The Cyber Assess Scheme aims to bolster businesses’ security and resilience by offering specialised cybersecurity expertise and services. This initiative empowers businesses to proactively handle cyber threats, strengthen local enterprises, and reduce supply chain risks in the private sector. Tailored offerings furnish technical and business acumen, enhancing IT system security and effectively addressing information security threats.

This project is fully funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility fund which is part of the NextGenerationEU Programme.

Scope of Scheme

Our comprehensive services focus on assessing IT systems and infrastructure (excluding Software as a Services (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), SCADA, Operational Technology (OT), and personal devices), emphasizing Vulnerability Assessments, Penetration Testing, Security Architecture Reviews, Risk Assessment, and Audits & Reviews.

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The Cyber Assess Scheme will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to service availability. With a dedicated budget of up to €150,000, the scheme provides free of charge services to eligible enterprises. To ensure equitable distribution and effective utilization of resources, specific allocations have been established for each service category.

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Source of Funding: Malta Council for Science and Technology

The Malta Council for Science and Technology would like to announce that it is currently receiving project proposals under the FUSION Technology Development Programme LITE.

• The call closes on the 23:59pm of Wednesday, 10th of April, 2024 .
• This call provides financial support for research, development and innovation preferably within the SMART Specialisation Areas.
• The focus is on innovative research with high commercial Impact.
• An Information Session will be held at 10am on the 4th of March. Please register at: https://forms.gle/A9v6KcsMv7CAhAFP9
• More information on this opportunity for funding, the eligibility criteria, the rules for participation and the application form, can be found in the attachments below.
• The additional documentation to be submitted together with the application form for this call can be found on the MCST Resource page here: https://mcst.gov.mt/resource-page/
• Please note, submission is to be done through email. File size limits may apply when submitting. Please ensure that the email does not bounce back after submitting.
• Please note that the call documents are currently still awaiting approval from the necessary authority and may be amended. In the case of an amendment a note of the date of amendment will be uploaded here, on this web page.

Visit the below link to download application forms and guidelines.

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Source of Funding: Malta Council for Science and Technology

The Malta Council for Science and Technology would like to announce that it is currently receiving project proposals under the FUSION R&I: Research Excellence Programme.

This call provides financial support (up to €80,000) for the early-stage development of innovative projects, through a bottom-up approach. All scientific research areas are being considered, and for projects which may be commercially applicable, this programme targets research at the initial Technology Readiness Levels (between TRL 1 and TRL 4).

Project proposals should be sent electronically and received by not later than 23:59 CET on Monday, 18th March, 2024.

More information on this funding opportunity, the eligibility criteria, the rules for participation and the application form, can be found on the below link.

Contact us by email on rep.mcst@gov.mt (keeping eric.balakrishnan@gov.mt in copy) for further information and to schedule one-to-one meetings.

An online information session will be held on Monday, 12th February 2024 at 13:00 CET. Click here to register for this informative event. 

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Source of Funding: Interreg Malta-Italia

In the Gazzetta Ufficiale della Regione Siciliana no. 1 of 5 January 2024, the extract of the Public Notice 01/2023 for the presentation of cooperation projects under the specific objectives of the INTERREG VI – A Italia-Malta programme, approved by the Managing Authority with DDG no. 1273 of 29/12/2023, was published.

The total ERDF contribution is €27,669,485 divided as follows for each specific objective

Priority 1 – A smarter area of cooperation to promote research and innovation and the development of skills for smart specialisation

• Specific Objective 1.1 – Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies in the cross-border area (RSO1.1) – € 6.020.880 (ERDF)
  • Specific Objective 1.2 – Develop skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship in the cross-border area (RSO1.4) – € 3.386.745 (ERDF)

Priority 2 – A resilient cooperation area, which strengthens the protection and preservation of nature also through the efficient use of resources

