Proposed initial structure of the WGs:

• Technical collaboration, Training and dissemination

This WG will cover all the technical issues including the pilot facilities, the (SMEs) facility users and EPPN user access for digital platform. One of the aims of this WG will also be to establish links with other EC project cluster in order to help addressing joint pilot facilities development issues such as safety, modelling, characterisation, standards etc. The main activities of this WG would be to mapping needs and developing collaboration related to:

• -Sharing of facilities.
• -Characterisation equipment.
• -Safety.
• -Standards.
• -Modelling

Possible members of the WG could be: pilot facilities, digital platform and pilot facilities end users, RTOs.

• Market and finance intelligence

The goal of this WG is collecting and providing commercial and market information and guidance to the pilot production operations and user cases. In order to address the market and financial needs, this WG will be established with the aim to:

• -Improve understanding of different financing options.
• -Improve access to finance through interaction with:
•   •European, national and regional programmes and finance institutions
•   •Private financing such as Business Angels and VCs.
• -Interact with key players in the supply chain in order to understand relevant market needs and entry obstacles.
• -Support business planning, development and sustainability.
• -Support to define most appropriate business model, including open access opportunities.
• -Profile customer and market sector.
• -Increase cooperation with and among SMEs.
• -Development of an activate market place(s) and facilitation of brokerage opportunities.

Possible members of the WG could be: LE and SMEs, users of pilot lines services, investors, European, national and regional government and finance institutions.

• Policy and regions

This WG will be focusing mainly on contacts to regional decision makers and innovation offices that can help formalising the regional innovation needs and activities. The EPPN will identify pilot production policy needs through direct interaction with all stakeholders and provide recommendations. The activities will include:

• -Identify future research and innovation needs that will emerge.
• -Coordinate input to future research policy and innovation directions.
• -Identify and recommend strategy development at European, national and regional level, with particular focus on innovation barriers and the exploitation of pilot production facilities.
• -Explore Synergies with national, regional initiatives including RTD&I Programming (Smart specialisation)
• -Establish national and regional contacts that have expressed interest to work with the EPPN
• -Establish contacts and monitor best international practices related to the pilot production facility development.
• -Identify Value Chain and Ecosystem development needs related to pilot plants and support further integration.

Possible members of the WG could be: pilot lines and end users, national and regional authorities and agencies, scientific and regulatory services.

Please contact us if you are interested to become an active member via [email protected]