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Open calls

To expand the scope and application fields of the MAGICIAN solutions, two Open Calls will be launched to select further use cases. This will ensure that the solutions can easily be transferred to other application scenarios and thus prove their generality and replicability.

General Information

The MAGICIAN project will launch two Open Calls to identify and select promising proposals by SMEs / start-ups for experimentation to:

  • expand AI applications to new use cases
  • deepen and expand functionalities of project pilot (automotive use case)

The two Open Calls intend to:

  • fund up to 5 SMEs/start-ups in each call
  • distribute up to 2 Mill. EUR of total funding to winning proposals for project implementation ≤ 12 months
  • select up to 10 projects for 12 months implementation and 200k/EUR budget

The MAGICIAN Open Calls have not been initiated yet. More information will be available here, once the application process has been opened. Thank you for your interest!

Focus of 1st Open Call

Specific challenges and technological developments will be defined by the project consortium and presented in the terms of reference of the 1st Open Call. Deepening and expanding the functionalities implemented in the project core pilots, several specific aspects will be identified in the domain of AI, robotics and quality production.
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Focus of 2nd Open Call

Experiment and expansion of the Use Cases of the MAGICIAN prototype and the extension of the functionalities to new and complementary fields of application towards new Use Cases.

Who can apply

If you are a

we are looking forward to receiving your proposal.

Why you should apply

MAGICIAN offers you:

  • up to 200,000 EUR funding
  • innovation management support
  • technical support with expertise on engineering integration with focus on:
    • Testing and validation support
    • Engagement in Cutting-Edge Technology
    • Contribution to Industry Innovation
    • Solving Real-World Challenges
    • Involvement in Human-Centred Design

How to apply

All information documents, guidelines, and the application forms can be found here.

ACCESSIBLE AND LEAN OPEN CALL APPROACH LAUNCH OF OPEN CALLS • on MAGICIAN website • Support via Weekly Live Helpdesk PROPOSAL SUBMISSION • Applicants concept definition • elaboration of documentation and proposal submission by defined deadline MAGICIAN FSTP Process FUNDING & IMPLEMENTATION • of selected projects • supervised by MAGICIAN consortium € MAGICIAN EVALUATION • with internal and external experts • sharing of feedbacks and contracting of selected beneficiaries
FAST-TRACK SCHEMA TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION 2MIn/EUR to be distributed along 2 open calls SUPPORT FOR APPLICATION Launch webinar realization and activation of the Weekly Live Helpdesk sessions. EVALUATION AND SELECTION Reception of applications and eligibility checks. Evaluation according to defined award criteria by a mixed MAGICIAN internal and external commission. LAUNCH AND IMPLEMENTATION Kick-off meeting with MAGICIAN project officer, continuous monitoring and interaction with consortium for integration with elaborated solutions, coaching and final assessment of impact. L SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION Elaboration of the proposal for project according to templates including technical offer and budget estimations. Proposals to be submitted by the day of the deadline at 17h00 CET. 10 projects to be financed 200.000 EUR max funding per project 70% funding rate per SMEs OPEN CALL LAUNCH Publication of documentation, terms of reference and templates on MAGICIAN website. FEEDBACK AND CONTRACTING Sharing of feedback forms with all applicants and award of contract to selected applicants. Standardized contract form will be provided (no changes admissible), incl. details on funding scheme, IPRs, collaboration approach and expected deliverables. Week O Week 12 Week 16 Week 20 +12 months
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FAQs

The activities that qualify for financial support to third parties are explained in Section 1. Objectives of each call for proposal’s Terms of Reference.

The MAGICIAN financial support scheme (FSTP) has been structured in 2 open calls that will distribute up to 2M€ of funding to SMEs and startups. Each proposal will have a maximum budget of 200k€. Eligible costs will follow the same rules of Horizon Europe (HE) as per the HE AMGA, and will include personnel, equipment depreciation (for purchase) or renting (i.e. for robots), other and indirect costs.

Multiple applications can be submitted but maximum one proposal will be funded per each Open Call per beneficiary.

Each applicant needs to comply with eligibility requirements in terms of size of the applicant (SME/start up) and location (legal entities from MSs), as well as submitting a proposal coherent with the scope and requirements (templates) specified in the terms of reference of each call.

The evaluation criteria is based on a technical evaluation per call done by 3 sub-contracted external experts, who will score all the submitted applications based on the defined criteria of Excellence, Impact and Quality.

A business case evaluation will be done through an interview process as private investors do in their own selection process.

Finally, there will be a global evaluation performed by the MAGICIAN evaluation committee (one representative of each MAGICIAN partner) based on the results of the technical and business case evaluation.

Two rounds of calls are foreseen to be launched during the MAGICIAN implementation, respectively between month 18 and 24 of the project (i.e. Feb-Aug. 2025) and month 30 and 36 of the project (i.e. Feb-Aug. 2026). Exact dates of launch of the open calls might be adjusted for opportunity reasons: all updates will be published with due advance on the MAGICIAN project website.

All OC application period will be open for 12 weeks starting from the opening date indicated in the terms of reference of the OC. Submission of proposals will only be possible in the time that the call is open. During this period, a weekly live helpdesk will be put at disposal of perspective applicants for clarifying doubts or specific aspects of the application process.

All the open call documents will be available online on the website once the open call is launched (see XXXX).

For MAGICIAN, proposals are submitted through our dedicated submission portal: XXXX.

Yes. If you discover an error in your proposal, you can at any time – provided the call deadline has not expired – submit a new version of your proposal in our portal. Only the last version received before the call deadline will be considered in the evaluation.

Yes, UK companies can submit a proposal and receive cascade funding.

To that question, the European Commission specifically answers “UK companies remain eligible forgrants and procurement procedures as if the UK was a member state for the entirety of the Horizon 2020 framework programme and previous framework programmes. This also applies for to financial support to third parties according to Article 204 FR (cascading grants), and applies for the duration of H2020 projects.”

The definition of this collaboration is part of the submitted proposal. In order to define the most adequate solution for the proposal, the innovative company can rely on MAGICIAN partner for advice and help to build the proposal. Please contact MAGICIAN consortium through the helpdesk or the MAGICIAN partners.

Applicants will be able to participate alone, or to apply with a partner. Available budget will remain the same. A bonus in the evaluation criteria will be assigned to applicants joining with an already identified client/early adopter of the solution to be developed.