Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Safe, fast-charging long-life Sodium-ion batteries for vehicles and power storage (Sodium_Ion_Batteries)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: France
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2018-12-01
End date: 2019-02-28
Duration (months): 3.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Existing battery technologies face a number of serious issues that decades of research have not resolved – charging speed, lifespan, safety, supply chain pressures and environmental impact. Tiamat has developed a fast-charging, powerful, long-life sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery that is price-competitive with its lithium and lead acid equivalents. Its batteries can transform the fast-charging market, replacing outdated technology in electric bikes, scooters, forklift trucks, industrial robots, power tools and buses as well as power storage and supply for home and grid. Tiamat’s initial target market – which does not include mobile phones, laptops and tablets – was some 7 billion euros as of 2017 and is forecast to grow to at least 20 billion euros by 2025. The company is the only start-up looking to commercialise a full Na-ion based product that can compete with Lithium-ion batteries in the same energy density category. Its batteries directly challenge the decades-old, and arguably archaic lead-acid battery technology that is the automotive standard. Tiamat’s technology can be stored at zero Volts, making its products safe and easy to store, handle and transport. No copper, nickel or cobalt are used in the batteries – avoiding humanitarian and environmental issues associated with mining those elements. We are partnering with cell integrators, major battery manufacturers and automotive companies to validate and test our batteries in a wide range of applications. Tiamat has access to one of the most advanced battery research facilities in Europe and some of the world’s most accomplished energy storage scientists.

Keywords: high power,batteries,electric vehicles,power storage,power grid management,energy storage,sodium ion batteries
Second life of wood: BioFlex technology to dissolve waste wood to get raw materials (Bioflex)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Estonia,Sweden,United Kingdom
Call: SME instrument (H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020-3, 2019)
Start date: 2020-06-01
End date: 2022-08-31
Duration (months): 27.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3797203.75
EU funding (EUR): 2318662.5
Participants: 3
Project status: CLOSED

We have developed the BioFlex solvent process that uses contaminated and/or unwanted waste wood as a very cheap raw-material to produce clean and high-quality inputs for the production of renewable chemicals, fuels and materials. A simple chemical process separates the main components of wood: cellulose and lignin. These can then be turned into final products such as bio-plastics, common chemicals and novel materials. There are a variety of new value chains that are potentially created through our technology. For example, using the waste wood from a local council, cellulose can be isolated, which is hydrolysed, fermented to succinic acid and then used in paint. The lignin isolated alongside the cellulose can be turned into a drop-in biodiesel sold at the local petrol station. Similarly, sawdust from a timber mill can be fractionated, the cellulose used to produce methylcellulose as a thickener in food, the lignin turned into a bio-derived plastic. We are diverting wood waste from going to landfill or incineration and sawdust going into pellets. The European pellets market is saturated, also with pellets imported from the Americas. The lignin and cellulose produced from these currently underused wood resources can enter new, emerging, or existing value chains. Our competition on the waste wood disposal side is incineration, offering energy recovery in some cases but resulting in the formation of toxic ash and contributing to air pollution. For some heavily treated waste wood there are no competitors except for costly and highly undesirable landfilling which are largely viewed as problematic by both waste producers and waste managers. The market is estimated to be EUR 40.9 billion for BioFlex made cellulose and EUR 13.4 billion of waste wood recycling. We have established a clear timeline for commercialization and signed a number of agreements with partners to make this plan feasible. We have an interdisciplinary and dedicated team to make Bioflex commercialized.
Forging Advanced Liquid-Crystal Coronagraphs Optimized for Novel Exoplanet Research (FALCONER)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Universe sciences
Panel description: Astro-physics/-chemistry/-biology; solar system; planetary systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy; cosmology; space sciences; astronomical instrumentation and data
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2015-STG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-04-01
End date: 2021-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499522.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499522.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The 39-m European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) has the potential to directly observe and characterize habitable exoplanets, but current technologies are unable to sufficiently suppress the starlight very close to the star. I propose to develop a novel instrumental approach with breakthrough contrast performance by combining coronagraphs based on brand-new liquid crystal technology, and sensitive imaging polarimetry. The novel coronagraphs will provide an achromatic rejection of starlight even right next to the star such that exoplanets can be imaged efficiently in broadband light and characterized through spectropolarimetry. The coronagraphs will incorporate focal-plane wavefront sensing and polarimetry to achieve an ultimate contrast of 1E-9, which will enable the E-ELT to observe habitable exoplanets. We will prototype coronagraph designs of increasing contrast performance, validate them in the lab, and apply them on-sky using 6-8 meter class telescopes. With our coronagraphs that offer a contrast improvement by a factor of 10 as compared to current systems in 360-degree dark holes, we will search for self-luminous exoplanets very close to stars at thermal infrared wavelengths, and characterize known targets with multi-wavelength observations. Through accurate photometry and polarimetry, we will study their atmospheric hazes. By combining liquid-crystal coronagraphy with sensitive polarimetry, we will study the inner regions of protoplanetary disks to find signs of planet formation. By manipulating both phase and amplitude in pupil and focal planes, we will establish hybrid coronagraph systems that combine the strengths of individual concepts, and that can be adapted to the telescope mirror segmentation and the observational strategy. The proposed research will demonstrate the technologies necessary for building an instrument for the E-ELT that can successfully study rocky exoplanets in the habitable zones of nearby stars.