• Specific Objective 2.1 – Promoting climate change adaptation, disaster risk prevention and resilience in the cross-border area (RSO2.4) – € 5.693.985 (ERDF)
  • Specific Objective 2.2 – Promoting the transition to a circular economy in the cross-border area (RSO2.6) – € 2.515.947 (ERDF)
  • Specific Objective 2.3 – Enhancing the protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity, green infrastructure and reducing pollution in the cross-border area (RSO2.7) – € 5.031.893 (ERDF)

Priority 3 – An area of efficient cooperation in social capital through the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development

• Specific Objective 3.1 – Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in the cross-border area in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation (RSO4.6) – € 1.976.392 (ERDF)

Priority 4 – An area of cooperation with better governance between Italy and Malta

• Specific Objective 4.1 – Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of cooperation in the cross-border area (ISO6.4) – € 3.043.643 (ERDF)

The amounts shown above constitute the contribution of the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), equal to 80% of the INTERREG VI-A Italy Malta programme.
For Italian beneficiaries (public and private bodies as well as bodies governed by public law) the national contribution, equal to 20%, is ensured by the national Fondo di Rotazione, without prejudice to the rules on state aid.
For Maltese beneficiaries the national contribution, equal to 20%, is to be ensured from the partner itself.

Deadline: 4 April 2024

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Source of Funding: Horizon Europe

n the 2ndWork Programme of Horizon Europe 2023-2024

• Building on the positiveoutcome of the Africa Initiative I ofHorizon Europe Work Programme 2021-2022.
• A total budget of ~300 MEUR through ~30 topics under calls for proposals to boostEU-Africa cooperation
  on Research & Innovation (R&I).
• Enabling the implementation of the short-term and medium-term actions of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, aiming to translate R&I into tangible positive impact on the ground, particularly in the areas of:

1. Green Transition (260 MEUR)
2. Innovation & Technology (35 MEUR)
3. Capacities for Science (9 MEUR)

Call deadlines varies from call to call, please click here to read further.

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Source of Funding: European Commission

Supporting the deployment of trans-continental backbone networks, such as submarine cables, to strengthen the quality and resilience of connectivity between EU countries and beyond.

Studies

This topic will support studies for the deployment of backbone connectivity for routes within Member States (including OCTs), between Member States (including OCTs), and between Member States (including OCTs) and third countries which can fit within the scope described in Section 2.1 (CEF-DIG-2023-GATEWAYS-WORKS).

Proposals under this topic shall address studies including the preparatory work required prior to signing a contract with a supplier, such as marine ground surveys for submarine cables and application for required permits.

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Works

This topic will support the deployment of backbone connectivity for routes within Member States (including OCTs), between Member States (including OCTs), and between Member States (including OCTs) and third countries:

(1) where there is a lack of redundancy on a route. This is typically the case of routes which are not served by at least two present or credibly planned backbone infrastructures; or

(2) where existing or credibly planned backbone infrastructure cannot reliably satisfy the demand, taking into account, the increase in demand linked to ongoing or credibly planned investments in the upgrade of access networks in territories concerned. The utilisation of existing capacity as well as the expected lifetime of existing backbone networks are among the elements that may be taken into account to justify such a market failure and the urgency of intervention; or

(3) where despite the presence of a backbone infrastructure providing sufficient capacity and guaranteeing the necessary redundancy, in the absence of credible plans from alternative operators to enter the market, the users in the served territories suffer (or could suffer in the absence of adequate regulatory remedies) from suboptimal services or prices compared to those offered in more competitive but otherwise comparable areas or routes. This could be the case for instance if the backbone infrastructure or a substantial part of it is in the hands of an operator which according to a competent national regulatory authority has significant market power in the relevant market.

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Source of Funding: StandICT.eu

StandICT.eu will provide € 2,925,000 of crucial funding to support the participation of European standardisation specialists in key international and global SDOs.  Through nine open calls this funding will enable the specialists to contribute to and help create a fully integrated European Standardisation Ecosystem, thereby strengthening Europe's position in global standardisation initiatives.

