IAPP: Industry-Academia Partnerships & Pathways

What is IAPP?

IAPP stands for Industry-Academia Partnerships & Pathways. IAPP constitutes a unique opportunity for a company and a public research organisation to work in a network on a joint R&D project. IAPP aims to help commercial and non-commercial research organisations to work together on a common R&D project and create partnerships to increase skills exchange between the two sectors. Read more in the Guide for Applicants related to your call for proposal.

Who can apply?

Research organisations from commercial and non-commercial sectors. These participating organisations must be established in at least two different Member States or Associated Countries. A partnership must be composed of at least one research organisation from both private and public sectors

What is the success rate?

It is worth it to go for IAPP! In 2008, the success rate was 35%, while it was 39% in 2007, in 2010 was 30%.

What does the funding cover?

• 100% of the salary costs of seconded staff. Seconded staff can be researchers, technicians and managers of all levels of experience
• Organisation of workshops and conferences to facilitate sharing of knowledge
• Recruitment of experienced researchers from outside the partnership
• For SMEs: research equipment (up to 10% of the EC contribution for each SME participant) on a duly justified basis

Which research topics are supported?

IAPP follows a bottom-up approach, i.e. there are no pre-defined priority areas. Research fields are chosen freely by the applicants. IAPP is also a cross-cutting action and concerns all domains of research and technological development.

How does it work?

Submitted proposals are evaluated against a series of predetermined criteria by international experts and then selected for funding, typically for 4 years.

How to apply?

You will submit a "proposal" for a project that should promote a strategic research partnership. This partnership which can be co-ordinated by either a commercial or a non-commercial participant. It should also highlight longer-term cooperation. And it should make full use of all the skills and synergies available in the partnership.

The Guide for Applicants will provide you with decisive information.

When do you know if your project gets funded by the EC?

Once you have submitted your proposal for an IAPP, you have to wait about 4 months until the EC announces whether you are invited to negotiate or not.

• If your project is on the main list, you will be invited to the negotiation phase in Brussels
• If your project is on the reserve list, it might eventually get funded, if funds are still available after the negotiation phase of the projects ranked on the main list
• If your project is evaluated below threshold, it will not get funded. But you can try again and submit at the next attempt.

How to get support?

A network of National Contact Points (NCPs) has been established to provide advice and support to organisations which are preparing proposals. Get in touch with your NCP at an early stage! She or he will help you!