1. business and industrial
2. business operations
3. management
4. project management

The European Foundation for
the promotion and funding of
innovation at regional and
local level
Contacts
Frederik Leloup
President
[email protected]
Juan Manuel Revuelta Perez
Director General
[email protected]
Alessandra Massaro
Project Officer
[email protected]
General information
Finnovaregio Foundation is a Belgian based non-for-profit entity established in 2009 in order to
promote innovation at both regional and local level across Europe, and internationally through
partner countries. Finnovaregio focuses particularly on innovation in the areas of new
technologies or new business models related with environmental sustainability and social
inclusion. Through networking in the space of private-public collaboration, provision of lobby &
advocacy on behalf of our private sector clients and associates, and through delivering access to
European Commission funding.
In addition Finnovaregio develops spin-off services in association with public institutions which
promote environmental sustainability, social inclusion and entrepreneurship through offering
consultative bureau and platform. Citizens and businesses can access these facilities in order to
obtain financial and non-financial resources. For example, platforms such as the EU Start-Up
Accelerator and the EU Training Platform offer mentoring and funding for innovative
entrepreneurial ventures, as well youth training and employment services.
Our projects have been particularly focused on the areas of new technologies, smart cities,
water, waste and renewable energy.
Our services are open to all innovative organisations, from smart start-ups, SMEs, associations,
networks, in both private and public sector. We operate across the innovation cycle, from ideas
and concepts generation to commercialisation.
Finnovaregio's mission is clear:
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Through adequate financing and support (Fin).
To facilitate the creation of exciting, significantly value creating and innovative
initiatives (Innova).
In regions located in Europe or in other areas of the world (Regio).
In short, Finnovaregio serves as a collaborative entrepreneurial Innovation and funding
platform.
The President of the foundation, Frederik Leloup is the Director for Partnerships in the Brussels
Chamber for Enterprise Commerce and Industry (www.beci.be). The Director of Finnovaregio,
Juan Manuel Revuelta has 20 years of experience in management of European projects related
with sustainability: Life+ programme, CIP-Eco-innovation initiative, Intelligent Energy Europe
programme, and European Structural Funds, etc. As such, Juan Manuel Revuelta has developed
a unique methodology, ‘ecosystem’ and network specialised for accessing European funds, and
having already achieved more than 30 approved Life+ projects, recognised by the European
Commission in publications such as “The Voices of Life”.
Finnovaregio ǀ Rue de la Science 14b, First Floor Brussels 1040, BE ǀ Telephone: +32(0)2 8085576
website: www.finnovaregio.eu
Contribution as EU project partner
Finnovaregio´s contribution as a European project partner includes:
1. International communication and dissemination of the project among our international
network and databases, and exploitation of its results.
2. Support and legal assistance to overcome legal, financial, commercial, political and
technological barriers impeding the development of the project.
3. Support in the creation of new business models in order to provide a sustainable and
effective business framework for the realisation of the project’s environment.
4. Networking and training activities, including meetings with stakeholders and policy makers
and organization of high level conferences.
Projects
Finnovaregio has participated as dissemination partner in several EU projects:
1. High Technology Waste Treatment (HTWT) project (LIFE + 10ENV/ES/000470)
Partners: Regional Valencian Ministery of Environment, Infraestructures and Territory,
Fundación Intraeco, Fundación Ecotic, Finnovaregio, Grupo GH, Recytech Iberia.
Location: ES, BE.
EU funding programme: LIFE+ 2010 Environment Policy & Governance
Budget: 1,367,500.00 €
Duration: 15/09/2011 to 01/09/2014
Main objective: The goal of the HTWT project is the application of an integral management plan
regarding the collection and treatment of TV´s and monitors, specifically Liquid Cristal Displays
(LCD), Light Emitting Diode (LED), plasma displays and technology such as photovoltaic panels in
their end-of-life for their correct recycling and recovering treatment. Actually, there are no
suitable technological solutions developed in this field. In this sense, HTWT proposes and
innovative solution which tackles an actual environmental problem in the EU according to the
principles of the European Directive 2002/96/CE on Waste of Electrical and Electronic
Equipments (WEEE) among other European legislation.
2. CONURBANT project (IEE/10/380/SI2.589427)
Partners: Municipality of Padova, Municipality of Alba Iulia, Municipality of Vicenza, Grad Osijek,
Municipality of Palma Mallorca, Limassol Municipality, Municipality of Arad, Primăria
Municipiului Timişoara, Salaspils Novada Dome (Municipality of Salaspils), Municipality of
Vratsa, Sogesca Srl, Albea, Stratagem Energy Ltd, Ekodoma, Chamber of Commerce and
Industry-Vratsa. Finnovaregio participated as sub-contractor.
