30 October at the Latvian Organic Synthesis Institute (OSI) The 2nd BioPhoT Infoday with the participation of the Latvian Science Council (LSC) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was held, with around 30 participants in person and another 60 online. The aim of the event was to help project applicants to better prepare their applications, familiarise themselves with the evaluation phases, and receive advice on the conditions applicable to the development of dual-use technologies and projects.
LZP: Innovation and applicability - BioPhoT priority
Ineta Kurzemniece, Director of the Research Programme Implementation and Monitoring Department of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, presented the detailed application and evaluation procedure, reminding that the main focus of BioPhoT competitions is on innovation and applicability, not on the number of high quality publications. She also highlighted a new feature: PhD students and PhD candidates can also apply for the competition.
The LFA also presented a simplified administrative evaluation procedure and explained the principles of expert recruitment, where the keywords provided by the applicants play a key role. These are used to find experts with the relevant expertise and experience.
Council representatives also confirmed that feedback after the first call for proposals has been taken into account to improve the application process and that every effort is being made to make the evaluation process as objective and accurate as possible.
LZP presentation:
AM: Innovation with a purpose
Jānis Erno, Senior Expert at the Innovation and Research Policy Division of the AM Innovation and Research Policy Department, presented the regulatory framework governing the development and licensing of dual-use goods, services and technologies. He highlighted that such innovations cover ten categories of goods, including sensor technologies, lasers, software, navigation systems and other solutions with both military and civilian applications.
Erno urged applicants to develop such solutions in a deliberate and targeted way, not with the idea that they might be useful for defence in the future, but with a specific vision of their application from the outset.
Funding and deadlines
“BioPhoT Call 2 will fund projects up to €190 000 for up to eight months, with a possible extension until November 2026.
The deadline for applications is 7 November and the results will be announced by March 2025.
