Between 25 October 2023 and 24 January 2024, InnoBuyer called small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to apply for the Open Call for Solvers, and propose an innovative solution to be co-developed with public organisations (Challengers).
After careful evaluation, 12 SMEs (Solvers) have been invited to join the InnoBuyer programme and are now in the contracting phase.
Matching the unmet need from a Challenger with a their proposed solution, the Solvers and Challengers will collaborate in a 10-month co-creation programme. Together, they will develop a pilot of the innovative solution.
This co-creation pilot programme will kick off on Monday, March 25, 2024 – which is also when we will reveal all the participating Challenger – Solver pairs, so stay tuned!
The InnoBuyer Call for Solvers
SMEs (Solvers) could apply to tackle one of the 12 Challenges proposed by the public organisations taking part in InnoBuyer, or, in the case of an SME funded by the European Innovation Council, team up with a public organisation and propose a challenge to be solved.
The Call for Solvers received a total of 176 applications, of which 146 eligible.
The applications came from 32 different countries, with many applications from SMEs in Spain, closely followed by Portugal and Germany.
Of the 12 invited SMEs, 4 are EIC beneficiaries. Two of those proposed a solution together with a public organisation of their choice in the Open Challenge Track.
The other 10 SMEs (including the 2 other EIC beneficiaries) have been invited to join the InnoBuyer programme and co-create a solution for the following Challenges that were prepared during Action 1 of InnoBuyer:
- AI FOR JUSTICE: Intelligent assistant to support judges and magistrates in drafting sentences by locating texts of previous judgments and jurisprudence
- BLOODMANSYS: Advanced Blood Transfusion Management System
- eDEMAP: Management tool for the digitalisation of the Early Demand Map
- Earlydel: Predictive tool for early detection of delirium in hospitalized patients
- HomeRUN: Home-based Capillary Blood Sampling Device
- MDR-prep: QMS-tool for compliance to the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) of early-stage medical device development
- MOTINN: Charging points network for electric bikes and scooters, in green and natural areas
- OptiDrive: Predictive eco-driving solution for service electric vehicles to optimise energy consumption
- PREPLEX: Algorithm to automate the management of resources in the outpatient department of a hospital.
- Safe-stay: Wheelchair system in hospital to support patients and visitors
What’s next for the selected organisations:
Once the Solvers have been confirmed and contracted (Action 2), Challengers and Solvers will co-create and pilot an innovative solution (Action 3). If by the end of the process the solution shows promising results, Challengers will receive support to launch an innovation procurement procedure (Action 4) for the wide adoption of the solution.