Location: IT, ES, HR, CY, LV, RO, BG.
EU funding programme: Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE)
Budget: 1.279.634,00 euros
Duration: 10/05 2011 to 9/05/2014.
Finnovaregio ǀ Rue de la Science 14b, First Floor Brussels 1040, BE ǀ Telephone: +32(0)2 8085576
website: www.finnovaregio.eu
Main objective: The CONURBANT project aims at helping medium-large cities, and the smaller
towns in their urban area, through capacity building using peer-to-peer support and training
between less and more experienced Municipalities, in the framework of the CoM.
4. Eco-Animation: a cutting edge cartoon to raise awareness on climate change and sustainable
use of natural resources among European children (LIFE07 INF/UK/000950)
Partners: Business Solutions Europa Limited, WWF European Policy Office Griffilms Ltd (United
Kingdom), EXPLORA (Italy). Finnovaregio participated as sub-contractor.
EU funding programme: LIFE+ 2007 Information & Communication
Budget: 541.092,00 €
Duration: 01/01/2009 to 31/03/2011
Main objective: Eco-Animation is a fun cartoon animation to raise awareness among children
on the sustainable use of water and natural resources. The project proposes an innovative
approach and a unique production model: storylines have been developed with the scientific
support of issue experts and 500 kids from across Europe have contributed to peer review
messages and format.
5. NOBEL GRID project (Project nº 646184, ongoing)
Partners: ETRA Investigación Y Desarrollo S.A., Suministros Especiales Alginetenses Coop. V.,
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V (IWES), AIT Austrian
Institute Of Technology Gmbh, Engineering - Ingegneria Informatica Spa, ASM Terni Spa,
Ecopower cvba, European Distributed Energy Resources Laboratories E.V., SICS Swedish ICT Ab,
Athens University Of Economics And Business – Research, ECRO Srl, Fundació Privada Barcelona
Digital Centre Tecnològic, Hypertech (Chaipertek) Anonymos Viomichaniki Emporiki
Etaireia Pliroforikis Kai Neon Technologion, Society For The Reduction Of Carbon Ltd,
Finnovaregio, Surtel Electrónica Sl, Institute Of Communication And Computer Systems), DNV
GL, University of Manchester, GoodWolfe Energy Limited, Instituto De Desenvolvimento De
Novas Tecnologias.
Location: ES, DE, AT, IT, BE, SE, EL, RO, UK, NL, PT.
EU funding programme: Horizon 2020 (call H2020-LCE-2014-3, topic LCE-07-2014)
Budget: 13,8 M€ (EU co-fund 11,7 M€)
Duration: 2015-2019 (42 months)
Main objective: NOBEL GRID will develop, deploy and evaluate advanced tools and ICT services
for energy DSOs cooperatives and medium-size retailers, enabling active consumers’
involvement and flexibility of the market.
6. EU Start-Up Accelerator (Resolution of the 22 January 2015 - ongoing)
Partners: Finnovaregio
Location: Brussels
EU funding programme: Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security – Consejeria de
Empleo y Seguridad en Belgica - Ayudas concedidas en el cuarto trimestre de 2014 con destino
a la ciudadanía española en el exterior y retornados.
Budget: 55.400,00 euros
Duration: 12/2014 – 10/2015 (waiting for the response concerning the prorogue)
Main objective: Its main aim is to provide tools to young Spanish people through the
development of a project in the field of ICT, tourism, water, health, environment, giving them
the possibility to benefit from EU financial and networking opportunities.
Finnovaregio ǀ Rue de la Science 14b, First Floor Brussels 1040, BE ǀ Telephone: +32(0)2 8085576
website: www.finnovaregio.eu
Programs and partners
Finnovaregio ǀ Rue de la Science 14b, First Floor Brussels 1040, BE ǀ Telephone: +32(0)2 8085576
website: www.finnovaregio.eu
Annex 1. NOBEL GRID Press Release
Finnovaregio is a partner of NOBEL GRID, the research and innovation
project funded by the European Commission to provide more efficient
Smart Grids and electricity market in the European Union.
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Finnovaregio will undertake international dissemination activities, provide
legal affairs advice and create an e-learning platform.
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The coordinator of the project is ETRA I+D, an innovative Spanish
company.
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NOBEL GRID will have a duration of three years and a half and a total cost
of almost 14 million euros.
Brussels, 05/03/2015.- Finnovaregio is a partner of NOBEL GRID, a Research
and Innovation project launched last January and funded by the European
Commission through Horizon 2020, the Framework Programme for Research
and Innovation for the period 2014-2020. Nobel Grid will provide advanced
tools and ICT services to all actors in the Smart Grid and retail electricity
market in order to ensure benefits from cheaper prices, more secure and
stable grids and clean electricity. With a total budget of 13.864.940,75 € and
a duration of 42 months (until July, 2018), the project is leadered by ETRA
I+D, an innovative Spanish company based in Valencia.
