This year’s call has two aims: to drive a fair and inclusive digital transition, and to improve urban sustainability to tackle the climate crisis.

Subsidies can cover up to 80% of the winning project, with two types of subsidies available:

• Projects of between 15,000 and 100,000 euros which include demonstration activities or pilot projects offering a reliable validation of the project’s initial goal, as well as the visibility of the estimated impact. This type of subsidy will account for 577,000 euros of the overall amount.
• Microprojects of between 5,000 and 15,000 euros which prioritise the use of digital fab lab technology or other types of tech based on the fab lab network. This type of subsidy will account for 50,000 euros of the total amount.

Priority will be given to initiatives with a demonstrable impact, a quantifiable return, a capacity to last and a short execution period (maximum 12 months). The call also seeks initiatives promoted by citizens which are sustainable and remain operative once the subsidy ends.

Who can apply?

The call is aimed at a wide range of initiatives, ranging from micro-companies to SMEs, universities, research and innovation centres, foundations and cooperatives, as well as the civil society, through associations, organisations and natural persons. BIT Habitat will provide financial support and technical assistance for the implementation of the chosen projects.

Full information on the call, as well as the presentation of candidacies until 3 July, is via this website.

Success story

The six winning projects from the first call, ‘The proactive city, so?’, are currently up and running. The idea behind the original call, launched at the height of the pandemic, was to boost the local economy and initiatives prioritising urban resilience, sustainability and the environment. The call attracted applications from 217 projects, 24% of them focusing on housing.

The call is an initiative by Fundació BIT Habitat, which has the goal of promoting urban innovation geared towards creating a safer, more inclusive, resilient and sustainable city.