents and Next Generation of
Entrepreneurs Award` (EIT CHANGE Award) was introduced to incentivise entrepreneurship-
driven innovation at EIT-KIC student and alumni levels.
In line with the EIT’s vision to gradually extend the EIT Awards and cover the three main EIT-KIC
activity pillars of business creation, education and innovation, the EIT introduced the ‘EIT
Innovators Award’ in 2015 to present highly successful innovation teams of the EIT-KICs.
As of 2015, the EIT Awards thus comprise the EIT Venture Award, the EIT CHANGE Award, and
the EIT Innovators Award.
2 Objectives The objectives of the EIT Awards are to promote innovation and encourage entrepreneurship by
putting the most innovative ventures, entrepreneurial graduates, and innovation teams emerging
from the KICs in the spotlight and to create role models to drive future change.
The EIT Venture Award puts successful entrepreneurial start-ups that have been supported by the
KICs through a dedicated business creation or business development process in the spotlight1
Within the EIT Community, the EIT Awards play an important role in celebrating achievements
and success, identifying role models and increasing opportunities for the further development of
the EIT Award winners.
1 In showcasing the entrepreneurial outputs of the KICs, the EIT Venture Award promotes the business creation activities of KICs.
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3 Timetable
4 Prize The EIT Venture Award winner will benefit from:
An increased European-wide promotion of its business and the prerogative to use the
label “EIT Venture Award Winner” in their profiling and marketing activities;
Activity Deadline Comment
Publication of the call for
Nominations
20 October 2015 On EIT website
Deadline for submitting
applications
30 November 2015 Nominees send application and
documentation to KICs (SPOCs)
Assessment and selection of
nominees by KICs
5 December 2015 KICs carry out selection and provide the
EIT names of nominees and all
documentation required by 16
November
Evaluation by EIT 9 December 2015 Check on completeness documentation
and whether the candidates meet the
eligibility, non-exclusion and selection
criteria
If relevant: KICs will be given
opportunity to provide missing
information or new nominees
14 December 2015
Formal publication of nominees 21 December 2015 On EIT website
Communication campaign 21 December 2015 – July
2016
Award decision 25-26 April 2016 During EIT Award event, prior to
announcing the winner of the Award
EIT Award 2016 Event 25-26 April 2016
Provision of prize 24 June 2016 (tentative)
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A monetary prize of €50,000.
5 Admissibility Requirements Applications must be
Sent no later than the deadline for submitting applications referred to in section 3;
Submitted in writing (see section 14), using the application form;
Drafted in English
Failure to comply with those requirements will lead to the rejection of the application.
6 Eligibility Criteria The applicant venture:
Is legally incorporated at the competent national authority of its country of establishment
Is legally registered at the competent Chamber of Commerce (if mandatory in accordance
with the applicable national law).
The evidence to be provided by the venture as part of the application package consists of its
Registration Certificate, its Statutes and a Declaration of Honour
7 Exclusion Criteria
7.1 Exclusion from nomination
Applicants will be excluded from participating in the call for proposals procedure if they are in any
of the following situations in accordance with Article 106 of the Regulation (EU, EURATOM) No
966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council:
1. they are bankrupt or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business activities, are the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations;
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2. they or persons having powers of representation, decision making or control over them have been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a judgment of a competent authority of a Member State which has the force of res judicata;
3. they have been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contracting authority can justify including by decisions of the EIB and international organisations;
4. they are not in compliance with their obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established or with those of the country of the RAO or those of the country where the grant agreement is to be performed;
5. they or persons having powers of representation, decision making or control over them have been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation, money laundering or any other illegal activity, where such an illegal activity is detrimental to the Union's financial interests;
6. they are currently subject to an administrative penalty referred to in Article 109(1).
7.2 Exclusion from award
In accordance with Article 107 of the Regulation (EU, EURATOM) No 966/2012 of the European
Parliament and of the Council, applicants will not be granted financial assistance if, in the course
of the award procedure, they:
1. are subject to a conflict of interest; 2. are guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the information required by the
Commission as a condition of participation in the grant award procedure or fail to supply this information;
3. find themselves in one of the situations of exclusion, referred to in section 7.1.
7.3 Evidence provided by supporting documents
Applicants must sign a declaration on their honour certifying that they are not in one of the situations referred to in articles 106(1) and 107 to 109, filling in the relevant form attached to the application form accompanying the call for nominations and available at http://eit.europa.eu/activities/entrepreneurship/2016-awards.
