ITC HOLDING s.r.o.

Brussels, 24 November 2010

The Eurostars ProgrammeExperience with preparation of Eurostars projects

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Main areas of activities:• Support and consulting of research and development projects • Mediating access to European research and development support programmes • Promoting research and development activities in the Czech Republic • Support for searching partners (cooperation abroad)• Organization of conferences and seminars focused on R&D

Overview of International R&D Projects:• 42 realized EUREKA projects (company start-up in 2000)• 28 finished EUREKA projects• 1 realized Eurostars project

Cooperating organizations:• Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports – EUREKA National Secretariat (CZ)• EUREKA Secretariat - Brussels (BE)• FFG - The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (AT)

Essential – ITC HOLDING s.r.o.ITC HOLDING s.r.o. is an applied and industrial research and development support provider for industrial companies, research institutes, universities and other organizations.

ITC HOLDING s.r.o.

Title: Development of the e-Learning system for dyslexia rectification and automatic effectiveness assessment of its utilization

Main participant : B&M InterNets, s.r.o., Czech Republic

Other participant: Indra Sistemas S.A., Spain

Start date: 1 July 2008

Duration: 36 months

Budget: 1.12 M€

Contribution: 66.7 % Czech republic33.3 % Spain

Project output: e-Learning programs, Dyslexia web portal

More information: www.bmi.cz

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Funded E* project – E! 4388 DYSLEXTESTFirst deadline - 8 February 2008

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Eurostars projects with negative evaluation

E! 4661 ANIREN (Second deadline - 21 November 2008)Title: Development of original route of synthesis of the key intermediates of

antihypertensive drugsEvaluation result: Innovation is rather low, the partnership is unclear and project

application is not well defined.

E! 5237 VISYDACO (Third deadline - 24 September 2009)Title: Vision system for data collection for behavioral modeling in airportsEvaluation result: Capabilities of one consortium partner are not demonstrated.

Technology is conceptually poor. Potential market is large, but no exploitation plan.

E! 5239 REPROGEN (Third deadline - 24 September 2009)Title: Evaluation of the relationships among the fertility disorders, their treatment

methods, and the health of born childrenEvaluation result: Technological capacity of participants is not well explained.

Degree of innovation is poorly quantified. Market access is very weak.

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Eurostars projects with negative evaluation

E! 5243 TRAINREADER (Third deadline - 24 September 2009)E! 5590 TRAINREADER (Fourth deadline - 25 February 2010) /overworked proposal/Title: System development for high speed train character readingEvaluation result: Moderate project, insufficient project planning and limited

market chances. E! 5585 VISYMOTRA(Fourth deadline - 25 February 2010)Title: Monitoring and modelling of people and object movement by use of a uniqueEvaluation result: Immature proposal needs rework and much more detail about

what to do and how to proceed. E! 5611 REAL-Bridge (Fourth deadline - 25 February 2010)Title: Railway Euro-Asian land bridge data base system (information support of CIM

SMGS transports)Evaluation result: The consortium has the skills to carry out this project

successfully. It can be regretted that only 1 SME is implied in the project and has real commercial interest in it.

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Eurostars projects with negative evaluation

E! 5708 LOADFIX (Fourth deadline - 25 February 2010)Title: Development of the software web application for loading and fixing goods in

railway freight wagonsEvaluation result: Project is a simple creation of a portal. It is not clear where the

commercial rewards will be.

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Eurostars Application Assessment• After preparing 4 projects that have been negative evaluated we have received by chance a very helpful document „Eurostars Application Assessment“

• Another 4 projects for the Fourth deadline (25 February 2010) have been carefully prepared according to the „Eurostars Application Assessment“

• Eurostars Application Assessment criteria:

> Basic AssessmentWell balanced partnership; Added value through cooperationTechnological and managerial capacity of all participantsMethodology; Cost and financing structure

> Technology and InnovationDegree of technological maturityTechnological achievements envisagedDegree of Innovation

> Market and CompetitivenessMarket size, access and riskTime to marketReturn on investment

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Overview of projects with Czech participation

Eurostars Projects with Czech participationCut-Off Deadline Applications Funded Projects

1 8 February 2008 22 102 21 November 2008 18 83 24 September 2009 18 34 25 February 2010 10 0

Total 68 21

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Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths of the Eurostars Programme:• Simple preparation of the project application form.• Whole application process is fully electronical (no papers).• Suitable even for start-up companies without financial history.• Co-funding 60% of total project cost (CZ funding rule).

Weaknesses of the Eurostars Programme:• Independent Expert Panel prepares application assessment without knowledge on local conditions and situation in participating countries.• If one participant of the project consortium can't obtain co-funding in its country the whole project is rejected although the other participants have secured national co-funding.

ITC HOLDING s.r.o.Lelekovice 467, CZ-664 31 Brno-venkovCzech Republicweb: www.itcb.cz

Ing. Martin GREGORHead of the Executivetel.: +420 777 550 656 e-mail: gregor@itcb.cz

Support of EUREKA and Eurostars Programme in the Czech Republic

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