Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Block.IS (Blockchain Innovation Spaces)
Reporting period: 2020-09-01 to 2022-01-31
The vision of the Blockchain Innovation Spaces project (Block.IS) was to build an open and collaborative cross-border, cross-sectoral innovation ecosystem to foster the use of blockchain technology in three vital sectors for the European economy: agrifood, logistics and finance. Additionally, Block.IS extended the concept to the tourism and fashion sectors to explore how the technology could be used in those domains.
Block.IS organized three acceleration programmes to attract, select and fund the best SMEs to generate blockchain-based products with strong market potential, and eight missions to stimulate cluster-built synergies.
[Figure 1 - Block-IS Concept]
The project cost was 5,5M€ with a maximum EU contribution of 4.9M€, with the obligation of allocating at least 75% of the budget to support innovation in SMEs. To achieve this goal, the project allocated 2.8M€ to FSTP to support SMEs both in the acceleration programme and missions. The remain of the budget was allocated to services to be provided by the consortium to the SMEs.
[Figure 2 - Block.IS Building Blocks and Acceleration Programme Objectives]
Block.IS was organized in three building blocks. The block Connect & Stimulate brought together clusters across Europe to foster ecosystem synergies. The block Catalyze designed the technical infrastructure, the acceleration programmes, and the business and mentoring services. The block Boost delivered the acceleration programmes.
Block.IS organized three acceleration programmes to attract, select and fund the best SMEs to generate blockchain-based products with strong market potential, and eight missions to stimulate cluster-built synergies.
[Figure 1 - Block-IS Concept]
The project cost was 5,5M€ with a maximum EU contribution of 4.9M€, with the obligation of allocating at least 75% of the budget to support innovation in SMEs. To achieve this goal, the project allocated 2.8M€ to FSTP to support SMEs both in the acceleration programme and missions. The remain of the budget was allocated to services to be provided by the consortium to the SMEs.
[Figure 2 - Block.IS Building Blocks and Acceleration Programme Objectives]
Block.IS was organized in three building blocks. The block Connect & Stimulate brought together clusters across Europe to foster ecosystem synergies. The block Catalyze designed the technical infrastructure, the acceleration programmes, and the business and mentoring services. The block Boost delivered the acceleration programmes.
[Figure 3 - Block.IS Acceleration programmes]
Acceleration programmes 1 and 2 supported a total of 88 SMEs from 24 different countries. The programmes were structured in three phases, INNOVATE, EXPERIMENT and COMEERCIALIZE. Each phase had more demanding objectives, strict internal and external evaluation to assess it the teams met the goals and to select the best ones for the following phase. Project website, social media channels and virtual and physical events provided visibility not only for the projects of the teams selected to advance but also for Block.IS.
Almost all KPIs defined for Block.IS were met or exceed. In the technical domain, 33 of the 55 teams in the EXPERIMENT Phase used the six blockchain enablers provided by the project, even though the usage was not mandatory. In the business domain, the project delivered more than 200 hours of individual mentoring, 18 business webinars, bootcamps and facilitated informal experience events between the teams.
[Figure 4 - Block.IS Technology and Business services]
The management structure of the project included procedures to monitor the performance in all areas of the project including risk management. One of the examples of the success of the risk management strategy, was the reaction to the pandemic. Because of the risk identified, the consortium activated additional services, such as the dissemination of employment opportunities for the teams supported.
The societal benefits created by the direct and indirect funding managed by Block.IS were:
• 94% of the of the costs of the project were allocated to support innovation in SMEs
• 61% of the teams supported in the acceleration programmes attracted investment.
• The total investment reported until the end of the project is 5M€
• The teams reported 195 new deals and partnerships
• The teams hired 63 more skilled workers.
[Figure 5 - Block.IS Impact on supported SMEs]
Acceleration programmes 1 and 2 supported a total of 88 SMEs from 24 different countries. The programmes were structured in three phases, INNOVATE, EXPERIMENT and COMEERCIALIZE. Each phase had more demanding objectives, strict internal and external evaluation to assess it the teams met the goals and to select the best ones for the following phase. Project website, social media channels and virtual and physical events provided visibility not only for the projects of the teams selected to advance but also for Block.IS.
Almost all KPIs defined for Block.IS were met or exceed. In the technical domain, 33 of the 55 teams in the EXPERIMENT Phase used the six blockchain enablers provided by the project, even though the usage was not mandatory. In the business domain, the project delivered more than 200 hours of individual mentoring, 18 business webinars, bootcamps and facilitated informal experience events between the teams.
[Figure 4 - Block.IS Technology and Business services]
The management structure of the project included procedures to monitor the performance in all areas of the project including risk management. One of the examples of the success of the risk management strategy, was the reaction to the pandemic. Because of the risk identified, the consortium activated additional services, such as the dissemination of employment opportunities for the teams supported.
The societal benefits created by the direct and indirect funding managed by Block.IS were:
• 94% of the of the costs of the project were allocated to support innovation in SMEs
• 61% of the teams supported in the acceleration programmes attracted investment.
• The total investment reported until the end of the project is 5M€
• The teams reported 195 new deals and partnerships
• The teams hired 63 more skilled workers.
[Figure 5 - Block.IS Impact on supported SMEs]
The expected results of the project were defined in five dimensions from the identification of key stakeholders to maximize project multipliers.
