PITCCH opens third round of corporate challenges to crowdsource advanced solutions from European SMEs

A Europe wide effort to accelerate industry innovation is moving into its third round. PITCCH, an INNOSUP supported initiative under Horizon 2020, is soliciting new Corporate Challenges from large companies that want to find technological solutions from small and medium sized enterprises and startups. The initiative positions technology centres as mediators and offers modest financial awards to successful SMEs while organising a PITCCH Day where finalists will pitch directly to the challenge owners.

What PITCCH is trying to do

PITCCH aims to create a pan European open innovation network that connects big corporations who need technologies with SMEs and startups that can provide them. The project focuses on advanced technologies across multiple sectors and uses an online platform to collect challenges, scout solution providers, and facilitate collaborations. The consortium behind PITCCH comprises technology centres and a digital agency that together offer matchmaking, project support and access to specialised services.

Call details, timing and expected output

PITCCH has already selected and published 12 corporate challenges through earlier cut offs. The third call was published by the PITCCH project on 20 December 2021. European Innovation Council channels announced the call on 14 January 2022 with a submission deadline of 14 February 2022 and a plan to publish selected challenges at the beginning of March 2022. PITCCH communications elsewhere list a 21 February deadline for challenge submission. The project expects to add around five challenges in this round.

Financial and practical support offered

PITCCH provides a modest financial incentive and coordination services but it is not a substitute for full R&D funding. The project contributes EUR 5,000 to each selected SME. Big corporations proposing challenges are required to commit a minimum of EUR 5,000 at the time the challenge is published. That corporate contribution is intended to be an award for the SME to cover activity costs or to pay for access to specialised services offered by technology centres. Corporates may decide to offer a larger award at their discretion.

Selection process and PITCCH Day

PITCCH scouts potential solution providers from across Europe and assists big corporations in shortlisting candidates. Finalists chosen by the corporate seekers will be invited to a PITCCH Day where they can pitch their solutions in front of the challenge owner. If selected, the SME receives the PITCCH award and can access additional services from technology centres as agreed between the parties.

Who can apply and what kinds of challenges are sought

Big corporations are invited to submit Corporate Challenges on the PITCCH Open Innovation Platform. Challenges should address one or more European priority areas and target global challenges. The call looks for requests that require advanced technology and that are not yet solvable by off the shelf solutions. Importantly, the challenge should involve some research activities and must not duplicate an existing R&D programme run by the corporation with other partners.

Project partners and funding background

PITCCH is an EU funded project under the Horizon 2020 INNOSUP strand, grant agreement No 882463. The consortium includes four technology centres and one digital agency. Partners named by PITCCH include the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory INL as coordinator, TNO, Steinbeis 2i GmbH, RINA, and Vitamina. The project is positioned as a matchmaking and facilitation instrument rather than as a major funder of industrial R&D.

Practical considerations and caveats

PITCCH offers visibility and a lightweight funding incentive for SMEs. The financial awards are small relative to typical industrial R&D budgets, and their main value is often in commercial match making and access to corporate markets. SMEs should therefore treat PITCCH as an entry channel rather than a complete financing solution. Corporate challengers and solution providers must still negotiate commercial terms, intellectual property arrangements and liability issues. The PITCCH communications do not replace formal procurement rules or detailed IP agreements, so participants should seek legal or technology transfer advice before signing deals.

Why this matters for the EU innovation landscape

The PITCCH model sits within a broader EU effort to connect SMEs and startups to industry through coordinated ecosystem actions. Initiatives under Horizon 2020, and now Horizon Europe, have increasingly focused on demand led innovation and on using intermediaries to lower market entry barriers. PITCCH is one example of applying open innovation to accelerate uptake of advanced technologies across sectors such as climate and energy, digital, health, bioeconomy and advanced manufacturing. The approach can speed discovery of useable solutions, but measurable long term impact will depend on whether these prototype collaborations scale into commercially viable contracts and sustained partnerships.

How to submit a challenge

Big corporations can submit Corporate Challenges through the PITCCH Open Innovation Platform. The European Innovation Council announcement of the call gave a submission deadline of 14 February 2022 and said selected challenges will be published at the beginning of March 2022. PITCCH project pages also referenced a 21 February deadline. Prospective applicants should consult the PITCCH platform for the final official deadlines and application forms and check guidance on challenge content, eligibility and required corporate commitments.

More information and official submission links are available on the PITCCH Open Innovation Platform. Organisations considering participation should also review PITCCH materials on previous rounds, published case studies, and the project booklet which summarises lessons learned from earlier open innovation projects.