Egyptian-Spanish Joint Technological Co-Operation Program

On 30th of June, 2016, a Joint Program for Cooperation was established by The Science, Technology, and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) and the CDTI, E.P.E. (CDTI), to promote and fund market-driven research and technology development as well as to encourage partnerships and business-Ied R&D&I collaborative projects between entities from both countries. Within this program, CDTI and STDF agreed to launch joint calls for proposals.

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Funding Authority, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Government of Egypt, and the CDTI, E.P.E., Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Government of Spain, are the nodal implementing agencies from the Egyptian and Spanish sides, respectively.

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Funding Authority is the nodal agency for the promotion of research, development, and innovation in the valued areas of Egypt’s long-term competitiveness and development strategy. STDF funds and supports affiliated Egyptian universities and research organisations (collaboration permitted with other entities).

The CDTI is a Public Entity under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Government of Spain, which fosters the technological development and innovation of Spanish Companies.

Thematic Areas

This Call for proposals is open to collaborative R&D projects in the following areas/sectors:

• Agriculture and Sustainable Food Production
  • Climatic and extra-climatic factors affecting sustainable crop production
  • Improvement of productivity and quality of livestock, aquaculture and fisheries
  • Innovative solutions for combatting emerging infectious livestock diseases
  • Agricultural waste management and biofuel production
  • Advanced trends to improve plant and livestock productivity
  • Food processing, safety, and food security
• Sustainable water management
  • Water management and treatment
  • Water desalination
  • Water sanitation technology
• Affordable & Inclusive Healthcare
  • Cancer and stem cells
  • Chronic diseases
  • Geriatric medicine
• Renewable Energy
  • New trends in renewable energy
  • Advances in energy storage systems
  • Biofuel/biogas production
• Environment sector
  • Sanitation
  • Waste treatment
• Construction
  • Advanced construction technology and materials
  • Hybrid Concrete Construction (prefabrication plus in-situ)
  • Energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings
  • Applications of informatics to construction
  • Advanced construction management and methods
• Transportation sector
  • Railways infrastructure
  • Railways management
• Tourism and Antiquities sector
  • Tourism industry and management of tourist places
• Strategic Industries sector
  • Pharmaceutical sector
  • Electric car sector
  • Manufacturing industries sector: textile, clothing, paper, wood, petroleum materials, chemicals, plastics, metallurgy and electronics sector
  • Computer Hardware, Machinery and Electrical Appliance sector

Funding Information

• CDTI can only provide funding to Spanish companies subject to budget availability. The Spanish company will be funded according to the ‘International Technological Cooperation Projects’-PCTIs conditions identified on CDTI’s website.
• STDF will fund each project with 75,000 Euros – 150,000 Euros, to be disbursed in the local currency (Egyptian Pounds) according to the exchange rate at the time of contracting. As per STDF’s regulations, eligible project expenditures will include:
  • Salaries for the team (not to exceed 25% or up to 600,000 LE, whichever is less)
  • Equipment, Expendable supplies and Materials
  • Travel (not to exceed 20% or up to 400,000 LE, whichever is less)
  • Publication costs and workshops
  • Indirect costs [not to exceed 20% of the (Total Direct Cost – Total Equipment Cost) or up to150,000 LE/project, whichever is less].

Type of Proposals

• Industry-driven and market-oriented R&D projects, as well as joint technological cooperation projects between industrial partners (start-ups, SMEs, and large companies) and Universities or Research Centers in Egypt, and industrial partners (start-ups, SMEs, and large companies) in Spain, consisting in the development or substantial improvement of new products, processes or services, will be considered.
• Duration of projects: up to 2 years.
• The proposals have to cover the thematic areas of agricultural and sustainable production, sustainable water management, affordable and inclusive healthcare, renewable energy, environment sector, construction, transportation sector, tourism and antiquities sector, and strategic industries sector to enhance bi-regional cooperation and develop new partnerships as well as strengthen existing ones.

Who can apply?

• Minimum eligibility criteria: The project partners should include at least one qualified researcher from Egypt (Ph.D. holder, affiliated to an Egyptian university or research institution), with an Egyptian industrial partner (with or without R&D units), and one qualified partner from Spain (1 company from Spain with or without an R&D department).
• Eligible Spanish Applicants
  • Spanish consortia should include at least one company. Participation of research institutes/universities and other organizations is welcome as self-funded participants or subcontractors.
• Eligible Egyptian Applicants
  • Eligible Egyptian consortia should include a partner (the Egyptian applicant) who is a Ph.D. holder, affiliated to an Egyptian University or research Institution. Collaboration with other entities such as companies, governmental partners, other research centres, technological centres, universities, and other R&D-performing organisations is permitted under STDF’s regulations.
  • Only projects with an industrial or governmental partner from the Egyptian side will be funded. Consortia with industrial or governmental partners having R&D units will have a higher priority.
  • Egyptian applicants should submit a business and financial plan to manage the IPR for the Egyptian side. According to Egyptian laws, the IPR belongs to the funding agency (the STDF), unless the industrial or governmental partners share in the project funding. In this case, the IPR for the Egyptian side will be shared between the STDF and the project partners according to their financial contribution.

For more information, visit STDF.