The EU-funded Venture Builder, whose first 2 cohorts are already making strides towards transforming decentralised data governance in Europe, will invest up to €150K equity-free in the projects selected through its third and last Open Call. 

 Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, 22nd December 2020

 LEDGER, the pan-European acceleration program for human-centric solutions, has kicked off its third open call today. This third and final edition, an advanced version in comparison to the previous two open calls, is aimed at already registered entities such as SMEs, Research Organizations, NGOs or Foundations, who are building innovative projects with a blockchain and other DLT supported solutions for data governance at their core. 

 The final 9 selected teams will access a Venture Builder programme of 6 months receiving DLT software support and training, technological and business mentoring and other enabling benefits in addition to up to €150.000 equity-free funding.

 Applications will be accepted from 22nd of December 2020 at 12:00 CET until 22nd of February 2021 at 18:00 CET.

 Granted by the European Commission (EC) under the Next Generation Internet initiative, the programme aims at making data a common good, owned by citizens, where the wealth created by data-driven platforms is equally distributed. This approach will lead towards both, a more open, robust and interoperable Internet and more supportive social innovation.

 “Our venture builder will provide mentorship, guidance and direct grants of up to 150.000 euros to each of the selected projects building decentralised solutions, where citizens retain control over their data”, declared Xabier Chao, CIO at FundingBox (the company leading the consortium), at the start of the acceleration project, whose first cohort of 15 projects has already successfully concluded the programme and whose second cohort of 9 projects is already well underway.  

 LEDGER’s first 16 projects in July 2019 at the Welcome Bootcamp in Amsterdam 

 We are looking for entities that want to shift data management, leveraging on decentralised technologies (such as blockchain, distributed ledger technology (DLT) and/or peer-to-peer), AI or IoT, to address privacy-by-design, reliability, trustworthiness and openness to build human-centric solutions.

 Selected projects will develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) where privacy-by-design, openness and data governance are at the core of their value proposition.

 LEDGER is a consortium led by FundingBox (Poland, Spain and Denmark) in partnership with Dyne (Netherlands) and Blumorpho (France and Germany). The project is part of the EC’s Next Generation Internet initiative:

 “The Next Generation Internet initiative will reverse the Internet paradigm and recognise the value of humanity in technology”, said Roberto Viola, Director-General of the European Commission’s DG Connect during the Digital Assembly 2018 in Sofia (Bulgaria).

 Related links:

http://ledgerproject.eu

https://ledger-3rd-open-call.fundingbox.com/ 

https://fundingbox.com/c/ledger
https://twitter.com/LedgerEu 

Contact points for LEDGER:

Thomas Wilczek: thomas@fundingbox.com 

Andrea D’Intino: andrea@dyne.org

Thomas Shamuyarira: shamuyarira@blumorpho.com   

LEDGER’s second cohort in alphabetical order:  

1. Backme.org – Make content creators, journalists and artists become independent.
2. ConDIDI – Full lifecycle decentralized conference participant management
3. Distributed Secure Smart Farming Log (DISEMIN) – A digital log of sensor data and human input, controlled by the farmer who decides whom they will share their data with.
4. Eschooltul – Organisational school online platform with Blockchain
5. Gene Coop – Human genomic data cooperative for and by citizens to support health research and responsible and inclusive governance of data.
6. Global Passport Project – Addressing migration processes and human rights abuses through a blockchain-based platform to promote participatory democracy for migrants.
7. LiV – Web-platform built on blockchain and AI that democratises access to inheritance planning and succession.
8. Orvium – Open access publishing platform created for, and by, researchers that returns the benefits of science to society.
9. Smart Consent – A system designed for management of the medical informed consent, improving the communication physician-patient using audiovisual technology and Blockchain security, towards paperless for health management. 

1. LEDGER is part of the European Commission’s Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative aiming to shape the future Internet as an interoperable platform ecosystem that embodies the values that Europe holds dear: openness, inclusivity, transparency, privacy, cooperation, and protection of data.

   To learn more about LEDGER, and to connect, find funding opportunities, partners and news about The Venture Builder Programme, please join the LEDGER Community.

   @LedgerEu @NGI4eu
   #NGI #blockchain #decentralised #privacybydesign

An explanation on the selection process after the Review meeting with the European Commission.

Dear LEDGER Community,

Following the second Jury Day session, we have received some emails questioning the evaluation and selection process to enter the second round of LEDGER. We understand that the selection process is complex and that some of our messages posted on the community pages could have been adding to that confusion; however, we would like to assure you that the whole evaluation process was in line with the Guide for Applicants and H2020 standards. All decisions were taken in the interest of the applicants and in line with the LEDGER Project goals. As stated in the Open Call package of documents, LEDGER aims to select 16 teams of human-centric innovators to develop Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and services […]. based in Privacy-by-design concepts […].

The selection of new beneficiaries followed a three-stage process as described in the Description of Work of our contract with the EC. First, an ‘External Committee’ shortlisted the eligible candidates. Second, the ‘Evaluation Committee’ selected from the shortlist the projects that went to the Jury Day. Third, the ‘Selection Committee’ after hearing the candidates at the Jury Day selected the 16 best proposals.

