Advanced digitalization for digital value chains 2024

The aim of this effort is to strengthen the ability of Swedish companies to effectively manage data for the entire life cycle of a product, including design, manufacturing, use and recycling. By integrating data and processes related to the product life cycle, we make it easier to share information, track the product and create circular product flows.

Digital value chain means creating value for users by generating and sharing digital information about the product, its components and the production process throughout the product's life cycle. Digital value chains increase the possibilities for traceability, circularity and sustainability and create new business opportunities.

The initiative is aimed at organizations and consortia that can develop and demonstrate relevant parts of a product's digital value chain. We also welcome project that contribute to knowledge aggregation, standard development and collaboration in the area. A proposal is strengthened by participating project parties that represent different parts of the digital value chain. To ensure the project's industrial anchoring, at least one Swedish limited liability company from the business sector must be part of the consortium, and it is also an eligibility requirements that the consortium must consist of at least two Swedish actors. Foreign actors can participate as participant but cannot be beneficiary.

The project we are looking for must demonstrate clear potential and innovative solutions for increased interoperability and be able to create added value for the industry(s) involved in proposal. Proposal must also include a plan for how the project will be implemented and disseminated to increase competence in digital value chains and digital product passports in Swedish companies and to create understanding of how companies can share product data in relevant ecosystems.

The project can apply for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 10 million SEK. Support is provided for up to 50 percent of the project's eligible costs. The projects must last at least one and a maximum of three years.

The initiative aims to promote the development of solutions and knowledge about digital value chains. The goal is to strengthen national capacity and capability in the area and to demonstrate the potential to create benefits for Swedish business across multiple industries.

We welcome project that aim to develop and validate cross-industry solutions for traceability and verification of data related to a product's lifecycle, but also solutions for a specific industry. The project can focus on developing complete digital value chains for products, or important components in the value chains. Alternatively, the focus can be on knowledge aggregation and coordination to strengthen Sweden's expertise in the area.

The project approach should be significant and ambitious. The project should build on the use of developed standards, follow the ongoing development of standards at EU level, and contribute to the development of standards.

The project is expected to create the following values:

• Opportunity to share general lessons learned with the Swedish business community to promote the development of more solutions.
• Create trust in the systems that connect different actors and businesses in value systems or value chains.
• Dissemination of knowledge to more industries and actors to enable broad knowledge extraction and implementation of solutions to verify and share product data throughout its entire lifecycle.
• Contribute to the development of standards and common specifications, international efforts and the use of open platforms.

Programmet Avancerad digitalisation

Research and innovation are absolutely crucial to strengthening Sweden's competitiveness, sustainability and resilience. Development and application of key digital technologies go hand in hand and interact with the development of other strategically important areas for transition, such as electrification, automation and circular economy. Advanced research and development of key digital technologies is of crucial importance. Research and development on the international frontline is also crucial for Sweden's supply of cutting-edge skills.

Advanced digitalisation is an innovation programme that aims to accelerate Sweden's and Swedish industry's ability to develop tomorrow's digital solutions. The aim is for Sweden to be a country where next-generation advanced and powerful solutions are developed to manage the green transition and our security. It involves solutions that use smart and secure data flows through complex systems of systems.

Sustainable growth and social development

Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and social development. Genom Agenda 2030, the world's countries have agreed on a global agreement and understanding of what characterizes sustainable development. Through our efforts, we contribute to the global commitment to achieving the goals.

Our work to contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030

Inom Agenda 2030, Vinnova has specifically identified climate and gender equality as two central sustainability perspectives that our funded initiatives will contribute positively to. Project funded by Vinnova are therefore expected to take special account of climate and gender equality aspects.

One aspect that Vinnova follows up and assesses is whether both women and men equally benefit from the contribution, participate in and have influence over the project. See section 7 under the actor criterion.

Another aspect is to analyze and decide whether there are sex or gender aspects that are relevant to the project's problem area, solutions and utilization. This question is mandatory for all applicant and can be found under the heading " Project tasks". The answer to the question will not be an assessment-based task.

Gender-equal innovation – what it means for those seeking funding from us

The call for proposals is aimed at consortia with at least two project partners, which may include companies, public authority, universities, university college, research institutes.

At least one Swedish company from the business sector must be included in the consortium to ensure that the project is anchored in Swedish business and industry. The project must include at least one party with the role of need owner, that is, having a need to share and consume data about a product in its life cycle. Project that include parties from different parts of the digital value chain are encouraged. All participating parties can be companies.

