Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or of the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Project name: PIMAP4Sustainability
Duration: September 2022 / August 2024
Total budget: Euro 1.438.882,50
EU Contribution: Euro 1.399.994,25
Call: SMP-COSME-2021-CLUSTER
Topic: SMP-COSME-2021-CLUSTER-01
Internal contacts
Samuel Nazzareno Monaco – samuel.monaco@afil.it
Project objectives
The main objective of the PIMAP4Sustainability project is to provide financial support to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operating in the photonics, advanced materials, and advanced manufacturing sectors, with the aim of fostering the development of innovative initiatives in three key areas: aerospace, metalworking, and industrial production.
With reference to the support to these activities, through dedicated cascade funding calls, PIMAP4Sustainability is active in three important domains: promoting technological innovation by enabling SMEs to develop new products, services, or processes that represent significant advances over existing solutions; supporting the transformation of business processes by encouraging the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and optimized work practices to improve operational efficiency; accelerating sustainability, addressing not only economic aspects but also the ecological and social dimensions of the participating SMEs. The project, which closed at the end of 2024, has the ambition to contributre to the transformation of participating SMEs into more innovative, efficient, and sustainable organizations, generating a positive impact on both the companies themselves and the surrounding community and environment.
The role of AFIL
AFIL acts as a catalyst at regional, national, European, and global levels. This role as a Cluster was clearly reflected in the PIMAP4Sustainability project, where its key contribution lay in building networks, collecting the results generated through this work and disseminating them, for example on the occasion of the mission to Japan in June 2024. AFIL plays a crucial role as a connector, facilitating the creation of strong links between SMEs and various actors of the innovation ecosystem, such as research institutes, universities, technology centers, and other industrial organizations. This network of connections and collaborations fosters an environment for sharing, developing, and implementing innovative ideas in synergy, while also supporting the achievement of the project’s objectives.
Opportunities for AFIL Members
AFIL’s participation in PIMAP4Sustainability offered its Members access to a European innovation ecosystem as well as funding opportunities in the fields of photonics, advanced materials, and advanced manufacturing. In particular, Members benefited from dedicated cascade funding opportunities, strengthened networking activities and connections with key stakeholders from research and industry, fostering the development of collaborations and synergies for developing projects. The initiative also contributed to the dissemination of knowledge and results related to technological innovation, process transformation, and sustainability.