Call for proposals to set up the European Startup and Scaleup Ecosystem Graph

Deadline: Sep 23, 2019  
CALL EXPIRED

The European Commission is launching this call for proposals for the provision of services aiming to facilitate the management and development of the European startups and scaleups ecosystem graph. More specifically, it refers to the study and configuration of top data platform.

This initiative will provide a better understanding of what is happening locally in various hubs, for example assessing strengths and weaknesses, and yearly growth, and measure their overall contribution to generating socio-economic welfare. 

Over the last years, initiatives such as the http://www.startuphubs.eu/ mapping of 20 ecosystems and https://www.digitalcityindex.com/ that provides a benchmarking on how well different European cities support digital entrepreneurship and helps identify which policy areas to prioritise have been implemented. However, this pilot project goes beyond and intends to cover all EU28, and have much more dynamic functionalities, more reliable data sources – notably on deep tech ecosystems in the EU - and increased performance in terms of modules, available data, rankings and reporting features.

 

The European Startup and Sceleup ecosystem graph will be an integral part of the Startup Europe strategy. Startup Europe ramps up the connected Digital Single Market through a set of European Union initiatives to increase networking opportunities for startups, investors and accelerators. This thriving ecosystem multiplies jobs, growth and investment.

 

Startup Europe is an initiative of the European Commission designed to connect startups, investors, accelerators, entrepreneurs, corporate networks, universities and the media through an array of networks. Furthermore, it intends to connect local startup ecosystems around Europe and enhance their capacity to invest in other markets such as Silicon Valley or India.

 

 

Objective(s) – Theme(s) – Priorities

General objective 

The objective of this pilot project is to investigate the growth potential of various startups and scaleups ecosystems, in a dynamic way, based on socio-economic data gathered through effective and reliable data collecting and processing methods. All this information will be gathered and made accessible to the public through a user-friendly online platform that will map and link key connections for numerous parameters that make up the startups and scaleups ecosystems, notably the deep tech hubs by specialisation and competence.

 

The pilot project aims at implementing novel approaches to ecosystem data collection, as well as to data visualisation, displayed within an interactive platform containing essential information for investors, business owners and policy makers or other stakeholders.

 

Specific objectives:

 

• To configure an existing top data platform (i.e. https://public.tableau.com) to showcase in a visual and public way the details by country, industry, year, permitting the download of automatically generated reports.
• To acquire socio economic data and establish methodologies that offer access to the European startups and scaleups ecosystem graph.
• To create the first EU mapping of the deep tech hubs with the highest potential for scaling up in the EU

 

Main tasks:

The study should be developed following a clear methodology covering all aspects of the study. Tenderers are free to propose the specific methodology, taking into account the context and objectives of the study and the following conditions:

The balance between the efforts devoted to each specific objective of the study should be reasonable and well justified. 

The awarded contractor will address the Tasks in a flexible way, allowing possible changes in focus and iterations on findings with the EU Commission as well as the relevant involved projects. The contractor should show the capacity to adapt and react to possible emerging trends in communication and PR. This should be reflected in the proposed methodology. 

The contractor shall participate in meetings (mainly conference calls) with the Commission for preparing and coordinating the activities and tasks described below. 

Task 1:  Setup an Online data intelligence dashboard or Licence a white label online platform – called The Graph (month 1 to 4)

• Configure a white label solution or interactive data visualization platform focused on data intelligence (ie. Tableau).
• The platform should be fast, agile, flexible and easy to use. 
• Implementation should be fast. The time to results should be of maximum 3 months. 
• The aggregation of data should follow a very robust methodology approach: transparent, trustful and verified- in regards to the content that will be presented on the platform. 
• The platform should have various access levels including public and private access.
• The platform should be GDPR compliant.

Task 2: Acquire, validate and integrate data (starting in month 0 until the end of the contract)

• The graph should cover EU28 technology companies. Please be aware that Startups, Scaleups, Investors, Acquirers, IPOs should be identified. 
• Quantitative information on the type of investors and amount of finance raised across the lifecyle of each identified start-up/scale-up should be available, including on exits. Qualitative information on the easiness or difficulty to access finance should also be available.
• Information on turnover, balance sheet, number of employees, sector (by NACE code) of each identified start-up/scale-up should be available, including on their change over last years.
• Reach agreements on data acquisition at EU level with organizations such as BVD, Creditsafe, Linkedin, etc. Additionally, incorporate data about the beneficiaries of R&D Framework Program into the The Graph.
• Use existing databases public or proprietary. 
• Validate that the data corresponds to the startup profiles and has the right socio-economic information (Capital raised, revenues, capital from exports, industry, and valuation). This might require manual labour.
• In terms of industry coverage – the platform should have a common approach across EU28. 
• Implement a data governance and lifecycle management of voluminous, varied, veracious and high velocity data.
• Have a data scientist to drive insights and improve the visualisations and reporting.
• The platform and data should be kept updated until the end of 2022. 
• Possibility to compare the number of deals, investment raised with main world geographies such as: US, IN, CN, Latin America.

