NGI Sargasso 2nd Open Call.

Beneficiary & submission

NGI Sargasso 2nd Open Call will support projects lead by Member States and Associated Countries in the field of Next Generation Internet that count with an effective collaboration with US and/or Canadian institutions. Funding will be distributed only to the entities from Member States and Associated Countries, although an effective collaboration is required.  Submission & evaluation process  Submissions will be done exclusively via online platform: https://cascadefunding.sploro.eu/application/new?program=ngi-sargasso-2024     The submission process is supported by the following documents:  Online Form: completed via Sploro platform and divided in four sections (1) general profile of the applicants (2) alignment with the open call (3) excellence of the project and (4) impact.  Guidelines for Applicants: all the information you need to know before applying.  FAQ section: for usual doubts about our program.    In addition, it is mandatory to attach to the application a Support letter from the US/Canada entity who will be the collaborative entity for the project.  The evaluation process will last a maximum of three weeks from the closing of the call and will have 5 stages:    Eligibility criteria: An automatic filter will consider 8 criteria that all proposals must meet in order to be eligible.  Experts’ remote evaluation: An external evaluation board comprising experts in DLT domain, R&D, technology, and business development will review each proposal. Evaluators will score proposals based on 3 different evaluation criteria (Alignment, Excellence and Impact)  Normalisation score: This method would ensure a more balanced distribution of scores and reduce the possibility of biases and distortions.  Interview stage: Top-ranked projects from the remote evaluation are invited to participate in an online interview. Evaluators individually determine if the proposal should move forward based on a yes/no decision.  Final Selection: All proposals are ranked based on their remote evaluation scores and interview stage. In the event of a tie, a series of rules will be followed that will make it possible to reach a tiebreaker.  Prior to contracting to the top ranked applicants, the consortium will ask for the approval of the European Commission, and the list of selected projects will be submitted to the European Commission for final screening.  For more detailed information, you can consult the Guidelines of the call.  For any question about the process there is a general email address available at helpdesk@ngisargasso.eu   