The topics and priorities for the series of StandICT.eu 2026 calls which will run from May 2023 until April 2025 are defined through continuous monitoring and careful analysis of the international ICT standards landscape with the involvement of Standards Development Organisations (SDOs) and National Standards Bodies (NSBs), key EC advisory groups including the High-Level Forum on European Standardisation (HLF) and the EU Multi-Stakeholder Platform for ICT Standardisation (MSP), and respected bodies such as StandICT.eu’s Expert Advisory Group (EAG) and Forum for European Strategy on ICT Standards (FOREST).

CALL DEADLINE: 9th January 2024, 17:00 CET

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Source of Funding: X2.0 Driving Deeptech Growth Project - EU Funded

X2.0 cohort 4 focuses on Smart Cities and Sustainability domains and seeks innovative and impact-driven deeptech startups! This time around we are looking for teams that aim to leverage the latest technology or scientific discoveries to enhance the quality of life for residents and urban environments all the while promoting sustainable practices and way of life.

This cohort focus encompasses a wide range of sub-topics and areas of focus which can be seen to overlap and interconnect like: urban mobility & clean transportation, urban planning and development, public safety and securiX2.0 cohort 4 focuses on Smart Cities and Sustainability domains and seeks innovative and impact-driven deeptech startups! This time around we are looking for teams that aim to leverage the latest technology or scientific discoveries to enhance the quality of life for residents and urban environments all the while promoting sustainable practices and way of life.

This cohort focus encompasses a wide range of sub-topics and areas of focus which can be seen to overlap and interconnect like: urban mobility & clean transportation, urban planning and development, public safety and security, energy efficiency, circular economy, resource efficiency, water and air quality, waste management, climate change mitigation, environmental monitoring, resilience and disaster preparedness.ty, energy efficiency, circular economy, resource efficiency, water and air quality, waste management, climate change mitigation, environmental monitoring, resilience and disaster preparedness.

Why to participate / Benefits

Innovation Vouchers to cover

• Needs-based growth and scaling services in the max. amount of €20,000
• 1-on-1 mentorship with experts from the field of need in the min. amount of €5,000
• Access large-scale startup and investor-oriented events, exhibitions, and fairs in the amount of €5,000

Other Program Benefits

• Corporate Matchmaking and procurement
• Private Fundraising assistance
• Custom EU funding and public procurement ecosystem and overview
• Talent Matchmaking & Job promotion
• Promotion & Visibility

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Source of Funding: Malta Council for Science and Technology

The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) is receiving proposals under the Internationalisation Partnership Awards Scheme Plus (IPAS+). The Scheme is divided into two options. Applicants are to fill in the appropriate sections of the form; they may select either Option A or Option B, or both:

Option A: opportunities for collaborative initiatives between Maltese entities and at least one foreign entity of proven track record of excellence. Proposals should describe the nature of the joint activities that would be funded through the Award. Applicants are to demonstrate how the proposed activities contribute towards and align with achieving the goals of the National R&I Strategy, and to describe the potential of any activities to become self-sustaining or generate longer-term outcomes.

Option B: opportunities for Maltese entities intending to submit a Horizon Europe/Partnerships proposal as the coordinator of the consortium to engage a service provider (local or foreign) who will be supporting the applicant through proposal writing and submission. The amount of the Award available to any one successful applicant is capped at €6000 per Option. Some exceptions regarding the financial capping for Option B can be found in the rules for participation. All projects are evaluated by a selection panel set up by MCST on the basis of evaluation criteria outlined in the Call text.

Interested Applicants are to submit their application form electronically to ipas.mcst@gov.mt keeping in copy Mr. Robert Cauchi at robert.cauchi@gov.mt with “IPAS+ – Application 2023” as subject heading. The deadline for submission is Friday 13th October 2023 at 11.30pm. The application must be dated and signed by the applicant and the legal representative. All received applications shall be acknowledged by email. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

An online info session with more details on the IPAS+ call will be held on Wednesday 13th September 2023 at 10.00am. To register for this info session kindly press here.

 Continue reading and download the application forms from the below link.

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