Task 3: Reporting

• The platform should offer state of art, most updated – critical data to make policy seemingly across different variables around the European startup ecosystems such as: funding, the startup deep tech verticals, lifecycle stages, growth, gender balance, employability, IPOs, funding, revenues and capital from abroad.
• The data should be able to be visualized in order to be able to make sense of the data in a glance. 
• To be able to highlight real value for a various type of audiences – publicly – without registration: EU Policy Makers, MSs Policy Makers, VCs, Journalists, Researchers, Company owners, Startups, and Ecosystem builders. 
• The dashboard should provide a clear picture of the technology landscape in every European member state
• To be able to make rankings (by country, by industry, by stage, by number of employees, by growth, by number of meetups in a geography, by the number of acquisitions, by investment per capita, by graduating university, by investor, by industry and to allow comparison between countries, etc).
• It should have a module to highlight the daily/monthly/quarterly/yearly deals. 
• A special section of the report should be on current digital deep tech ecosystems and their connectedness. 

Task 4: Dissemination (starting in month 0 until the end of the contract)

• Build an engagement strategy with targeted audiences.
• Coordinate social media marketing and PR efforts.
• Being able to create messages/ images that are easy to be shared on social media.
• To constantly come with valuable findings with a call to action in mind.
• To launch two campaigns to drive visibility to the map and to its capacities.
• Organize a launch event in Brussels.
• Organize two high-level workshops with Policy makers from 28 Member States.
• To provide a large touch screen device that will be implemented in BU25, to highlight the graph, and have the possibility to interact and highlight various modules according to the needs and the latest investment and acquisition news in Europe.
• Design communication materials, more specifically graphic design, quarterly brochures and project infographics.

The tenderer should describe its proposed approach, timing and milestones for executing these tasks. Different iterations can be proposed during the pilot project.  

 

Expected results

Strengthen the image of the European ICT startups and scaleups scene. This initiative is going to target the positioning of such ecosystems, with the view of showcasing their strengths.

Concretely, this project should create a measurable impact, which in the end serves as a trustworthy tool to design evidence-based policymaking, notably to identify and address and enhance deep tech ecosystems in the EU. 

This initiative will provide a better understanding of what is happening locally in various European startup hubs, for example by assessing strengths and weaknesses, yearly growth, and measure their overall contribution that generates socio-economic welfare.

Continuous interaction with the EU Commission is crucial to achieve successfully the general and specific objectives, as well as the involvement of other external experts (e.g. through series of workshops, as appropriate for executing the different tasks described below). 

 

Timetable

(a) Publication of the call 

23 July 2019

(b) Deadline for submitting applications

23 September 2019

(c) Evaluation period

October – November 2019

(d) Information to applicants

November 2019

(e) Notification of grant decision

December 2019

 

Implementation period 

The envisaged implementation period of activities should be 24 calendar months. 

 

Budget available

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at €1.000.000 (one million Euro).

The Commission expects to fund one proposal.

 The Commission reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

Admissibility Requirements

The following formal requirements must be complied with in order for the proposal to proceed to the evaluation stage: 

• Applications must be sent no later than the deadline for submitting applications referred to in section 3 (date of post stamp).
• Applications sent by other means (e.g. by fax or by e-mail) or delivered to other addresses will be rejected.
• Applications must be submitted in writing and on USB key (see section 14), using the application form available at _____________
• Applications shall contain all the mandatory documents. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
• Applications must be drafted in English. 

Failure to comply with those requirements will lead to the rejection of the application.

 

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria are used to determine whether an applicant is allowed to participate in the call for proposals and to submit a proposal for an action. They apply to applicants and to the activities for which a grant is applied for.

 

Eligible applicants

Proposals may be submitted by any of the following applicants:

• non-profit organisation (private or public);
• public authorities (national, regional, local);
• international organisations;
• universities;
• educational institutions;
• research centres;
• profit making entities;

Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed persons or equivalent (i.e. sole traders) where the company does not possess legal personality separate from that of the natural person. Participation in this grant procedure is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons coming within the scope of the Treaties, as well as to international organisations. 

 

Country of establishment

Only applications from legal entities established in the following countries are eligible:

1. EU Member States;
2. EFTA and EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland;
3. candidate countries;

 Proposals from applicants in candidate or associated countries may be selected provided that, on the date of award, agreements have entered into force setting out the arrangements for the participation of those countries in the programme.

