Ideal-ist - the ICT Partner Search Network opens for the four PPP Calls!

Idealist, the international partner search network for Information and Communication Technology has opened its online partner search tool for the four recently launched PPP Calls relating to the ICT topics Proposers to these Calls will be helped to find appropriate partners for their projects by the worldwide Idealist network.

A few days ago, as part of the European Economic Recovery Plan, the Commission launched four Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). With the approach of these crossthematic calls, not only breakthrough innovation is needed to propel the EU to the forefront of knowledgebased competitiveness, but also a target of transition to greener, more sustainable practices are expected. The European Commission aims to provide a contribution of 50 % of the total R&D budget in 2010-2013, with matching investment coming from the private sector. In particular, for ICT related topics (8 Calls are open for ICT) a budget of

€220 Million is available, which will offer increased opportunities to support innovation in SMEs.

Idealist, the most successful international partner search network for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the EU's Framework Programme (opens its partner search service to the four calls for proposals, which opened on 20 September and closes on 12 December this year.

This worldwide ICT support network "Idealist" has been providing its services for 14 years, helping to interpret the ICT work programme of the Framework Programme, submitting project ideas in line with the Challenges & Objectives, finding the right partners for projects and bring consortia together for proposals.

Not only Newcomers and Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs) are using Idealist! Also academia, nonprofit organisations, larger companies and public administrations, newcomers, research organisations and consultancies are helped
- by using an effective Quality check against predefined criteria which support the proposer e.g. to have better focused proposals submitted and hence increase the chances of being retained for funding. The Quality Team supporting the National Contact Points provide in depth support to proposers.
- by offering a unique and fast partner search tool, which is also beneficial for enhancing the chances for a positive evaluation and
- by a large international ICT network, which publishes each partner search in more than 65 countries worldwide, so more than 60.000 contact addresses are reached.

Idealist Project Manager Mohsine Chefki highlights the proven success: "The level of responses generated by Partner searches during the first six Calls in the 7th Framework Program has demonstrated a high activity: approximately 21.000 responses generated (Expressions of Interests) by interested organisations, which Page 2 of 2 v.finalv1 gives an average of 45 responses per Partner Search launched. In recent years we had a success rate of almost 100%!

This means almost every proposer who launched a partner search via Idealist, found a key partner for their project.