The Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) / FET Open – EIC Pathfinder – FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking

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Early-stage, science and technology research by interdisciplinary consortia exploring visionary ideas for radically new future technologies that challenge current paradigms and venture into the unknown. Open to research into any area of technology, it aims to attract new, high-potential research and innovation players.

Scope

Proposals are sought for cutting-edge high-risk / high-impact interdisciplinary research with all of the following essential characteristics (“FET gatekeepers”):

Radical vision: the project must address a clear and radical vision, enabled by a new technology concept that challenges current paradigms. In particular, research to advance on the roadmap of a well-established technological paradigm, even if highrisk, will not be funded.

Breakthrough technological target: the project must target a novel and ambitious science-to-technology breakthrough as a first proof of concept for its vision. In particular, blue-sky exploratory research without a clear technological objective will not be funded.

Ambitious interdisciplinary research for achieving the technological breakthrough and that opens up new areas of investigation. In particular, projects with only low-risk incremental research, even if interdisciplinary, will not be funded.

More information here.

Project duration

Up to 4 years

Deadline

13 May 2020

Financial allocation

The total indicative budget for the FET-Open topic FETOPEN-01-2018-2019-2020 is EUR
641.20 million. For cut-off date 13/05/2020 196.20 million

Partnership

EU Member States, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania (Annex A of Horizon 2020 Work Programme)

Specific Challenge

To lay the foundations for radically new future technologies of any kind from visionary interdisciplinary collaborations that dissolve the traditional boundaries between sciences and disciplines, including the social sciences and humanities. This topic also encourages the driving role of new actors in research and innovation, including excellent young researchers, ambitious high-tech SMEs and first-time participants to FET under Horizon 2020 from across Europe.

Expected impact

  • Scientific and technological contributions to the foundation of a new future technology
  • Potential for future social or economic impact or market creation
  • Building leading research and innovation capacity across Europe by involvement of key actors that can make a difference in the future, for example excellent young researchers, ambitious high-tech SMEs or first-time participants to FET under Horizon 2020