Finnovaregio, the European Foundation for the funding of innovation in
regions and municipalities, will be in charge of the international dissemination
of the project, legal affairs and the creation of an e-learning platform. Through
the participation in NOBEL GRID, Finnovaregio will reinforce its promotion of
innovation on the areas of sustainable development, environment, renewable
energy resources, ICT and tourism.
The expected results of Nobel Grid will be based on three different actions:
1. Innovative solutions and tools for distribution system operators (DSOs) in order
to provide secure, stable and robust Smart Grids.
2. New services for all the actors of the distribution grid, including new actors, such
as prosumers, aggregators and Energy Service Companies (ESCOs).
3. Smart Low-cost Advanced Meter (SLAM), addressing the needs of the all the
actors of the Smart Grid.
NOBEL GRID´s results will be tested in real conditions in five different electric
cooperatives and non-profit demonstration sites in five EU members’ states:
o The electric cooperative of Alginet (Spain)
o The renewable energy cooperative Ecopower in Flanders
(Belgium).
o The cooperative Carbon-coop in Manchester (UK).
Finnovaregio ǀ Rue de la Science 14b, First Floor Brussels 1040, BE ǀ Telephone: +32(0)2 8085576
website: www.finnovaregio.eu
o The public DSO ASM Terni (Italy).
o Meltemi eco-village (Greece).
Key facts & figures
PROGRAMME: EU H2020
DURATION: 42 months (01/02/2015 to 31/07/2018)
TOTAL BUDGET: 13.864.940,75€
COORDINATOR: ETRA I+D
PARTNERS
1. ETRA I+D S.A. – Spain
2. Suministros Especiales Alginetenses Coop. V – Spain
3. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung
E.V (IWES) – Germany
4. AIT Austrian Institute Of Technology Gmbh– Austria
5. Engineering - Ingegneria Informatica Spa– Italy
6. ASM Terni Spa – Italy
7. Ecopower cvba – Belgium
8. European Distributed Energy Resources Laboratories E.V. – Germany
9. SICS Swedish ICT Ab – Sweden
10. Athens University Of Economics And Business – Greece
11. ECRO Srl – Romania
12. Fundació Privada Barcelona Digital Centre Tecnològic – Spain
13. Hypertech (Chaipertek) Anonymos Viomichaniki Emporiki Etaireia
Pliroforikis Kai Neon Technologion – Greece
14. Society For The Reduction Of Carbon Ltd – UK
15. Finnovaregio – Belgium
16. Surtel Electrónica Sl – Spain
17. Institute Of Communication And Computer Systems – Greece
18. DNV GL – Netherland
19. University of Manchester – UK
20. GoodWolfe Energy Limited – UK
21. Instituto De Desenvolvimento De Novas Tecnologias - Portugal
KEY WORDS
Smart grid, Smart meter, DSO, aggregator, ESCO, demand-response, renewable
energy, business model, ICT
Finnovaregio ǀ Rue de la Science 14b, First Floor Brussels 1040, BE ǀ Telephone: +32(0)2 8085576
website: www.finnovaregio.eu
Annex 2. eKUORE Press Release
The company KUKUPIA supported by the European Commission to launch into
the market eKuore: an innovative ICT device to enhance medical diagnosis
The Valencian company KUKUPIA aims to revolutionize the field of mobile assisted
healthcare (mHealth) through the market introduction of eKoure, the world´s first
electronic wireless stethoscope operable through smartphones, tablets or computers.
Specially designed and developed for medical use, eKuore aims to ease and enhance
the quality of clinical diagnosis quality, reduce expenses linked to unnecessary medical
visits, and improve clinical treatments and follow-up in chronical patients, particularly
those with cardiovascular illnesses.
From the beginning, Fundación Finnovaregio supported this innovative technological
Company which has just been awarded by the European Commission in one of its most
competitive calls for proposals, the SME Instrument within the topic: Clinical research
for the validation of biomarkers and/or diagnostic medical devices, of the EU
Research and Innovation Framework Programme (HONIZON 2020).
The first stage of the Instrument, with a success rate of 12% grants KUKUPIA with
50.000€ and the possibility to access to a second phase to receive a grant of 0,5 to 2,5
M€ to accomplish the international commercial exploitation of the device.
Finnovaregio supported Kukupia in the preparation and submission of the project
proposal.
Finnovaregio ǀ Rue de la Science 14b, First Floor Brussels 1040, BE ǀ Telephone: +32(0)2 8085576
website: www.finnovaregio.eu