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8 Selection Criteria
8.1 Criteria
The applicant venture:
Offers a product or service which is innovative and marketable, with a European
perspective and the potential to expand globally;
Has already at least one customer or investor in case of long-term science-based projects;
Comprises a team of a minimum three Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) that convincingly
demonstrate that it has the competences to successfully develop the product or service
and bring it to the market;
Has received business creation support by a KIC, i.e. the venture has gone through a
structured business support process offered by a KIC;
Is willing to add value to a KIC, for instance by providing internships to students and
contributing to the strengthening of entrepreneurial strategies, practices and culture of
a KIC.
8.2 Evidence provided by supporting documents
The evidence to be provided by the venture as part of the application package consists of the
following documents:
A description of how the above selection criteria are met (e.g. on the product or service,
on the applicant venture’s team, on the customer or investor, on the link to a KIC)
including the business plan of the venture and relevant accompanying information (see
under award criteria).
A written statement about the willingness of the applicant venture to add value to the
KIC.
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9 Award Criteria
9.1 Criteria
An international jury composed of three members with a diverse background in business creation
and development, investment, and coaching will evaluate the applications and the elevator
pitches based on the following criteria (assessed on a scale from 1-5, where 1 is the lowest score,
5 is highest score):
Criteria
(equal weighting)
Explanation
1. Commercial
characteristics / potential
Need for (or prospect of) product or service Target customers and customer engagement Addressable market size Market growth Competitors Competitive advantage Description of the incumbents' power
2. Technical characteristics
/ potential
Description of the uniqueness and features of product or service
Technology validation Product development risk Intellectual property position
3. Financial characteristics
/ potential
Quality and relevance of the description of the business model (pricing, downstream value, scalability, funding strategy)
Profit potential
4. Societal impact Degree of the societal impact in line with the scope of the KIC
5. Team characteristics Experience/potential and role of the team members Quality of the description of the internal organisation of
work If applicable: identification of short-term talent gaps
and a strategy to fill them
6. Pitch/Presentation Quality and persuasiveness of the oral presentation Professionalism: the clarity, demeanour and
professional delivery of the team and its presentation Quality of answers during the Q&A portion of the
presentation
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9.2 Evidence provided by supporting documents
The evidence on which the award decision is based comprises:
1. For award criterion 1-5: A description on how the above award criteria are met, included in the application package. It is imperative that the information provided enables a proper assessment of the Award criteria. To this end, as a minimum the business plan and accompanying documents should provide the following information:
The market need, or customer pain point the venture addresses and the reason to solve this particular issue;
The product/service developed and discerning (technical) features;
Customers and market opportunity;
The unique value proposition relative to the competition, a competitor analysis and an explanation how the venture will stay ahead of the competition;
Domestic and foreign patents and patent applications;
Important technical know-how;
The venture’s organisational chart with the management team, the background of its members, and plans to fill any positions that are (yet) not covered;
The venture’s list of shareholders and number of shares held by each;
Any projections, capital budgets and strategic plans;
2. For award criterion 6: The applicant ventures will have to present their application to the jury with respect to award criteria 1-5. Under this criterion the quality of the presentation will be assessed.
10 Legal commitment In the event of a prize awarded by the EIT, the awardee will be formally notified of the award
decision, including information about the procedure in view to formalise the obligations of the
parties.
11 Publicity
11.1 Publicity prior to the EIT Awards event
Between the time of the formal publication of the nominees and the elevator pitch/presentation
at the EIT Awards event, nominees will be promoted by the EIT via different channels and media.
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The EIT will work with the nominated ventures to produce different promotional materials,
including their business profiles, videos, interviews …etc.
11.2 Publication of prize-winner
All information relating to the prize awarded shall be published on the internet site of the EIT no
later than the 30 June of the 2016.
The EIT will publish the following information:
name of the prize-winner;
the achievement that has been awarded;
the amount awarded.
Upon a reasoned and duly substantiated request by the prize-winner, the publication shall be
waived if such disclosure risks threatening the rights and freedoms of individuals concerned as
protected by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union or harm the commercial
interests of the award winner.