Consortium requirements

In case of a proposal written by a consortium, in order to be eligible, the proposal must be submitted by a consortium composed of at least <2 legal entities;

By way of exception, an application may be submitted by one applicant, whether established specifically or not for the action, provided that:

1. (i)it is formed of several legal entities complying with the eligibility, non-exclusion and selection criteria set out in this call for proposals, and implementing together the proposed action;
2. (ii)the application identifies the said entities.

For the purpose of declaring eligible costs as specified under section 11.3, the entities composing the applicant shall be treated as affiliated entities in accordance with Article 187 of the Financial Regulation.

 

Supporting documents

In order to assess the applicants' eligibility, the following supporting documents are requested:

Examples of supporting documents (see also section 4.3.4.2.1 of the Vade Mecum):

• private entity: extract from the official journal, copy of articles of association, extract of trade or association register, certificate of liability to VAT (if, as in certain countries, the trade register number and VAT number are identical, only one of these documents is required);
• public entity: copy of the resolution, decision or other official document establishing the public-law entity ;
• natural persons: photocopy of identity card and/or passport; certificate of liability to VAT, if applicable (e.g. some self-employed persons)
• entities without legal personality: documents providing evidence that their representative(s) have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf. 

In the event of an application grouping several applicants (consortium), the above supporting documents shall apply to each applicant and the consortium members have to sign a mandate between the main applicant and each of the consortium members that will participate in the project.

 

 

Eligible activities

Types of activities carried out by the beneficiary which are eligible under this call for proposals include: 

• design, implementation, co-ordination and management of the project; 
• awareness-raising, training and dissemination activities; 
• organisation of workshops, meetings, conferences, seminars, including financing participation of invited experts;
• actions aiming at the creation and improving of networks, exchanges of good practices; 
• studies, analyses, action plans and mapping activities directly related to the project;
• establishment of data and information management, including regular update of data and information products online.

 

Exclusion Criteria

Exclusion from participation

The authorising officer shall exclude an applicant from participating in call for proposals procedures where:

1. the applicant is bankrupt, subject to insolvency or winding-up procedures, its assets are being administered by a liquidator or by a court, it is in an arrangement with creditors, its business activities are suspended, or it is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for under EU or national laws or regulations;
2. it has been established by a final judgment or a final administrative decision that the applicant is in breach of its obligations relating to the payment of taxes or social security contributions in accordance with the applicable law; 
3. it has been established by a final judgment or a final administrative decision that the applicant is guilty of grave professional misconduct by having violated applicable laws or regulations or ethical standards of the profession to which the applicant belongs, or by having engaged in any wrongful intent or gross negligence, including, in particular, any of the following:

 

1. fraudulently or negligently misrepresenting information required for the verification of the absence of grounds for exclusion or the fulfilment of eligibility or selection criteria or in the performance of a contract, a grant agreement or a grant decision;
2. entering into agreement with other applicants with the aim of distorting competition;
3. violating intellectual property rights;
4. attempting to influence the decision-making process of the Commission during the award procedure;
5. attempting to obtain confidential information that may confer upon it undue advantages in the award procedure;

it has been established by a final judgment that the applicant is guilty of any of the following:

1. fraud, within the meaning of Article 3 of Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Article 1 of the Convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests, drawn up by the Council Act of 26 July 1995;
2. corruption, as defined in Article 4(2) of Directive (EU) 2017/1371 or Article 3 of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of Member States of the European Union, drawn up by the Council Act of 26 May 1997, or conduct referred to in Article 2(1) of Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA,  or corruption as defined in the applicable law;
3. conduct related to a criminal organisation, as referred to in Article 2 of Council Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA;
4. money laundering or terrorist financing within the meaning of Article 1(3), (4) and (5) of Directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European Parliament and of the Council;
5. terrorist offences or offences linked to terrorist activities, as defined in Articles 1 and 3 of Council Framework Decision 2002/475/JHA, respectively, or inciting, aiding, abetting or attempting to commit such offences, as referred to in Article 4 of that Decision;
6. child labour or other offences concerning trafficking in human beings as referred to in Article 2 of Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council;

1. the applicant has shown significant deficiencies in complying with main obligations in the performance of a contract, a grant agreement or a grant decision financed by the Union's budget, which has led to its early termination or to the application of liquidated damages or other contractual penalties, or which has been discovered following checks, audits or investigations by an authorising officer, OLAF or the Court of Auditors; 
2. it has been established by a final judgment or final administrative decision that the applicant has committed an irregularity within the meaning of Article 1(2) of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95;
3. It has been established by a final judgement or final administrative decision that the applicant has created an entity in a different jurisdiction with the intent to circumvent fiscal, social or any other legal obligations of mandatory application in the jurisdiction of its registered office, central administration or principal place of business;
4. it has been established by a final judgement or final administrative decision that an entity has been created with the intent referred to in point (g);
5. for the situations referred to in points (c) to (h) above, the applicant is subject to: 

