UDENE Tools for Global Business Solutions that Accelerate Copernicus Adoption

The UDENE Project is launching an open call to encourage international business collaboration by integrating UDENE tools into market-driven solutions. This initiative is funded by the European Union Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) under the Horizon Europe Programme and aims to accelerate the global adoption of Copernicus Earth Observation data for addressing urban and environmental challenges.

Eligible applicants include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), associations, industrial organizations, research performing institutions, individuals, and teams of individuals from Türkiye, Serbia, and Tunisia. Notably, only single applicants are eligible; consortia are excluded.

The funding type is a grant of €10,000 per selected applicant, with a total budget of €60,000 available for the call. Each country can select two winners, resulting in a total of six recipients. Applications will undergo a two-stage evaluation process: the first stage involves screening for eligibility and feasibility, while the second stage focuses on quality assessment based on innovation, impact, and applicant expertise.

The call emphasizes the development of feasibility reports as deliverables, showcasing business solutions that leverage UDENE tools. Specific areas targeted for business applications include urban planning, environmental management, and Earth Observation data innovations. The expected outcomes involve creating market-oriented solutions that demonstrate commercial viability and scalability.

There is no co-funding requirement, and the initiative encourages partnerships between European EO providers and local entities, fostering capacity building and knowledge transfer. The application must be submitted in English, and key dates include an opening date of July 1, 2025, and a deadline of August 29, 2025.

Overall, this call is intended to validate practical solutions for urban development, aiming to bridge gaps between European technology providers and local partners in the identified countries. The final reports documenting feasibility studies will be due by December 15, 2025.

The UDENE Project is offering an open call for proposals to stimulate international business collaboration by integrating UDENE tools into market-driven solutions. The project is funded by EUSPA under the Horizon Europe Programme and leverages Copernicus Earth Observation (EO) data. The goal is to accelerate the global adoption and commercialization of Copernicus Earth Observation-based applications.

The call aims to establish sustainable partnerships between European providers and local entities (particularly SMEs) in Copernicus International Partner countries, demonstrate the commercial viability and scalability of business solutions integrating UDENE tools for urban planning and environmental management, and facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building to enhance the capabilities of local entities and SMEs to independently adopt and market Earth Observation-based solutions globally.

Expected outcomes include market-ready business-oriented solutions integrating UDENE tools, feasibility studies or pilot implementations demonstrating tangible benefits and commercial potential, and business cases illustrating scalability, sustainability, and potential for broader global market adoption. Grant recipients are expected to deliver a feasibility report providing evidence for their business cases. Software, model, or algorithm development can be part of the feasibility report as a proof of concept.

The feasibility report should include:

1. Detailed Business Case: This includes a clearly defined value proposition, target market segments, competitive analysis, and demonstrated scalability of the EO-based solution integrating UDENE tools.

2. Partnership Documentation: This outlines the roles, responsibilities, and contributions of European EO providers and local SMEs or other entities, emphasizing mutual capacity building and knowledge transfer.

3. Pilot Projects plans: Showcasing at least two successfully implemented business-oriented pilot solutions. Each pilot must demonstrate practical application of UDENE tools, measurable outcomes, a clear assessment of effectiveness in addressing specific urban or environmental challenges, and Proof of Concept (PoC) implementations in the international partner countries.

4. Market Entry and Sustainability Plan: Presenting the roadmap for scaling, sustained commercial viability, identified funding or revenue models, and potential pathways for broader global market adoption.

5. Recommendations and Lessons Learned: Highlighting barriers encountered, strategies for overcoming them, and insights beneficial for future partnerships and similar initiatives aimed at accelerating global EO datasets and tool adoption.

If delivering an innovative solution, a white paper and user guide describing the intended usage and purpose of the solution are also required.

Funding details: Two winners per call per country will receive 10,000€ lump sum funding upon completing their feasibility reports. The total funding available is 60,000€.

The evaluation process is in two stages:

Stage 1: Screening Procedure for Eligibility and Feasibility Checklist. Eligible applicants include SMEs, start-ups, local authorities, NGOs, associations, industrial organizations, research performing institutions, individuals, and teams of individuals based in Türkiye, Serbia, or Tunisia. Only single applicants are eligible (no consortia). The proposed work should be reasonably feasible within the available timeframe, given the functionalities of the UDENE tools.

Stage 2: Quality Assessment Procedure. This stage assesses:

1. Concept and Innovation: Novelty and feasibility of the proposed business cases and their commercial impact; expected Return on Investment (RoI), reliability, and quality of the business solution and its expected Market Readiness Level (MRL); level of technological challenges addressed.

2. Impact: Economic and societal impact; European dimension, cross-sector/border scalability; whether the application is offered as open source or not.

