The Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME) has published the results for the 3 December 2015 deadline of the Horizon 2020 Fast Track to Innovation Pilot action. Out of 403 proposals received, 15 were selected for funding, representing an average success rate of 3.7% and involving 68 partners from 16 countries.

Italy has shown a marked improvement compared to previous deadlines, ranking first in the number of beneficiaries with 13, which accounts for 19% of the total for this cut-off date. Italy also leads in the number of project coordinators, with 5 of the 15 approved projects being led by an Italian partner.

The performance of Lombardy-based companies is particularly noteworthy, with 5 beneficiaries, 2 of which are acting as coordinators:

• SOCIETA' AZIONARIA PER L'INDUSTRIA CHIMICA ITALIANA (SAPICI) SPA and the UNIVERSITY OF MILAN, respectively coordinator and partner of the "Eco friendly food packaging with enhanced barrier properties – BIOCOMPLACK" project;
• LUXOTTICA SPA and FONDAZIONE SAN RAFFAELE, respectively coordinator and partner of the "Intelligent Sensor Enabled Eyewear I – SEE" project;
• MAPEI SPA, partner of the "New high-performant and long-lasting ballast for sustainable railway infrastructures – NEOBALLAST" project.

The next deadlines for submitting proposals for the Fast Track to Innovation are 15 March, 1 June, and 25 October 2016.

For information on the projects and beneficiary consortia, please consult the list of funded proposals on the EASME website.