Further information

Further information The purpose of this call is to provide support to EU MS and Associated Countries entities that would like to collaborate in research projects, within the Next Generation Internet field, with US and/or Canadian entities. NGI Sargasso focuses on specific areas of knowledge critical to developing a more human-centric and sustainable internet. NGI Sargasso prioritizes the following areas of knowledge: Trust, Data sovereignty, Digital identity, Internet architecture and renovation, Decentralised technologies, Interoperability & Standardization and New Internet Commons.  Proposals submitted to the NGI Sargasso Open Call could use some of the following base technologies to address the challenges in the above areas of knowledge: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and DLTs, Data, Cybersecurity, 6G and novel networks, IoT (Internet of Things), Open-source hardware and software, novel software architectures, etc.  The proposals are not limited only to the use of the technologies mentioned above.  The selected the projects are expected to have a clear development component, going further than theoretical approaches or just mere studies.  NGI Sargasso has identified a set of challenges for this second cut-off date after conducting a series of interviews and surveys to dozens of experts in Europe, Canada and the USA. There are 9 concrete challenges and an open one. Proposals should be directed towards one of those (including the open challenge for NGI).  Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Across Continents: Addressing environmental issues in digital networks, systems and infrastructure has emerged as a priority in both Europe, Canada and the USA, as increased complexity in systems may require additional resources. Sustainable maintenance, repair, and life-cycle management of digital technologies is included in this challenge.  Harmonized Cross-Atlantic Digital Governance: The need for a unified techno/legal framework for digital services across the Atlantic is gaining attention in both the EU, Canada and the USA. This includes the development of efficient networks, interconnections, and consistent regulation of data and cloud services to facilitate cross-border data exchanges and services.   Inclusive Public Digital Spaces for Global Community Engagement: Inclusive and accessible public digital spaces are becoming a priority in Europe, the US, and Canada. The challenge is to facilitate meaningful community engagement via these public platforms and ensure that all individuals, regardless of their language or abilities, have access.  Enhanced Data Security and Privacy in Transcontinental Perspective: The improvement of data security measures and stronger protections for personal data are a shared concern in Europe and North America. A focus is on respecting individual's data sovereignty and privacy.   Interoperability and Standardisation Across Borders: Seamless interaction between systems and devices is essential for interconnected digital environments. Europe, the US, and Canada have a joint interest in establishing widely accepted technological standards and protocols.   Global Implementation of Decentralised Technologies: As the world becomes more digitally connected, the implementation of decentralised technologies has become a crucial issue in Europe, Canada and the USA. These technologies offer a more distributed and resilient framework for digital services and require shared standards and protocols to ensure interoperability.  Next-Gen Cybersecurity and Generative AI: Cybersecurity stands as a cornerstone of the Next Generation Internet (NGI). However, cyber threats are continuously evolving and becoming increasingly sophisticated. The recent advancements in Generative AI capabilities offer new threats and new opportunities in the area of cybersecurity. This challenge delves into the intersection of advanced cybersecurity and Generative Artificial Intelligence to tackle this ever-shifting landscape.  Quantum-Resistant Security Systems: With advancing technology, traditional encryption methods become more vulnerable, highlighting the importance of quantum encryption. Integrating quantum encryption into security systems provides an extra layer of protection against potential cyber threats, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information. By combining quantum encryption with efforts to bridge the digital divide, a more secure and inclusive digital environment can be created for everyone.  Redefining intelligence in a hyperconnected world: In their hyperconnected world, where billions are online and data sensors abound, they must seize the opportunity presented by AI advancements to reshape how they confront modern challenges like sustainable cities and climate change. It's time for them to demonstrate that the synergy between human users, data sensors, and AI agents is the solution to today's societal challenges, all while safeguarding human rights.  Open Challenge for Next Generation Internet: Open for any project that addresses an emerging issue related to the specified areas of knowledge. This challenge encourages innovative solutions in the fields of Trust, Data Sovereignty, Digital Identity, Internet Architecture and Renovation, Decentralised Technologies, Interoperability & Standardisation, and New Internet Commons across Europe, USA and Canada.  Financial Support  NGI Sargasso offers financial support in the form of flat-rate grants to successful applicants to cover the project's personnel costs, direct costs, travels, and expenses related to the project. The justification of those grants will not be based in the form of administrative-financial cost statements but on the approval of deliverables agreed with NGI Sargasso team.  The program offers three types of grants based on the project's duration:  3-month experiment: up to EUR 50.000.  6-month experiment: up to EUR 75.000.  9-month experiment: up to EUR 100.000.  The maximum amount of funding that can be granted to a single organization for all NGI Sargasso calls combined cannot exceed EUR 150.000.  OnCampus Programme  NGI Sargasso offers mentoring, coaching, and networking opportunities to successful applicants to support them in achieving their project goals through the OnCampus Programme, which will be entirely online. The program is provided by Mobile World Capital Barcelona and offers personalized assistance, business guidance, expert insights, access to a vast network of key stakeholders, and marketing opportunities. The OnCampus Programme will be delivered through online platforms and tools, allowing applicants to participate remotely and access all program resources from anywhere in the world.  The participation on this programme will be compulsory for EU partners and optional for US/Canadian entities.   Eligible beneficiaries  The Member States and Associated Countries eligible entities by NGI Sargasso open call should be legally identified under the following categories of organisations:  Universities and research centers: academic and research institutions with a focus on developing novel knowledge areas and technologies aligned with the focus of NGI Sargasso.  NGOs and foundations: non-profit organizations and foundations that work under the NGI areas of knowledge and technologies.  SMEs and startups: small and medium-sized enterprises and startups that focus on developing innovative solutions related to NGI Sargasso’s areas of focus.  It is important to note that for an application to be accepted, the Member States and Associated Countries applicant must be supported by an entity from the US and/or Canada. These entities should be included via signed-support letter.  Moreover, only the Member States and Associated Countries entity will receive financial support.   To facilitate this process, NGI Sargasso consortium provides a brokerage system that enables applicants to identify potential partners and submit joint proposals, if there is not a previous link established among EU and US/Canadian entities.