Keywords: high contrast imaging,exoplanet characterization,liquid crystal devices
Practice-led innovation supported by science and market-driven actors in the laying hen and other livestock sectors (Hennovation)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Spain,Sweden,Czechia,Netherlands,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: Closing the research and innovation divide: the crucial role of innovation support services and knowledge exchange (H2020-ISIB-2014-1, 2014)
Start date: 2015-01-01
End date: 2017-08-31
Duration (months): 32.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2094055.0
EU funding (EUR): 2094055.0
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

Using the laying hen sector as a case study, we aim to demonstrate the potential for practice-driven innovation networks, supported by existing science and market-driven actors, to develop practical cost-effective solutions to sustainability challenges (objective 1). Multi-stakeholder networks will develop technical innovations to injurious pecking and the management of end-of-lay hens concerns based on practice, economics and scientific information (objective 2). A generic “support package” of communication web based tools, facilitation guides and on-line training programmes, designed to help science and market- driven actors, will then be available to support practice-driven innovation networks in other livestock sectors (objective 3). Finally we will develop policy recommendations that help realize the full potential of practice-driven innovation through multi stakeholder networks in livestock sectors (objective 4). This project will tackle four challenges associated with the need for grass-root innovation highlighted in the Horizon 2020 call; 1) legitimacy by robust practical and financial evaluation, 2) accessibility by communication between producers and existing innovation support actors, 3) connectivity by an industry-led dissemination strategy ensuring information about innovations are widely spread using existing communication tools and finally 4) sufficient resource by production of a support package and policy recommendations that facilitate better interaction of science-driven and practice-driven innovation. The success of this approach to the laying hen sector and other sectors will be evaluated by the ability of the network to encourage practice-led innovation, check the effectiveness of the innovation, ensure optimum use of scientific information, provide a route for traditional knowledge transfer when required, disseminate results of innovation to others and ensure that policy is informed by practice-led solutions.

Keywords: laying hen,livestock,animal health and welfare,beak trimming,transport,slaughter,advisors
Immediate Oil Spill containment to mitigate impact on the marine ecosystem (OILBLOCK)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Climate action, environment,  resource efficiency and raw materials
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Israel
Call: Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials (H2020-SMEINST-1-2016-2017, 2016)
Start date: 2016-08-01
End date: 2016-11-30
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In Europe alone, about 20,000 oil spills were detected over a period of 6 years. Oil spills turn into major disasters because no immediate containment equipment is housed on-board large ships and oil rigs, and nothing that can prevent oil from spreading during the first hours of a spill and thus the damage grows exponentially with time of response. OILBLOCK project goal is to address the highly significant ecological, social and economic problems caused by oil spills. HARBO’s system starts operating within minutes of spill detection. In less than 30 minutes, it deploys 2,000 meters of a revolutionary containment boom (floating barrier), smallest and lightest than any of current solutions. HARBO’s patented technology has already been proven at the world's best testing facility for oil spill response. It is the first that can be pre-installed at standby positions in any place at risk for oil spills and therefore will multiply oil recovery rates and significantly decrease the environmental impact of spills. The solution has raised the interest of different stakeholders such as emergency response organizations, coast guards, shipping lines, oil rig operators and coastal infrastructure facilities among others. OILBLOCK project focus on searching strong European partnerships for ensuring the demonstration of the system in different real scenarios and closing commercial agreements for a fast commercialization once project is finished. The project will help to demonstrate first units for early adopters and therefore will put HARBO in the path to reach a sales rate of 450 units/year by 2021 with an expected annual turnover of €70 million due to system sales. This growth will be reflected in the recruitment of up to 50 new employees in next five years. By 2028 sales are expected to boost until 2,500 units/year due to the influence of regulators considering HARBO’s technology as a benchmark for oil spill primary containment.

