The Copernicus program is today at a cornerstone: •The Sentinel satellites are being deployed. Their images, associated with Third Party missions’ data are being used for delivering Copernicus core services results (at global, European, and regional levels). •The European structures (EEA, ECMWF, EMSA , etc.) and the scientific community are starting to use operationally these data and the results for a better knowledge and understanding of the key land-cover stakes and environmental monitoring. But, the regional actors who are responsible for managing (at least partially) land-cover and natural resources policies have still difficulties to get access to these data and information, and moreover are not in position to combine them with their existing geo-information systems. A group of five SMEs (TerraNIS, Spacebel, Planetek, Terraspatium and Sertit), supported by a consulting firm specialized in Space market innovation and organization (Cap High Tech), are proposing to provide the regional institutional and commercial users with operational information services. These services will take the highest benefit from Copernicus outputs, for territory monitoring and management. These SMEs have decided to put in common their complementary skills and products, in the frame of a dedicated association (called EUGENIUS). They will implement “regional hubs” (Geo-information platforms) building the first instance of the “EUGENIUS network”. These regional hubs shall deliver services in the following domains: •Urbanization monitoring and management (densification, preservation of rural and “green” areas, transportation means, etc.) •Agriculture areas and activities (crop monitoring, crop identification and classification, potential yield assessment, water resources and irrigation, etc.) •Forest monitoring (surfaces, trees species classification, exploitation status, etc.) •assessing and monitoring some natural risks at regional levels (flooding, landslides and water quality)

The amount of solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface exceeds the global energy demand of humans by about 12 000 times. However, despite huge efforts in the scientific community, harvesting and efficient exploitation of this renewable and green energy source is still a major challenge for humanity. In the marine world, photosynthetic bacteria and algae (microalgae and seaweeds) are the predominant primary producers and many different organisms (e.g. corals, giant clams or photosynthetic sea slugs) cooperate synergistically with algae and bacteria for optimal solar light harvesting and conversion into chemically bound energy for biosynthesis and growth. Inspired by such organisms, the “Bio-inspired and Bionic materials for enhanced photosynthesis (BEEP)” project aims to train researchers in a truly interdisciplinary setting to develop novel bio-mimetic approaches for light management. BEEP’s specific mission is to design and manufacture hybrid systems combining living organisms and artificial materials: We envision that by understanding the critical aspects of complex symbiotic interaction in marine organisms we will be able to create new bionic and bio-inspired system, such as more efficient bio-photoreactors. This truly interdisciplinary research requires an intersectorial approach by specialized and skilled scientists from different disciplines, combining expertise from marine biology (UCPH, UN, NHM), and microbiology (HOEKMINE) with expertise in optics and spectroscopy (UCAM, IIT, UCL), chemistry (UNISTRA, UNIBA, BP), and advanced microscopy (TESCAN). BEEP will kick-start an unprecedented interdisciplinary European research training effort in the emerging area of marine biomimetics with a concomitant strong emphasis on science outreach and exploitation.

E2mC aims at demonstrating the technical and operational feasibility of the integration of social media analysis and crowdsourced information within both the Mapping and Early Warning Components of Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS). The Project will develop a prototype of a new EMS Service Component (Copernicus Witness), designed to exploit social media analysis and crowdsourcing capabilities to generate a new Product of the EMS Portfolio. The purpose of the new Copernicus Witness Service Component is to improve the timeliness and accuracy of geo-spatial information provided to Civil Protection authorities, on a 24/7 basis, during the overall crisis management cycle and, particularly, in the first hours immediately after the event. This will result in an early confirmation of alerts from running Early Warning Systems as well as first rapid impact assessment from the field. The technological enabler of the Copernicus Witness is the innovative and scalable Social&Crowd (S&C) Platform, developed by E2mC. Heterogeneous social media data streams (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,… and different data: text, image, video, …) will be analysed and sparse crowdsourcing communities will be federated (crisis specific as Tomnod, HOT, SBTF and generic as Crowdcrafting, EpiCollect,…). Two demonstration loops will validate the usefulness of Copernicus Witness and the S&C Platform suitability to allow EC to evaluate possible Copernicus EMS evolution options. E2mC will perform demonstrations within realistic and operational scenarios designed by the Users involved within the Project (Civil Protection Authorities and Humanitarian Aid operators, including their volunteer teams) and by the current Copernicus EMS Operational Service Providers that are part of the E2mC Consortium. The involvement of social media and crowdsourcing communities will foster the engagement of a large number of people in supporting crisis management; many more citizens will become aware of Copernicus.

Organic Bioelectronics is a fast-rising field encompassing organic electronic devices that exhibit mixed electronic and ionic conductivity. It represents a truly unique communication bridge across the technology gap existing between the living systems and digital electronics. Biosensing is one of the most scientifically and industrially promising application of organic (bio)electronics. It is important to form young professionals that will be able to operate into this highly-interdisciplinary field, where proficiency in chemistry, materials science and technology, solid state physics, biochemistry, engineering is needed. Such curricula can be hardly constructed within institutional degrees, at least not at the level that can be provided by a European Training Network. The objective of BORGES is to train the next generation of R&D innovators in organic bioelectronics, with the aim of developing organic biosensors up to demonstration in an end-user significant context. BORGES trainees will be educated with a holistic perspective of the technology, from fundamentals and fabrication, through characterization, to clinical/research user scenarios. BORGES training will be based on i) acquiring solid background in different scientific and technological fields; ii) exposing trainees to diverse sectors, from academia to technological research centres to industrial nodes; iii) fostering the development of transversal competencies. The BORGES Network is composed by 12 beneficiary institutions and one associate partner. With 4 non-academic nodes, and research centres with a clear industrial drive, BORGES ensures exposure of its fellows to a truly multisectorial environment. The state of the art training received by its fellows in a rapidly growing field with a strong socio-economic impact will fully qualify them to access novel and highly qualified job positions, and to substantially increase their employability and career perspectives.

Nanotechnology has been identified as a key enabling technology of economic growth and the value of nanomaterials in the global market is forecast to grow to €2 trillion by 2015. In order to be a market leader in this area, it is imperative that Europe invest in research where the gap between knowledge creation and successful commercialisation is bridged, and in training the next generation of highly skilled researchers in nanotechnology. This ETN will increase innovation capacity and strengthen doctoral training in nanotechnology on a European level. The ETN will push research into applications at the cutting-edge of nanotechnology by uniting leading experts from both the academic and non-academic sectors under the theme “Multi-Stimuli Responsive Molecular Systems and Materials.” The objective of the research programme is to prepare new “smart” molecular systems and materials in a bottom-up approach from low molecular weight building blocks by exploiting dynamic covalent chemistry and supramolecular interactions. Close collaboration between the academic and industrial members in this ETN will ensure immediate commercialisation of any new technology or materials developed by the network. This ETN provides a highly structured and comprehensive training programme in nanotechnology, a subject not specifically taught in many European universities. Early-stage researchers will be recruited and trained so they are equipped with a balance of research-related and transferable skills to enhance their career perspectives in both the academic and non-academic sectors. Thus, the network will produce highly skilled, creative, innovative and entrepreneurial researchers who will contribute to European innovation capacity in nanotechnology.