12 Data protection The reply to this call for nominations involves the recording and processing of personal data (such
as name, address and CV). Such data will be processed pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 45/2001
on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community
institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data. Unless indicated otherwise, the
questions and any personal data requested are required to evaluate the application in accordance
with the specifications of the call for nominations and will be processed solely for that purpose
by the EIT and the International Jury for the Venture Award. Details concerning the processing of
personal data are available on the privacy statement at:
http://ec.europa.eu/dataprotectionofficer/privacystatement_publicprocurement_en.pdf
Personal data may be registered in the Early Warning System (EWS) only or both in the EWS and
Central Exclusion Database (CED) by the Accounting Officer of the Commission, should the
beneficiary be in one of the situations mentioned in:
the Commission Decision 2014/792 of 13.11.2014 on the Early Warning System (for more
information see the Privacy Statement on:
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/contracts_grants/info_contracts/legal_entities/legal_entities_e
n.cfm ),
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or
the Commission Regulation 2008/1302 of 17.12.2008 on the Central Exclusion Database (for
more information see the Privacy Statement on
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/explained/management/protecting/protect_en.cfm)
13 Procedure for the submission of
Nominations Nominations must be submitted by the candidates to the KIC contact persons in accordance with the formal requirements and by the deadline set out under section 5. The KICs select and appoint two nominees for the EIT Venture Award and notifies the EIT by the deadline given in section 3.
Applications shall be submitted by the candidates on the correct form(s), duly completed, with all supporting documents, dated, and in accordance with the formal requirements and by the deadline set out under section 5. Application forms are available at http://eit.europa.eu/activities/entrepreneurship/2016-awards. Applications must be sent to the contact person of the KIC concerned given in Table 12 by email with all required documents attached.
No modification to the application is allowed once the deadline for submission has elapsed.
However, if there is a need to clarify certain aspects or for the correction of clerical mistakes, the
KIC and/or EIT may contact the applicant for this purpose during the evaluation process3.
Table 1 Contact points per KIC
KIC Contact person Email
Climate-KIC Susanne Pedersen [email protected]
EIT Digital Tatu Koljonen [email protected]
KIC InnoEnergy Raj Ghelani [email protected]
Applicants will be informed in writing about the results of the selection process.4
2 Art. 195.3 RAP 3 Art. 96 FR 4 Art. 133 FR, 205 RAP
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14 Award process
Each KIC organises its own selection process using the Eligibility, Exclusion and Selection Criteria
set out in sections 6, 7 and 8 of this document and appoints two nominees for the EIT Venture
Award.
The KICs provide the EIT the names of the nominees they put forward along with all required
documentation by 16 November 2015.
The EIT will check if the Eligibility, Exclusion and Selection criteria are met.
Nominated ventures will be invited to deliver an elevator pitch in front of a high-level jury during
the EIT Awards event. The Jury will also have the opportunity to ask for clarifications of the
presentation and/or documentation. The pitch session and celebration will be organised as part
of the EIT Innovation Forum “INNOVEIT” which will be held in Budapest on 25-26 April 2016.
KICs are expected to support their nominees in their preparation of the presentation. In addition,
the EIT may organise a presentation/pitch training prior to the event to work with nominees on
their presentation skills and give them the opportunity to get to know each other.
The EIT Authorising officer will appoint an international jury of three members for the EIT venture
award. The Jury will include one member of the EIT Governing Board and independent external
representatives. The Jury will be supported by an EIT staff member. This Jury, which will have a
diverse background in business creation and development, investment, and coaching, and will
evaluate the nominated ventures based on the documentation, elevator pitches and responses
to questions using the Award criteria set out in section 9 of this document.
The award decision will be made by the EIT Authorising Officer based on the recommendation made by the jury. The EIT Venture Award winner will be announced at the EIT Awards event.
EIT Awards 2016
Call for Nominations for the EIT
Venture Award
Form for candidate ventures
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
www.eit.europa.eu
The EIT is a body of the European Union
11
Information about candidate Venture
Checklist Please confirm by placing a cross that you have provided in full the following information to comply with
the information requirements.
Documents Please confirm with mark (x) that
documentation is included in the
package
Registration Certificate and Statutes
See 6. Eligibility Criteria
Declaration of honour certifying that you are not in one of
the situations referred to in articles 106(1) and 107 to 109
See
6. Eligibility Criteria
7.3 Evidence provided by supporting documents in context of
Exclusion criteria
Documents demonstrating that the selection and Award
criteria are met, e.g. businessplan, product information,
organisational chart )
See
8.2 Evidence for Selection Criteria
9.2 Evidence for Award Criteria, based on table in 9.1
A written statement that you are willing to add value to the
KIC
See 8.2 Evidence for Selection Criteria
Name contact for Venture
KIC
Name venture
Address
Telephone
Name Place Date Signature
