BioHorizon: a network of BIO NCPs

BioHorizon ended in December 2019. The coordinator Bożena Podlaska (bozena.podlaska@ncbr.gov.pl) and the partners would like to thank everyone who supported or contributed to the project in any way. A successor project addressing the needs of National Contact Points for Cluster 6 (‘Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment’) of Horizon Europe is expected to begin some time in 2022.

BioHorizon was a project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme. Its purpose was to align and enhance the services that National Contact Points (NCPs) for “Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy” (Societal Challenge 2), as well as for the Key Enabling Technology (KET)-Biotechnology provide to potential beneficiaries of European funding in those areas across Europe and worldwide.

The Biohorizon network of National Contact Points assisted various parties by providing tailor-made information and also offered support in consortium building by locating suitable project partners and organising matchmaking events.

Our support aimed to help improve the quality of research project proposals submitted in the SC2 and KET-B and to lower the barriers for newcomers, in particular new commerce and SMEs.

Finally, BioHorizon aimed to improve the quality of NCP services throughout Europe by exchange of best practices, experience and common tools.

Applying for funding from Horizon2020 calls has been made easier for the applicants as they were able to participate in a series of brokerage events in Brussels and cross-border thematic brokerage events located in different parts of Europe. The brokerage events together with the establishment of a high quality database with potential participant’s profiles created the foundation for efficient matchmaking between interested parties from industry and academia. In turn, this has facilitated widening participation of the EU 28 and will allow the involvement of new stakeholders.