H2020 Framework Grant Agreement for Development & Deployment of Smart Energy Technologies in Collaboration with Leading European Partners.

BACKGROUND The Ministry of Education's EU strategy for Horizon 2020 (H2020) has ambitions to achieve two percent of the competitive funds in H2020 to Norway, which requires an increase in the participation level of just over 60% compared to the 7th Framework Program (FP7). Smart Innovation Norway's board approved SIN's strategy in 2019 which is equally ambitious in numbers and gathered SIN's ambitions in five main areas related to H2020 & Horizon Eruope i.e. Smart Energy Technologies, Mobility & Transportation Solutions, Smart City Solutions, Green Technology, and Advance ICT technologies including AI, Big Data, Blockchain, IoT, Automation, 5G. SIN's leadership is ambitious in their efforts to significantly increase external funding, and has focused on it to increase and improve the support of researchers who have the opportunity to obtain more external funding. SIN has been very successful in working together with top European researcgers to execute projects like H2020 E-LAND, H2020 FLEXGRID, H2020 INVADE, and H2020 EMPOWER among others. However, an updated strategy is needed to take SIN's ambitions to higher level, scale up the efforts, and generate even more spill over effect for the Norwegian research and industry. Therefore, the proposed project lists the renewed ambitions, and targeted actions points for SIN regarding H2020 and Horizon Europe in the year 2020. OUR VISION – OUR DREAM: Our ambition is to strengthen our participation in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe research and innovation program and be competitive, visible, influencers, and an attractive partner for top European research groups in H2020 and Horizon Europe research and innovation programs OUR ACTION POINTS: -H2020 and Horizon Europe on Leadership Agenda -Competency Development -Impact Creation from H2020 Project Results -Network Building Activities -Utilizing External Expertise -Exploiting Existing Resources -Establishing Processes and Routines -Long Term brand & image