The National Contact Point Digital and Industrial Technologies

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has established a National Contact Point (NCP) to inform about the entire thematic spectrum of digital and industrial technologies within the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation – Horizon Europe.

Its tasks are jointly carried out by various project management (and funding) agencies, mainly Project Management Jülich (PtJ) and the DLR Project Management Agency (DLR-PT), together with the VDI TZ Project Management Agency (VDI TZ) and the Project Management Agency Karlsruhe (PTKA) which are both subcontracted. Together, they offer an established combination of information and advisory services, in addition to support in all questions which may arise pertaining to participation in European programmes for research and innovation.

Within this context, digital and industrial technologies cover the following topics:

• Digital technologies: key digital technologies (nanoelectronics, photonics, software and quantum technologies), new technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics, next-generation internet, advanced computing and big data and cybersecurity
• Industrial technologies: manufacturing and nanotechnologies, advanced materials, the circular economy, new technologies, low-carbon and clean industries

The main proportion of relevant call topics is located in Cluster 4 “Digital, Industry and Space“ of the second pillar “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness” of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.