3. Applicant Expertise: Capacity to perform the task; knowledge, technological, and business expertise; financial viability/stability; allocation and justification of resources.

Eligible organizations must be established in Türkiye, Serbia, or Tunisia. All eligible applicants and partners must respect the fundamental rights and values on which the EU is founded.

Key dates:

Opening date: 01 July 2025

Deadline: 29 August 2025, 21:00 (Brussels time)

Expected duration of participation: 60 days

Online Info Sessions:

Serbia: 11th August 2025

Türkiye: 13th August 2025

Tunisia: 15th August 2025

Applicants must commit at least 2 person-months of work during October-November 2025, with the final report due by 15th December 2025.

Applications must be submitted in English. Applicants will need to sign a Declaration of Honour, an Ethics, Intellectual Property and Security Declaration, and an SME Declaration if applicable.

The UDENE project utilizes Copernicus Earth Observation data, machine learning, and advanced causal modelling to provide tools for evidence-based urban planning and decision-making. Existing use cases focus on the effect of green spaces on urban heat islands, the effect of transportation infrastructure on air quality, and the effect of the built environment on earthquake resilience. The project aims to validate practical urban development solutions across Copernicus International partner countries.

Relevant links:

UDENE Project: https://udene.eu/

UDENE FSTP Open Calls: https://udene.eu/open-fstp-calls/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/udene_project/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/UDENE/61556171654905/

Help Desk: info@udene.eu

The UDENE Open Call is essentially a funding opportunity for entities in Turkey, Serbia, and Tunisia to develop innovative business solutions using the UDENE tools and Copernicus Earth Observation data. The goal is to foster collaboration between European EO providers and local entities to address urban and environmental challenges. Successful applicants will receive funding to create a feasibility report demonstrating the potential of their proposed solution. This initiative aims to promote the adoption of Copernicus services and build capacity in international partner countries.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include SMEs, start-ups, local authorities, NGOs, associations, industrial organizations, research performing institutions, individuals, and teams of individuals. Applicants must be based in one of the target countries and as defined in Horizon Europe rules for participation.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically cascade funding, with a lump sum payment.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a single applicant. Consortia are not eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to organizations established in Türkiye, Serbia, or Tunisia. The call also mentions Copernicus International Partner countries.

Target Sector: The target sectors are urban planning, environmental management, Earth Observation, and related areas. The call focuses on integrating Copernicus Earth Observation data and UDENE tools into market-driven solutions. Specific use cases mentioned include the effect of green spaces on urban heat islands, the effect of transportation infrastructure on air quality, and the effect of the built environment on earthquake resilience.

Mentioned Countries: Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on feasibility studies and pilot implementations, demonstrating tangible benefits and commercial potential. Software, model, or algorithm development can be a part of the feasibility report as a proof of concept. The expected Market Readiness Level (MRL) is also considered in the evaluation.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is 10,000€ per winner. There will be two winners per call per country, making the total funding available 60,000€ (2 winners x 3 countries x 10,000€).

Application Type: The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum payment upon completion of their feasibility reports.

Application Stages: The application process consists of two stages: a screening procedure for eligibility and feasibility, and a quality assessment procedure.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly mentioned, but given that there are two winners per country, the success rate is likely to be in the 10 to 39% range, depending on the number of applications received.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

The UDENE project, funded by EUSPA under the Horizon Europe Programme, is launching an open call to stimulate international business collaboration by integrating UDENE tools into market-driven solutions. The project leverages Copernicus Earth Observation data to address urban and environmental challenges. The call aims to establish sustainable partnerships between European Earth Observation providers and local entities, particularly SMEs, in Copernicus International Partner countries such as Serbia, Tunisia, and Türkiye. The objective is to demonstrate the commercial viability and scalability of business solutions using UDENE tools for urban planning and environmental management, while also facilitating knowledge transfer and capacity building.

Eligible applicants include SMEs, start-ups, local authorities, NGOs, associations, industrial organizations, research performing institutions, individuals, and teams of individuals based in Türkiye, Serbia, or Tunisia. The application process involves two stages: eligibility and feasibility screening, followed by a quality assessment based on concept and innovation, impact, and applicant expertise. The call requires single applicants, meaning consortia are not eligible.

Successful applicants will receive 10,000€ in lump sum funding upon completing their feasibility reports. The reports should include market-ready business-oriented solutions integrating UDENE tools, feasibility studies or pilot implementations demonstrating tangible benefits, and business cases illustrating scalability and sustainability. The work should be completed within a 60-day timeframe, specifically during October and November 2025, with the final report due by December 15th. The project seeks to promote the uptake of Copernicus services through validation of practical urban development solutions. The call is focused on feasibility studies and pilot implementations, with software, model, or algorithm development as a potential part of the proof of concept. The total funding available for this call is 60,000€, with two winners selected per country.