Agri-food robotics: Industrial Challenges Open Call

Oct 21, 2020

agROBOfood, an Innovation Action in the RODIN network working with agri-food robotics, has launched its second Open Call, this time with a focus on Industrial Challenges. The budget of the Open Call amounts to €2,7 million, with up to €300k to be granted per proposal.

The application deadline is January 20, 2021.

The aim of the Call is to fund real technological solutions that are designed to solve 5 real industry challenges. The list of challenges has been defined by the agri-food and robotics consortium partners together with the Industrial Advisory Board:

Challenge 1. Can optimized spraying lead to improved environmental conditions?
Challenge 2. Can robots improve working conditions in the labour force in the fresh and processed food industry?
Challenge 3. Are robots in the livestock industry posing ethical challenges by replacing human labour with machines?
Challenge 4. What added value can harvesting robots bring compared to existing machinery solutions?
Challenge 5. What new business opportunities do robots for cleaning livestock farms bring?

Each challenge is composed of a technical component and a complementary component. The technical component demands the development or improvement of (existing) robotic technology-based solutions. The complementary component requires a socio-economic analysis or assessments of complementary social, economic, environmental, or ethical aspects of the newly designed solution.

To apply for the call, you must comply with the following eligibility criteria:

  • Applicants must be SMEs;
  • Applicants have to apply individually, not as consortia;
  • The proposal must be submitted before the defined deadline;
  • Proposals shall ask for funding for the part of work not yet accomplished;
  • Current agROBOfood beneficiaries, IAB members and partners are not eligible.

Get more information on the Open Call and criteria for the applicants.