Mar 2030 programme funds co-promotion projects of up to € 70 000 per project targeting environmental sustainability and climate action (renewable energy systems, decarbonisation, energy efficiency and circular economy). Projects must be led by a company and can last up to 24 months.

Deadline: 11 June 2024

Objectives:

– Incorporate knowledge and liaise with regional R&D units, boosting the existence of a “Blue Innovation ecosystem”;

– Place knowledge at the service of the community, fostering effective links between the R&D system and the business, by promoting digitalisation across the various activities associated with the blue economy, increasing productive efficiency and sustainability, with the aim of making a net contribution to maintaining and attracting citizens/workers and the productive fabric to traditional and emerging blue economy activities.

Eligible organisations:

Private for-profit organisations (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) can apply in partnership with public organisations (university institutes with R&D units). The operation must include a higher education institution, its institutes and R&D units.

Eligible territory:

Eligible operations are those whose object of intervention, objective and final result of the intervention are located in the localities identified in the geographical area covered by the Notice, regardless of the headquarters of the co-promoting organisation. The geographical areas include specific localities in the municipalities of Alcobaça, Nazaré, Óbidos, Caldas da Rainha, Peniche, Lourinhã and Torres Vedras.

UA Eligibility

1. Faculty staff and researchers with permanent contracts with UA: Can be PI and be on the team of the projects if they have available time (in percentage)

2. Researchers with fixed-term employment contracts whose salaries are funded under

the Individual CEEC Program or the Institutional CEEC or Norma Transitória: Cannot have their costs allocated to the project but can be PI or on the team if (i) if they have available time (in percentage) and (ii) the team is made up mostly of permanent human resources

3. Post-doctoral fellows and researchers with fixed-term employment contracts whose

salaries are funded through the funds of Research Units (UI)/Associated Laboratories (LA): Cannot have their costs allocated to the project but can be PI or on the team if (i) if they have available time (in percentage) and (ii) the team is made up mostly of permanent human resources

4. Fellows or Researchers hired through projects: Cannot be a PI or part of the team

Eligible actions:

– Entrepreneurship, employment and economic development;

– Partnerships, co-operation, collaborative networks;

– Innovation and scientific and technological knowledge (material and immaterial);

– Environmental sustainability and climate action (renewable energy systems, decarbonisation, energy efficiency and circular economy).

Submission:

Submission is done via the Balcão dos Fundos, and it is essential to involve UACOOPERA from the beginning of the process. The Science Managers of CESAM ensure the connection between you and UACOOPERA, so you should always first send an email to cesam-gesciência@ua.pt to express interest in applying for this call.

The full notice (MAR2030-2024-7) can be consulted here (only available in Portuguese).