Participant seeking funding must be Swedish legal entities. In this respect, a Swedish legal entity is considered to be a foreign organization that has a branch or establishment in Sweden. The costs in the project must be attributable to activities of the branch or establishment.

It is possible to apply for funding for activities that are part of research and innovation projects with a focus that meets the call's aim.

Activities that the call for proposals can fund include:

• Spread knowledge to more industries and actors to enable broad knowledge extraction and implementation of solutions that enable verification and sharing of data throughout the product lifecycle.
• Enable secure sharing of data between actors in the value chains without moving data to a central department or third party.
• Promote circularity and sustainability by facilitating traceability of products and their components.
• Validate parts of or complete product passports in cross-industry operations.
• Through transparent data sharing, consumers' sustainable choices and actions increase, such as repairs, service, reuse and recycling.
• Contribute to standardization and common specifications in areas such as data carriers, access rights management, interoperability, data storage, security and privacy, including international activities.
• Create new business opportunities for actors through circular value preservation and optimization, such as product-as-a-service activities and improved repair, service, manufacturing and recycling based on improved access to data.
• Samordna Sveriges's expertise in the area, creating space for sharing knowledge and experiences, and contributing to standards development both nationally and internationally.

We do not fund routine or recurring changes to existing products, services, manufacturing methods or processes. We also do not fund training, courses, marketing, sales, ongoing operations, quality assurance, certification, and intellectual property strategies and protection.

Our funding is subject to state aid rules. The rules govern both the types of costs and the proportion of costs that we can finance. This is determined for each organisation individually. We therefore differentiate between how much funding the project can receive and how much each participant can receive.

How much funding can the project receive?

The maximum amount to apply for is SEK 10 million over 3 years and the minimum amount is SEK 2 million. Support can amount to 50 percent of the total project costs. The goal is to finance a thematically balanced portfolio that covers the needs of several industries.

How much funding can a participant receive?

How much funding each participant can receive depends mainly on:

• which activities the party will carry out in the project.
• party size and activities.

In this the call for proposals we provide support for industrial research

Industrial research can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services. For a full definition, see Funding criteria and levels of funding.

What costs can we finance?

We grant funding in accordance with Article 25 of the EU Commission's General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER).

De minimis support ( support of minor importance)

In this the call for proposals we can also provide support of minor importance, also called de minimis support. We can finance up to 100 percent of a project party's costs.

An organization can receive a maximum of 200,000 euros over a three-year period in this form of support, regardless of the funder and project. This means that if the same organization has received support of lesser importance in other project from other funders, it will affect how large the support can be in this the call for proposals.

To be granted this support, you need to submit a certificate of de minimis support when you submit proposal.

Not state aid

In this the call for proposals we also provide support to organizations that do not engage in economic activities. This generally includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other organizations that do not offer a service or product on a market.

We can finance up to 100 percent of such organizations' costs.

How do you determine whether an organization is engaged in economic activities?

An organization that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be conducting economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how the organization is financed, whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has – that is, whether it is a limited liability company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

If you are unsure whether an organization in your project is conducting economic activities, contact call manager. However, the organization is responsible for assessing whether it is conducting economic activities.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding can only go towards certain types of costs. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals these types of costs are eligible:

• Personnel costs: Salaries, social security contributions and other personnel costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under license from a third party.
• Other direct costs: For example, materials, supplies and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are not incurred as an immediate consequence of but can be related to the project, such as regular premises and cleaning.
  Indirect costs may constitute a maximum of 30 percent of personnel costs.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see our instructions for eligible costs.

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

For a cost to be eligible, it must be necessary for the activities of the project. Project costs must also be properly accounted for and separated from the organization's other costs. An organization may not claim someone else's costs as its own.

For more detailed information about which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our instructions for eligible costs.

We will only assess applications that meet the following formal eligibility requirements:

• The project must have at least two project partners, of which at least one party must be a Swedish limited liability company from Swedish business.
• A participant should have a need ownership role, that is, have a need to share and consume data about a product in its life cycle.
• All project parties must be legal entities.
• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• The project must not have begun before proposal is submitted.
• Proposal must follow all instructions and contain all attachments according to section 9.
• Funding is not granted to organizations that are insolvent or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring, or that have unpaid debts or payment notices with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• If the organization is a limited liability company, half or more of the share capital may not be used up.
• We take credit checks on all applicant who are not public actors, and funding is not granted to organizations with the lowest credit rating of C.
• An organization applying for funding for personnel costs must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency by the time the grant decision is made.

What do we assess?

