Irish agri-tech SMEs and start-ups are being encourage to apply for a new fund worth up to €300,000.

The “DEVELOP” call is the first of two and forms parts of the Irish-led European Horizon 2020 project, DEMETER.

The project is being co-ordinated by Waterford Institute of Technology and aims to lead the digital transformation of the agri-food sector in Europe through the rapid adoption of advanced Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, data science and smart farming ensuring the industry’s long-term viability and sustainability.

€30,000 per solution

Speaking about the launch of the open call director project co-ordinator Kevin Doolin said: “We are encouraging Irish agri-tech SME’s and start-ups to submit a proposal to the DEVELOP open call.

“We expect to fund between eight to 12 applications with up to €30,000 available per solution. The view of this funding is to support the integration and interoperability of technological solutions for farmers throughout Europe,” Kevin continued.

Applications for the first of the open calls must address one of the following challenges:

  • Topic 1: Soil workability and humidity monitoring.
  • Topic 2: Interoperable Geo Tagged Photo APP.
  • Topic 3: ISOBUS enabler.
  • Topic 4: Blockchain-based solutions for agricultural applications.
  • Topic 5: DEMETER Business process integration.

    • The DEVELOP Open Call closes on the 18 November 2020 (17.00 CET).

    More information on the Open Calls and how to apply is available here.