In the second Open Call, based on a shortlist defined by the External Evaluators, the Evaluation committee selected an initial batch of 33 proposals to pass to pitch to the Selection Committee on a Jury Day. As the Selection Committee could not find 16 proposals among them that could be funded (according to the pre-defined evaluation criteria for the Jury Day), the Evaluation Committee selected a second batch of 30 additional proposals (from the shortlist defined by the External Evaluators), that were then interviewed on a second Jury Day, and that were scored according to the same pre-defined criteria used for the first Jury Day. Among these two batches of 63 proposals invited to pitch, the Selection Committee found 16 proposals fully complying with the pre-defined scoring and area coverage requirements, which were then selected for funding. The treatment given to the proposals was the same during the two Jury Days, and no additional criterion (e.g. “human-centricity”) was used in this selection.

The whole process was recently discussed with the European Commission, which has analysed it in detail and suggested to issue this clarification.

All teams will receive individual feedback as soon as possible and we count on your participation in future similar NGI initiatives.

4. LEDGER – The Venture Builder for Human-centric solutions is announcing the final 32 projects that will be competing for up to 16 available MVP Venture Builder programme spots, including mentoring services and up to 200.000EUR in equity free funding.

   The Jury Day event was planned to take place in Madrid on the 23^rd of April, however, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it will be taken ONLINE on the same date. 

   Stay tuned as additional information about the online event will be provided soon!

   At LEDGER we received a total of 338 applications from 35 countries, exceeding the already impressive numbers of last year’s 1st Open Call and with it, all expectations. 180 proposals passed the eligibility and prescoring phase and were then assessed each one by two external evaluators, one technical and the other humanistic.

   These are the final 32 selected projects invited to pitch at LEDGER’s Jury Day:

5. Zenodys data marketplace – Making cities smart and protect citizen’s privacy with the blockchain data exchange platform.

   
   Acren – Agricultural Re:Nature – Will be the first donation platform that enables you to donate for specified environmental measures in a transparent and traceable way.

   
   AMBLOCKSIA – Blockchain platform for the establishment of smart contracts between farmers and food safety authorities to guarantee safe pesticide levels.

   
   NOIXION – Content platform supporting authors to share and manage their audiovisual creations: dissemination and monetisation tool based on AI and DLT.

   
   OSDK – Open Sugi Development Kit – Open community platform for hardware blockchain wallet development. Build a hardware wallet that feels human in one day for your application.

   
   Global Passport Project – Addressing migration processes and human rights abuses through a blockchain-based platform to promote participatory democracy for migrants.

   
   ResearchProof – A multi-layered set of blockchain and cryptography tools to foster open science.

   
   TrustMeet – Certifies on blockchain interconnected information and user endorsement through the user experience of social microblogging.

   
   TREE WALLET – A personal Blockchain Wallet for farmers and actors from all economic sectors to collaborate trading CO2, plant trees and share the benefits.

   
   B2B Pay – New payment cooperative platform for B2B trade oriented to international economic transactions available for all European companies.

   
   Distributed Secure Smart Farming Log (DISEMIN) – Farming together, the smart way.

   
   Stonize – Open access trusted securitisation platform that makes finance more democratic by distributing economic wealth more equally.

   
   Green Heat – New generation of eco-friendly heating devices – powered by blockchain technology

   
   VicVic – A proximity cooperative platform for community building and empowerment.

   
   SingularGrid – Faster and more reliable switching of energy suppliers at your fingertips for  Social Contract of Energy.

   
   REXS.IO – Real-time & transparent data stream notarisation.

   
   WiseTown Issue Certification Module (ICM) – “Web Information Streams Enhancer for your Town”: Engage citizens into transparent governance with Decentralised Ledger Technology.

   
   InstansOS-iSumo – A distributed operating system for the “internet of impact”.

   
   Smart Consent – Improving the communication physician-patient using audiovisual technology and blockchain security, towards paperless for health management.

   
   Bloom Network – A billion acts of regeneration.

   
   Abundance – Incentivise sustainable impact in your community with Abundance inclusive currencies.

   
   Degree360 – Learner-centred end-to-end solution for earning and storing lifelong learning credentials and building incentivised learning pathways.

   
   ConDIDI – Full lifecycle decentralised conference participant management.

   
   Social Digital Lab – An innovative, collaborative, AI-based digital learning platform to meet the needs of a growing and changing lifelong learning market.

   
   Briing – Fostering consumer bargaining and user data sovereignty through a decentralised group-buying marketplace on the blockchain.

   
   CAPENA – Own your reputation.

   
   Orvium – Open access publishing platform created for, and by, researchers that returns the benefits of science to society.

   
   Gene Coop – Human genomic data cooperative for and by citizens to support health research and responsible and inclusive governance of data.

   
   Backme.org – Make content creators, journalists and artists become independent.

   
   UnLockBio – Helps researchers and pharma, procure biodata by connecting them with patients and biobanks in a privacy preserving fashion.

   
   LiV – Democratising and giving you control over inheritance & succession planning.

   
   Smart Community Brain – An IoT/DLTs Hub for HomeOwners Associations (HOAs) built for an open source Smart City with citizen data sovereignty by design.

    

8. LEDGER is part of the European Commission’s Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative aiming to shape the future Internet as an interoperable platform ecosystem that embodies the values that Europe holds dear: openness, inclusivity, transparency, privacy, cooperation, and protection of data.

   NGI has invested over €80 million in blockchain projects for societal use. By 2020, the European Commission expects to allocate around €300 million to initiatives like LEDGER.

   To learn more about LEDGER, and to connect, find funding opportunities, partners and news about The Venture Builder Programme, please join the LEDGER Community.

   @LedgerEu @NGI4eu
   #NGI #FundingGrowth #blockchain #decentralised #privacybydesign