Fast Track to Innovation

Over Fast Track to Innovation

Fast Track to Innovation (FTI) is a programme under Horizon 2020. The FTI pilot aims to reduce the time from idea to market and to increase the participation in Horizon 2020 of industry, and in particular of first-time industry applicants. It should stimulate private sector investment, promote research and innovation with a focus on value creation, and accelerate the development of innovative products, processes and services.

Possibilities with Fast Track to Innovation

By successful application, the project consortia can receive:

• EUR 1-3 million
• Funding covering 70% of the total project costs

FTI supports projects undertaking innovation from the demonstration stage through to market uptake, including stages such as piloting, test-beds, systems validation in real-world/working conditions, validation of business models, pre-normative research, and standard-setting. It targets relatively mature new technologies, concepts, processes and business models that need the last development step to reach the market and achieve wider deployment.

Requirements for participation in Fast Track to Innovation

FTI is the only fully bottom-up measure in Horizon 2020 promoting close-to-market innovation activities and open to all types of participants. However, industry participation is required. Participants must meet the following requirements:

• Participants must form consortia of 3-5 legal entities from the EU or associated Horizon 2020 countries.
• One of the following minimum conditions shall be met: 1) At least 60% of the overall budget of the proposal must be allocated to consortium partner(s) from industry, or 2) The minimum number of industry participants must be 2 in a consortium of 3 or 4 partners, and 3 in a consortium of 5 partners
• The technologies concerned are at least at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6
• Proposals must relate to any field under the specific objective “Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies (LEITs)" and/or to any of the specific objectives under the priority “Societal Challenges” 
• A project period of 12-24 months
• Time to initial market take-up no later than 3 years after the beginning of the FTI project.