The 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL) project will establish a European ecosystem for prototype production of Graphene and Related Materials (GRM) based electronics, photonics and sensors. The project will cover the whole value chain including tool manufacturers, chemical and material providers and pilot lines to offer prototyping services to companies, research centers and academics. The 2D-EPL targets to the adoption of GRM integration by commercial semiconductor foundries and integrated device manufacturers through technology transfer and licensing. The project is built on two pillars. In Pillar 1, the 2D-EPL will offer prototyping services for 150 and 200 mm wafers, based on the current state of the art graphene device manufacturing and integration techniques. This will ensure external users and customers are served by the 2D-EPL early in the project and guarantees the inclusion of their input in the development of the final processes by providing the specifications on required device layouts, materials and device performances. In Pillar 2, the consortium will develop a fully automated process flow on 200 and 300 mm wafers, including the growth and vacuum transfer of single crystalline graphene and TMDCs. The knowledge gained in Pillar 2 will be transferred to Pillar 1 to continuously improve the baseline process provided by the 2D-EPL. To ensure sustainability of the 2D-EPL service after the project duration, integration with EUROPRACTICE consortium will be prepared. It provides for the European actors a platform to develop smart integrated systems, from advanced prototype design to small volume production. In addition, for the efficiency of the industrial exploitation, an Industrial Advisory Board consisting mainly of leading European semiconductor manufacturers and foundries will closely track and advise the progress of the 2D-EPL. This approach will enable European players to take the lead in this emerging field of technology.

The Know4Nano project aims to unlock synergetic research and innovation potential between EU-partner institutions and Biosense Institute (BIOS) to enhance the research and management capacity of BIOS staff in the field of bionanotechnology (BnT), project management and technology transfer to perform research activities toward the development of innovative and user-friendly personalized point-of-care diagnostic tests for food safety applications along the farm-to-fork food chain and unlock existing research potential and applicability of research results. Good practice, innovation, and scientific excellence from the leading European research institutions in the field of BnT: Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Barcelona, Spain, with expertise in nanotechnology and nanoscience-based biosensors, and microfluidics, National Research Council, Rome, Italy, an expert in molecular biology, optical biosensors, biosensors testing and validation, and food safety, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic, an expert in materials science, materials synthesis, functionalization, and characterization of materials, will be transferred to BIOS by establishing a knowledge transfer platform based on carefully designed mobilities, trainings and novel approaches in mutual collaboration to increase research excellence and innovation potential for all partners in bio-nanotechnology, with a principal focus on BIOS. Know4Nano will enable researchers from BIOS to acquire essential expertise, competencies, and skills in the field of nanomaterials, biosensors, microfluidics, and food safety, and enhance BIOS research management capacities and administrative skills for further commercialization, exploitation, and dissemination of results with the goal to increase its attractiveness in the region and EU as a potential collaboration in future project capable to generate new breakthrough results and marker-ready products.

SUSNANO's overall aim is to boost the scientific excellence and innovation capacity in sustainable nanosensors for water pollution detection of Universiteti i Tiranes (UT) and its high-quality Twinning partners: Fundació Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia, Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci and Intelligentsia Consultants Sàrl. To achieve this aim, SUSNANO will implement a research and innovation strategy over 3 years based upon 5 objectives implemented via 5 corresponding WPs: Objective 1: Conduct exploratory research on sustainable nanosensors to detect water pollution in Albania The goal is to develop innovative sustainable nanosensors to detect heavy metals, pesticides and antiobiotics. The validated sensors will be used in field tests to provide an environmental assessment of rivers and lakes in Albania. Objective 2: Transfer knowledge between experienced researchers (ERs) of UT and the Twinning partners The goal is to organise short term staff exchanges, trainings and seminars for UT’s ER’s and the Twinning partners’ ERs to complement the preparatory research undertaken in Objective 1. Objective 3: Enhance career prospects of early-stage researchers (ESRs) of UT and the Twinning partners The goal is to enhance the career prospects of UT’s ESRs and the Twinning partners’ ESRs by organising short- and medium-term exchanges, training workshops/seminars, summer schools & joint PhD programme. Objective 4: Improve UT’s management and administrative capacity for European R&D programmes The goal is to improve the skills of UT’s Directorate of Scientific Research, Projects and Foreign Relations in proposal preparation, project management and innovation management for European R&D funding programmes. Objective 5: Raise the research profile of UT and the Twinning partners The goal is to raise the research profile and scientific reputation of UT and the Twinning partners through a comprehensive range of dissemination, exploitation, communication & outreach activities.

Based on intense research efforts in the fields of technology development and materials science, a new generation of medical devices has flourished. But this medical technology still relies on conventional energy sources (bulky batteries). These batteries typically have shorter lifetimes than the implant itself, meaning limitations on patients´ activities, infections and additional surgeries. In an ideal scenario, active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) would be powered using integrated and fully implantable energy suppliers, not needed to be recharged or replaced. An integrated implantable energy harvesting device to power AIMDs is the crucial missing component that would unlock this future. TriboMed aims to implement triboelectric energy generators (TENGs) for powering AIMDs, taking vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) as proof-of-concept. I will show that TENGs can be produced at larger scale, while being miniaturized and tuned, supplying energy levels suitable for driving stimulation implants. By coupling to a supercapacitor, I aim to develop a fully integrated energy autonomous VNS implant on a conformable and biocompatible substrate. My approach is timely and innovative because it responds to the increasing needs of energy harvesting and comes when the maturity level reached by thin films technologies allows to start working on device integration. My background in materials science and my current experience in device technology provides me with the tools necessary for the successful development of TriboMed. I have the privilege to be working at the forefront of the biomedical research, affording insight into the latest achievements and emerging requirements of VNS technology. TriboMed will unlock the use of triboelectricity for feeding other AIMDs and beyond, on the Internet of Things. Turning the medical implants into self-powered systems will broaden the acceptance of the neuromodulation therapies, with a life-changing impact on a very large patient population.