Keywords: oil spill response,osro s,primary containment,boom,environment,oil slick
Decoding mitochondrial nutrient-sensing programs in POMC neurons as key determinants of metabolic health (MITOSENSING)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Panel description: Organ and tissue physiology, comparative physiology, physiology of ageing, pathophysiology, interorgan and tissue communication, endocrinology, nutrition, metabolism, interaction with the microbiome, non-communicable diseases including cancer (and except disorders of the nervous system and immunity-related diseases)
Countries involved: Spain
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2016-COG, 2016)
Start date: 2017-04-01
End date: 2022-09-30
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999573.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999573.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Nutrient-sensing by POMC neurons is a critical process to monitor the metabolic status of the organism and to coordinate adaptive neuroendocrine, behavioural and metabolic effectors of energy balance. Mitochondria, as central commanders of cellular energy production and primary sources of bioenergetic signals, are logical candidates to play a key role in metabolic control. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mitochondria as nutrient-sensors and modulators of systemic energy homeostasis is lacking. MITOSENSING hypothesizes that dedicated mitochondrial networks in POMC neurons are able to sense, integrate and respond to alterations in the nutritional milieu and engage physiological actions to maintain energy balance. Thus, defects in these mitochondrial nutrient-sensing programs in this subset of neurons underlie the development of metabolic conditions such as obesity and type-2 diabetes (T2D). To test it, we will pursue three aims: 1) to identify transcriptionally-modulated mitochondrial nutrient-sensing programs in POMC neurons; 2) to investigate whether disruption of specific nutrient-sensing programs in POMC neurons cause metabolic disorders; 3) to investigate whether the development of lifestyle-associated metabolic disorders are caused by defective mitochondrial nutrient-sensing programs in POMC neurons. By providing neuron-specific, integrative, functional and mechanistic in vivo strategies, MITOSENSING will represent a major step forward into the understanding of mitochondria as a nutrient-sensing entity, the gene programs involved and their physiological regulatory functions in the context of energy balance control. Adequate coordination of neuronal nutrient-sensing with energy balance control is critical to sustain life, and thus understanding the molecular mechanisms governing these physiological programs will have an enormous scientific impact and also potential therapeutical implications for obesity and T2D.

Keywords: hypothalamus,pomc neurons,mitochondria,nutrient sensing,obesity
Automation of Correlative Optical Tweezers-Fluorescence Microscopy Experiments (CTFMAUTOMATION)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: European SME innovation Associate - pilot (H2020-INNOSUP-02-2016, 2016)
Start date: 2017-09-01
End date: 2018-08-31
Duration (months): 12.0
Total project cost (EUR): 83750.0
EU funding (EUR): 83750.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

LUMICKS is a recent spin-off from the VU University in Amsterdam, bringing to market a revolutionary technology which makes it possible to visualize DNA-protein interactions at the single-molecule level in real time, which is key to e.g. cancer research. In order to make the step from the biophysics market, which LUMICKS currently serves, towards the biology market a great part of the experimental proceedings need to be automated. Entering the biology market will be a great step for both LUMICKS and the single-molecule research world, as this will enable a greater group of researcher to work on single-molecule biology and discover the building blocks of life. For automating the experimental process LUMICKS seeks to hire a Technology Development Engineer which leads the project and develops working prototypes. The 12-months period will be set-up in such a way that the associate is completely informed about LUMICKS' technology and has followed the first trainings on how to successfully handle the project within two months. The project is built-up from multiple work packages: onboarding and training, automate in-situ assay assembly, automate calibration, automate alignment, automate experiments and automate error detection. During this period more tailored trainings will be provided to prepare the associate for the non-academic world. Similar vacancies have proven to be impossible to fill by Dutch scientists, since people with the required profile are scarce, due to the unique set of abilities necessary for the tasks, and recourses within start-ups are relatively low (and salaries relatively high) in the Netherlands. Therefore, recruitment should be done to people outside the Netherlands. All this makes the SME Innovation Associate grant a unique opportunity for LUMICKS to make the next step in our innovation strategy and for the associate to make the step from an academic towards a more commercial environment.