Project applications will be assessed in competition according to the criteria potential, actors and feasibility. The evaluators consist of a group of external evaluator appointed by Vinnova and programme manager from Vinnova. Vinnova strives to achieve a spread of the area and focus of the approved projects and reserves the right to apply a portfolio approach for approved project.

Potential

• Potential to contribute to the call's aim described in section 2 with a main focus on security, interoperability and standardization of digital value chains.
• Raises Swedish business's competence and implementation ability within digital value chains.
• The project's potential to contribute positively to the global goals of Agenda 2030, especially climate and gender equality. Please note that assessment of gender equality is made based on the applicant's answer to the mandatory question under “ Project tasks.

Actors

• To what extent does the project group have access to relevant expertise in sustainability linked to traceability and recycling of products.
• The project partners' competence, credibility and ability to implement the project.
• The consortium's anchoring in Swedish business and ability to meet the business community's needs for the entire digital value chain linked to products.
• How well the project team is composed in terms of gender distribution. As well as how well power and influence are distributed evenly between the genders in the project team.

Feasibility

• The realism of the project plan in relation to set objective, methods, activities and budget.
• The participation and relevance of the specified project partners in the project's various work packages and activities.
• How well the project design contributes to the dissemination and future utilization of the results.
• How well risks are described and managed in the project's implementation.
• How well aspects related to gender equality and climate have been integrated into the project plan

How do we assess?

Project applications will be assessed in competition according to the criteria of potential, actors and feasibility. Vinnova will also strive to grant a broad portfolio of project with different focuses.

The assessment is made by a group of evaluator appointed by Vinnova, as well as programme manager from Vinnova. The evaluators have experience in a wide range of areas and industries.

About our decisions

After the decision, Vinnova sends a message via email to the project manager and the coordinator's signatory for each proposal with notification of approval or rejection. How much funding each party in the project is granted is stated in the decision. The basis for support is stated in the decision and also determines which costs are eligible for support. Our decision to grant or reject a proposal cannot be appealed.

Term for granted funding

For granted funding, our general terms and conditions for fundingapply. The terms and conditions include rules on project agreements, conditions for payment, follow-up, reporting and utilization of results. Scientific publication must be open access in accordance with Vinnova's instructions. You can find the current term here, along with help for understanding and fulfilling the terms and conditions.

In addition to our general terms and conditions the following special conditions apply to approved project in this call for proposals::

• In information about the project and in each publication of project results, it must be stated that the work was carried out with support from Vinnova within the Advanced digitalisation programme. In English, the name is given as Sweden's Innovation Agency. Publication refers to, for example, publication, regardless of medium, and oral presentations.
• Coordinator or other representative of the project shall, upon invitation from the program manager, participate in relevant events within the Advanced digitalisation program and thus contribute to the dissemination of knowledge in accordance with the program's aim.
• The final report shall include an appendix with an overall description of the project's implementation, results and lessons learned. This appendix shall be freely available and shall not contain any confidential information.

Other instructions:

• The project participants will maintain a continuous dialogue with the Advanced Digitalization Program Office with aim of strengthening the project's conditions for project results in line with the program's overall objective.

In the event that the project team is not gender balanced, not within 40/60 in terms of women and men, the following instruction applies:

• In connection with the first progress report, a plan must be attached that explains how a better gender distribution can be achieved during the project period, for example in recruitment or similar.

Supplementary special conditions can be decided for individual project.

If you do not follow our term, you may be required to repay the amount. This also applies if you have been granted funding incorrectly or for an amount that is too high.

To apply for funding you fill out a proposal in our e-service. Proposal contains questions about the project, other project partners and budget.

Please also attach these attachments to proposal:

• Project description of a maximum of ten pages with 12-point font size according to the template on the call page.
• CVs of key people according to the template on the call page.
• Certificate of de minimis support according to the form on the call page. Only applies to organizations that intend to apply for de minimis support.
• Project summary in a separate appendix, which may not exceed 1 A4 page. The project summary must be able to be shared with the programme office and its external programme council and must therefore not contain confidential or other sensitive information. The project summary is not part of the assessment process. It must follow the mandatory template that can be downloaded from the call's website.

Start proposal well in advance

Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. Filling out templates can take several days, as it is based on the analyses you will do. Therefore, start well in advance. You can start filling in the information and continue at a later time. When proposal is complete, mark it as complete.

You can unlock proposal and make changes at any time, right up until the last application date. If you unlock proposal, you must then mark it as ready for it to be registered when the call for proposals closes.

2024-06-16

Amendment under section 9:
Project description of a maximum of 10 pages with 12-point font size according to the template on the call page