The Clock Building of the Port of Valencia will host the presentation of a new call for proposals of the Ports 4.0 Fund on 12th April.
On 12 April, the Clock Building of the Port of Valencia will host the presentation of the new call of the Ports 4.0 Fund for pre-commercial projects 2022. Ports 4.0 is the corporate open innovation model of Puertos del Estado and the Spanish Port Authorities to attract, support and facilitate the application of talent and entrepreneurship to the Spanish logistics-port sector.
The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) wants to promote in this new call sustainability and decarbonisation projects in renewable energies, efficient management of energy networks or circular economy; new business opportunities in the logistics chain; the digitisation of port processes; and integration with the immediate environment, both the city of Valencia and the Valencian Community.
The conference will be inaugurated by the president of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV), Aurelio Martínez, one of the precursor institutions of this fund. The head of Innovation of Puertos del Estado, José Llorca, will be present, and success stories from previous calls for these funds will be explained. In addition, the head of Strategic Planning and Innovation of the PAV, Juan Manuel Díez, will talk about the challenges in R+D+i of Valenciaport and the vice-rector of Studies and Entrepreneurship of the Universitat Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), María Esther, will close the conference.
The Ports 4.0 Fund, promoted by all Spanish port authorities and Puertos del Estado, is the largest public project for the digital transformation of a sector launched so far by Spanish administrations. The Ports 4.0 Fund was launched in 2020 in a firm commitment to innovation by the ports with the aim of ensuring that both the ports and the logistics chain continue to gain in competitiveness. To this end, the programme is looking for start-ups and technology companies that propose real disruptive solutions to the port challenges of the 21st century.
Ports are acting as a driving force for digital transformation and attracting talent. An innovative ecosystem of start-ups and new lines of business in the technological field associated with the logistics sector is being generated around port facilities, such as that of Valencia.
Ports 4.0 has launched the second call for Pre-Commercial projects with 11.25 million euros. Projects can be submitted to develop a new product, service, process, or to improve an existing technology with a new innovative component by developing its application for the port-logistics sector.
On the other hand, the Fund also has 6.75 million euros, with grants of 15,000 euros per selected idea (750,000 euros in total) and the remaining six million for grants of between 100,000 and two million euros per project in the commercial phase, which are those that are on the verge of being launched on the market.