• It was launched recently and has funding of 5.3 million euros
• The project is seeking to drive forward the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises through the use of cutting-edge technologies

New technologies provide companies with tools so that they can successfully compete on the market. With the intention of helping SMEs access them, the European Union (EU) has set up the Gateone project that will be putting small and medium enterprises in contact with R&D centres so that they can jointly develop pilot products based on smart systems integration. This initiative, in which the IK4-IKERLAN R&D centre is participating, has a budget of 5.3 million euros and is aiming to develop 50 innovative products over the next three years.

Integrated smart systems are devices capable of monitoring their surroundings, processing and sending these data and even making decisions based on this analysis. The EU has made a firm commitment to funding R&D in this sphere, as it can be applied to a whole host of sectors and contributes towards modernising products and processes.

 In the Gateone project IK4-IKERLAN will be working on products based on smart systems integration that will be capable of monitoring industrial components (the roller bearings of a machine, for example) or structures (such as wind turbines).

The organisations participating in Gateone are already compiling a catalogue of technologies and 200 pilot products based on their capabilities. The catalogue will then be forwarded to SMEs in various sectors and 50 of the products will be selected on the basis of their projection and potential and their chances of getting the most out of the programme. These SMEs will have the chance to collaborate with the centres in the realisation of pilot products close to their needs.

The final phase of the project will include a testing phase of the pilot product at the enterprise’s facilities. This initiative aims to demonstrate to the enterprises the usefulness of smart systems integration in the competitiveness race. The ultimate aim is the encourage them to invest in these technologies so that they can go ahead with the product.

“Gateone will be endeavouring to generate a dynamic of dialogue between centres and enterprises,” explained Aitor Ezkerra, who is leading the project at IK4-IKERLAN. “That way we'll be able to make the most of the capacity we R&D centres have to provide the industrial base with value, and SMEs are set to benefit from the boost signified by the use of the latest technologies,” he added.

Details of the Project

The Gateone project got going in a meeting held recently in Grenoble (France) and is set to run for three years. It has a budget of 5.3 million euros being funded by Horizon 2020, the European programme supporting R&D. IK4-IKERLAN will be receiving 417,000 of this amount to pursue its participation in the initiative.

The consortium is being led by the prestigious French firm of consultants Yole Développement, which has considerable experience in the sphere of innovation, and in addition to IK4-IKERLAN the following organisations will also be part of it: CEA-LETI (France), Fraunhofer IPMS (Germany), CSEM (Switzerland), Tyndall (Ireland), VTT (Finland), Teesside University (United Kingdom) and LAAS-CNRS (France).

The role of IK4-IKERLAN

IK4-IKERLAN will be developing four pilot projects in conjunction with as many SMEs. It will also be making an assessment of various products based on smart systems integration that already exist on the market to show the possibilities they offer. One no less important part in the centre’s work within Gateone will involve interacting with various companies to show them the capabilities offered by smart systems integration to drive forward their competitiveness.

“We want the products we generate within the framework of the project to be useful not only for the enterprises participating in it but we would also like to use whatever successful cases we develop to attract other SMEs and help them to modernise their products and processes,” said Ezkerra.

About IK4-IKERLAN

IK4-IKERLAN is a leading centre in technology transfer and in the contribution of competitive value to companies, thanks to its capacity to offer comprehensive solutions by combining various technological domains. This is possible due to its high degree of expertise in six major areas: embedded systems, power electronics, microtechnologies, energy efficiency and storage, mechatronics and advanced manufacturing.

Project details

Name: Gateone
Funding body: European Union
Programme: Horizon 2020-ICT-2014-1
Contract number: 644856
Project leader: Yole Développement