Dimension 1 - Identify and involve key stakeholders as early and as extensively as possible
Stakeholder identification includes more than 500 entities with diverse profiles that were targeted in the communication activities. The second level of involvement was achieved through the cluster mission activities in two waves. One on late 2019, focusing on dissemination of open calls. The second on late 2021, disseminating project results to maximize impact. The third level of direct involvement was through the innovation challenges. The first round led by consortium clusters focused on attracting SMEs to the open calls, the second round led by external clusters of tourism and fashion industries achieved cross-domain goals of the project.
[Figure 6 - Block.IS Cluster Missions and Innovation Challenges]
Dimension 2 - Reach a pan European dimension by being present in as many countries as possible
The Block.IS consortium had 12 partners from 10 countries with complementary networks. It was a good starting point to be able to reach the entire continent. Block.IS was present in 36 EU and H2020 associated countries with the following activities:
• Acceleration programmes: 88 SMEs from 24 countries.
• Cluster missions: 76 entities from 23 countries.
• Innovation challenges: 28 entities from 18 countries.
• Organization or participation in events in additional 6 countries.
[Figure 7 - Block.IS Geographical engagement]
Dimension 3 - Assure wider dissemination of project results
The project worked from very early in designing an effective communication and dissemination strategy. The branding, visuals and communication strategy supported the project goals, to attract the best projects to the open calls and provide high visibility to the projects we funded.
To provide high visibility to the support projects the website has a section named “Hall of Fame” where visitors can discover all the projects funded, and extra information on the 20 ones that reached the experiment phase. All funded projects tackle important challenges for the general citizen and SMEs, such as: food traceability, circular economy, or tracking of value chains in the context of NGOs and United Nations support programmes.
[Figure 8 - Block.IS Project and programme dissemination]
Dimension 4 - Create programmes and procedures that could be replicated in other projects
Within our team, Block.IS was one of the first projects to fully adopt lump sum model. The team created rules, procedures, and templates to manage open calls and acceleration programmes. The smooth and transparent implementation of Block.IS acceleration programme, provided guidance for the implementation of acceleration programmes, later established as processed for the F6S Innovation team. The concept of Block.IS programme was replicated in projects such as: COVID-X (#101016065), and ADMA TranS4MErs (#101037866).
Dimension 5 - Maximize project multipliers by bringing to the ecosystem as many clusters as possible
Cluster from the consortium and external clusters actively engaged in Block.IS by designing the content of the open calls, providing domains experts, and contributing for the uptake of the results. VOICT is leading the 3B ICT Cluster Network an initiative of clusters from the Balkan, Black Sea, and Baltic region that emerged from the participation in Block.IS which grouped 12 clusters from the region to discuss the possibility to actively work on replicating the Block.IS model on their networks.
Dimension 1 - Identify and involve key stakeholders as early and as extensively as possible
Stakeholder identification includes more than 500 entities with diverse profiles that were targeted in the communication activities. The second level of involvement was achieved through the cluster mission activities in two waves. One on late 2019, focusing on dissemination of open calls. The second on late 2021, disseminating project results to maximize impact. The third level of direct involvement was through the innovation challenges. The first round led by consortium clusters focused on attracting SMEs to the open calls, the second round led by external clusters of tourism and fashion industries achieved cross-domain goals of the project.
[Figure 6 - Block.IS Cluster Missions and Innovation Challenges]
Dimension 2 - Reach a pan European dimension by being present in as many countries as possible
The Block.IS consortium had 12 partners from 10 countries with complementary networks. It was a good starting point to be able to reach the entire continent. Block.IS was present in 36 EU and H2020 associated countries with the following activities:
• Acceleration programmes: 88 SMEs from 24 countries.
• Cluster missions: 76 entities from 23 countries.
• Innovation challenges: 28 entities from 18 countries.
• Organization or participation in events in additional 6 countries.
[Figure 7 - Block.IS Geographical engagement]
Dimension 3 - Assure wider dissemination of project results
The project worked from very early in designing an effective communication and dissemination strategy. The branding, visuals and communication strategy supported the project goals, to attract the best projects to the open calls and provide high visibility to the projects we funded.
To provide high visibility to the support projects the website has a section named “Hall of Fame” where visitors can discover all the projects funded, and extra information on the 20 ones that reached the experiment phase. All funded projects tackle important challenges for the general citizen and SMEs, such as: food traceability, circular economy, or tracking of value chains in the context of NGOs and United Nations support programmes.
[Figure 8 - Block.IS Project and programme dissemination]
Dimension 4 - Create programmes and procedures that could be replicated in other projects
Within our team, Block.IS was one of the first projects to fully adopt lump sum model. The team created rules, procedures, and templates to manage open calls and acceleration programmes. The smooth and transparent implementation of Block.IS acceleration programme, provided guidance for the implementation of acceleration programmes, later established as processed for the F6S Innovation team. The concept of Block.IS programme was replicated in projects such as: COVID-X (#101016065), and ADMA TranS4MErs (#101037866).
Dimension 5 - Maximize project multipliers by bringing to the ecosystem as many clusters as possible
Cluster from the consortium and external clusters actively engaged in Block.IS by designing the content of the open calls, providing domains experts, and contributing for the uptake of the results. VOICT is leading the 3B ICT Cluster Network an initiative of clusters from the Balkan, Black Sea, and Baltic region that emerged from the participation in Block.IS which grouped 12 clusters from the region to discuss the possibility to actively work on replicating the Block.IS model on their networks.