RM Accelerator programme for Startups with Sustainable Products or Services in the Raw Materials Sector

Are you the next top innovation team offering radically sustainable products or services in the raw materials sector? Accelerate your solution to the market, apply for the RawMaterials Accelerator!

Fast-track your business with the RawMaterials Accelerator!

The RM Accelerator programme for start-ups comprises 3 Phases (Invent, Build, Grow). There are stage gates between each of the phases, where start-ups need to be approved for entering the next phase. Each phase has specific objectives, process, funding and timeline. The support provided in each Phase consists of both group work, individual coaching as well as anchoring start-ups in their local and national ecosystems while at the same time opening up introductions on a Pan-European level to partners of the EIT RawMaterials Innovation Community. The combination of local anchoring and Pan-European opportunities is envisaged to increase the success rate and market opportunities of the selected Start-ups.

The RawMaterials Accelerator is novel because it can make an introduction to customers in the EIT RawMaterials partner network who are willing to adopt innovations; and, it connects local and national ecosystems to the Pan-European network of a pilot and test infrastructure facilities as well as potential customers. We also supply grant funding to enable your team to participate in the RM Accelerator.

• New and improved geological models, better exploration model understanding and techniques for going 3D/4D, drones, etc.
• New instrumentation, methods and technologies for more reliable, cheaper, faster and safer mineral exploration, including technologies and services for innovative data acquisition, big data analysis/handling and utilize existing/historical dataset for exploration and mining
• Application of new innovations, new geological models and rethinking/re-evaluations of geological settings/prospects to provide new exploration prospects and mining targets

• Application of new technologies/services for more efficient production, better safety, better utilization of equipment and employees for mining. Virtual reality, UAVs/ robotics, automation, real-time data that will improve planning, scheduling of operations and delivering better efficiencies and cost savings
• Innovative services, approaches and products in order to ensure public understanding and awareness about the need for raw materials, exploration and mining, ensure cooperate social responsibility and social license to operate as well as added values of mining including remediation

• Optimised extraction and production processes for metals and alloys, improving the efficiency of the process, using less energy and water, reducing cost and the production of waste

• Solutions for recycling of end-of-life products, extraction from industrial residues, tailings, urban and landfill mining, demolition of buildings (e.g. WEEE, batteries, magnets, solar cells etc.)
• Cost-efficient and clever collection, dismantling and sorting of waste

• Substitution of critical and toxic metals in specific energy materials, like Pt in fuel cells, Co in lithium-ion batteries, Nd and Dy in Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets
• Substitution of critical and toxic metals like Co and W in carbides, speciality metals in high strength steels and superalloys, incl. the design and manufacturing
• New material systems that contain no or less critical and toxic materials, for instance, for the use in batteries, permanent magnets, solar cells, and thermoelectric and magnetocaloric applications
• New/optimized materials for additive manufacturing, for instance, in the field of printable electronics
• New lightweight composites and designs as substitutes for critical materials containing high strength steels and for optimized performance
• Solutions that integrate new materials into a Circular Economy, for instance, technology and business that enables and builds upon the reuse and recycling of newly developed, high-performance materials
• New products, systems, and services for optimised raw materials use, particularly with respect to mobility and energy technologies

• New business models for resource recovery, product Life Extension (repairing, re-manufacturing, etc.), product as a service, sharing platforms

The purpose of Phase 2 is to validate customer needs and verify business assumptions. The offering provided by the selected start-ups should be at TRL 5-7 and CRL 5. Selected Start-ups receives up to €30 000 funding to cover the costs of participating in Phase 2.

Objectives for Phase 2:

• Validate customer needs, market size and beachhead market, identify regulations and other specific criteria for technical and market entrance.
• Validate key value drivers, build a 5 years financial forecast supporting/financing needs and strategy.
• Complete a team supporting the next step

The RM Accelerator Phase 2-Build programme duration is 3-6 months depending on individual start-ups’ development, acceleration, constraints and opportunities. It starts with a two-day workshop and continues with bi-weekly calls and monthly P2P sessions/expert talks. The progress of the start-ups will be evaluated at a mid-assessment day and after three months, followed by individual assessment of the start-ups to ensure they fulfil the criteria and stage-gate to continue to Phase 3.

Phase 3: Grow

Phase 3 aims to get the business ready for launch. The offering of the start-ups should at the start be at a TRL 7-9 and heading for market entrance. Selected Start-ups will receive up to €45 000 as funding to support their participation in Phase 3.

Objectives for Phase 3:

• Move from early adopters to early majority market, start exploring follow up markets
• Significant sales or financing deals
• Expand the team

Phase 3 starts with a 1-day workshop aiming to set tailored project plan for each Start-up, which comprises goals and support actions, in order to develop the start-up’s activities in the next 6-9 months. In addition to the continued support of a Business Development Manager from the local Innovation Hub (CLC), other support actions could be a user of the infrastructure of our partners for tests and pilot studies as well as further linking and introduction to EIT RawMaterials industry partners as validation partners and potential customers. These and similar types of activities are envisaged as a means to prepare the Start-up for future investment rounds as well as providing the basis to scale their business.

Application Deadline for Phase 1: 3 September 2020

Source: EIT RawMaterials

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