Keywords: biophysics,optical tweezers,fluorescence microscopy,single molecule research,revolutionary technology,protein,optics,software,netherlands,amsterdam
An exploration into the feasibility of simultaneously achieving ‘No Net Loss’ of biodiversity and ecosystem services, in an uncertain and changing world (NNL)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Denmark
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014, 2014)
Start date: 2015-09-01
End date: 2017-09-15
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 200194.8
EU funding (EUR): 200194.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

We are evidently currently witnessing an ongoing loss of global biodiversity, caused largely by anthropogenic activity, and thought to be resulting in a loss of associated ecosystem services. However, the economic development that often leads to net loss of ecosystem services also provides benefits to humanity. An optimal balance between development and biodiversity conservation must be found. A promising new policy principle is ‘No Net Loss’ (NNL) – giving rise to mechanisms in which biodiversity losses from development are measured, and conservation interventions implemented that fully compensate for those losses, resulting in no net loss of biodiversity alongside development. However, it has been suggested that biodiversity and ecosystem services can not always both be maximised. Further, NNL is not a trivial objective when ecological dynamics (e.g. climate change) and social dynamics (e.g. institutional change) are taken into account. It is crucial that we establish whether there are general principles that can be applied to achieving NNL across different ecosystem types, and if not, what are the most significant peculiarities to each system. We propose to begin by creating for the first time a database of existing NNL interventions, as well as developing frames of reference for NNL interventions in a set of case study ecosystems. Systems are likely to include both European and other countries. Building on this empirical basis, we will develop bespoke simulation models (using a novel implementation of the Management Strategy Evaluation framework) for each ecosystem, and explore implementation of different NNL mechanisms. We will consider feedback between social and ecological system components, drivers of change such as climate change, and sources of uncertainty. The outputs will allow us to determine whether there are general principles concerning how and when NNL of both biodiversity and ecosystem services can be achieved in a given dynamic system.

Keywords: frame of reference,management strategy evaluation,simulation modelling
Discrete Dirac Mechanics and Geometric Numerical Integration Methods for Plasma Physics (DDM-GNI)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Global Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Mathematics
Countries involved: Germany,Japan
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-GF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, 2015)
Start date: 2016-04-01
End date: 2018-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 181002.6
EU funding (EUR): 181002.6
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

In recent years it has been realised that the preservation of certain structures and properties of mathematical equations is of utmost importance when bringing them in a form understandable by computers. Ignoring such properties often leads to incorrect results in the corresponding simulations. In plasma and fusion physics this is especially true as the mathematical equations are highly complex and direct comparison with the experiments is very difficult. Still, the application of structure-preserving numerical algorithms to plasma physics has not gained much attention and todays computer codes do not use such methods. Consequently, these codes are not able to reproduce important physical effects observed in the experiments, hindering progress in research. This project is devoted to the development of a flexible and general framework for the derivation of geometric numerical integrators, referred to as discrete Dirac mechanics, which will be applicable to many problems from plasma physics, but also to equations from other research fields such as optimal control, meteorology, oceanography, geo dynamics, fluid dynamics, elasticity, solar physics, astrophysics and cosmology. This framework will be used to derive novel numerical methods for important systems used in plasma and fusion physics modelling. After successful prototype implementation, verification and validation of the new methods, these will be implemented in an open source library and transferred to leading application codes in order to improve their predictive capabilities and physical correctness. By combining the expertise of all participants, it will be possible to establish an innovative line of research which will lead to numerous applications and strengthen the European leadership in scientific computing. The know-how acquired through the proposed actions will complement my theoretical, technical as well as transferrable skills and put me in a position to establish an independent research group.