Introducing cutting edge technology into traditional industries can be an effective means of boosting productivity and remaining competitive in an increasingly globalized world. More and more sectors are requiring applications that specifically address unique operational needs.
With this in mind, the EU-funded FRACTALS project, which aims to encourage the development of innovative technologies to boost agricultural productivity, recently launched an open call to European SMEs. The project is offering between EUR 50 000 and EUR 150 000 to between 50 and 60 web entrepreneurs interested in developing applications based on FIWARE for the agricultural sector.
FIWARE technology is an open, public and royalty-free architecture and a set of open specifications for digital applications. The EU believes that FIWARE can dramatically increase Europe’s competitiveness by introducing innovative infrastructure that enables the cost-effective creation and delivery of versatile digital services.
Possible farming applications based on open source FIWARE infrastructure include crop sensors that tell farmers when they need more nutrients, or ground sensors that instruct sprinklers to dispense the exact amount of water needed. ‘Smart fields’ such as these have the potential to make food production much more sustainable, helping to reduce waste and costs.
The FRACTALS project is focusing on agriculture because there is a recognised need for technological innovation in this area. Less than a quarter of farmers in Europe use ICT in their daily work. This is significantly lower than in the US, where technologically-enabled American farmers are operating more efficiently, increasing communication along the supply chain and thus achieving better margins.
The FRACTALS project therefore aims to help ensure that Europe’s agricultural sector is not left behind, by encouraging developers to use an open platform to focus on the specific needs of farmers. This is a hugely important economic sector, with some 23 million people employed all along the European agri-food chain. This represents 10 % of the Europe’s entire workforce.
Another important aspect of this project, which is open to all European SMEs and web entrepreneurs, is its focus on areas considered to be ‘white spots’ – areas where there is no existing broadband infrastructure – which can be found especially in the Balkans and South East Europe. The EU is conscious that no region should be left behind in this era of big data, cloud computing and smart technology.
The FRACTALS project is part of the FIWARE Accelerator Programme, which is co-funded by the EU and aims to help entrepreneurs from traditional industries capture opportunities coming from a new wave of digitalisation. The programme supports several accelerators – such as FRACTALS – which will launch calls for proposals over the next few years. Each accelerator will target different types of projects.
The FRACTALS project, which is being funded by the EU to the tune of EUR 6.9 million, will run until August 2016. The call for applications, which opened on 3 November 2014, will run until 28 February 2015. Application forms and instructions for budding entrepreneurs are available on the project website.
For further information, please visit fractals-fp7.com.