1. facts established in the context of audits or investigations carried out by European Public Prosecutor's Office after its establishment, the Court of Auditors, the European Anti-Fraud Office or the internal auditor, or any other check, audit or control performed under the responsibility of an authorising officer of an EU institution, of a European office or of an EU agency or body; 
2. non-final judgments or non-final administrative decisions which may include disciplinary measures taken by the competent supervisory body responsible for the verification of the application of standards of professional ethics; 
3. facts referred to in decisions of persons or entities being entrusted with EU budget implementation tasks;
4. information transmitted by Member States implementing Union funds;
5. decisions of the Commission relating to the infringement of Union competition law or of a national competent authority relating to the infringement of Union or national competition law; or
6. decisions of exclusion by an authorising officer of an EU institution, of a European office or of an EU agency or body.

 

Remedial measures

If an applicant declares one of the situations of exclusion listed above (see section 7.4), it must indicate the measures it has taken to remedy the exclusion situation, thus demonstrating its reliability. This may include e.g. technical, organisational and personnel measures to correct the conduct and prevent further occurrence, compensation of damage or payment of fines or of any taxes or social security contributions. The relevant documentary evidence which illustrates the remedial measures taken must be provided in annex to the declaration. This does not apply for situations referred in point (d) of section 7.1.

 

Rejection from the call for proposals

The authorising officer shall not award a grant to an applicant who: 

1. is in an exclusion situation established in accordance with section 7.1; or
2. has misrepresented the information required as a condition for participating in the procedure or has failed to supply that information; or
3. was previously involved in the preparation of documents used in the award procedure where this entails a breach of the principle of equal treatment, including distortion of competition, that cannot be remedied otherwise.

 

 

Administrative sanctions (exclusion) may be imposed on applicants, if any of the declarations or information provided as a condition for participating in this procedure prove to be false.

 

Supporting documents

Applicants must provide a declaration on their honour certifying that they are not in one of the situations referred to in Articles 136(1) and 141 FR, by filling in the relevant form attached to the application form accompanying the call for proposals and available at <insert url>. 

 

This obligation may be fulfilled in one of the following ways: 

 

(a). for mono-beneficiary grants: 

1. the applicant signs a declaration in its name and on behalf of its affiliated entities; OR
2. the applicant and its affiliated entities each sign a separate declaration in their own name.

 

(b).  for multi-beneficiary grants: 

1. the coordinator of a consortium signs a declaration on behalf of all applicants and their affiliated entities; OR
2. each applicant in the consortium signs a declaration in its name and on behalf of its affiliated entities; OR
3. each applicant in the consortium and the affiliated entities each sign a separate declaration in their own name.

 

Selection criteria

Applicants must have the financial and operational capacity required to implement and complete the proposed action, as well as solid experience in the field.

 

Financial capacity

Applicants must have stable and sufficient sources of funding to maintain their activity throughout the duration of the grant and to participate in its funding. The applicants' financial capacity will be assessed on the basis of the following supporting documents to be submitted with the application:

1. Low value grants (≤ EUR 60 000):

• a declaration on their honour. 

1. Grants > EUR 60 000:

• a declaration on their honour, and

EITHER

• the profit and loss account as well as the balance sheet for the last <…> financial year[s] for which the accounts were closed;
• for newly created entities: the business plan might replace the above documents;

OR

• the table provided for in the application form, filled in with the relevant statutory accounting figures, in order to calculate the ratios as detailed in the form.

1. Grants for an action > EUR 750 000 or operating grants > EUR 100 000:

1. the information and supporting documents mentioned in point b) above, and  
2. an audit report produced by an approved external auditor certifying the accounts for the last year available, where such an audit report is available or whenever a statutory report is required by law.

If the audit report is not available AND a statutory report is not required by law, a self-declaration signed by the applicant's authorised representative certifying the validity of its accounts for the last financial year available must be provided.

In the event of an application grouping several applicants (consortium), the above thresholds apply to each applicant.

In the case of legal entities forming one applicant (the "sole applicant"), as specified in section 6.1, the above requirements apply to each one of those entities.

On the basis of the documents submitted, if the Commission considers that financial capacity is weak, s/he may:

• request further information;
• decide not to give pre-financing;
• decide to give pre-financing paid in instalments;
• decide to give pre-financing covered by a bank guarantee (see section 11.4 below);
• where applicable, require the joint and several financial liability of all the co-beneficiaries.

If the RAO considered that the financial capacity is insufficient s/he will reject the application. 

Operational capacity

In the case of legal entities forming one applicant (the "sole" applicant) the below mentioned requirements apply to each one of those entities.

 

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