Poland’s National Centre for Research and Development has announced its final "Fast track - digital innovations" call financed under 2014-2020 Intelligent Development Operational Programme. "Fast Track" is a well-known initiative still enjoying particular popularity among Polish beneficiaries.
"Fast track - digital innovations" is addressed to entities planning to implement research and development projects in the field of cybersecurity, digitization of industry and creation technologies. The entities eligible are enterprises, enterprise consortia and scientific and industrial consortia. The call makes it possible to obtain funding for industrial research, development works (which are obligatory) and pre-commercialization works. Projects must fit into at least one National Smart Specialization.
In terms of research areas of the call, the NCBR has defined those that must be implemented in the project.
In the area of cybersecurity, funding can be obtained by entities implementing the following research topics: monitoring systems, testing and analyzing system related to cybersecurity, systems using artificial intelligence for cybersecurity purposes, cybersecurity-as-a-service, cryptography, authentication and identity protection, cybersecurity of process installations, network cybersecurity and Internet of Things.
In the area of industry digitization: real-time management software for industrial facilities and processes using advanced digital technologies (AI, Big Data, IoT, 5G, XR); digital replicas of physical objects and industrial systems for effective management of processes in enterprises (digital twin); real-time data processing and decision making software for IoT; the use of AI in industrial processes; ICT in a circular economy; use of intelligent sensors for industrial processes.
In the area of creative technologies: development of mechanisms for the automatic generation of content in games; platforms, engines and processing techniques for games; new tools and mechanisms of interaction using innovative interfaces and the mechanism of interaction with the game and the entourage; developing tools to support and automate game development processes; digital distribution and online multiplayer games; video game design; development of software solutions; serious (applied) games development area.
The NCBR allocated EUR 135 million for this call. Projects resulting from that call must be of an demonstration nature. The minimum amount of funding is EUR 1.2 million and the maximum amount is EUR 50 million.
"Fast track - digital innovations" is yet another initiative of the Centre aimed at stimulating the broadly understood digital market and the digital transformation of Poland.
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