Between 2 March 2026 and 5 May 2026, AUTOASSESS called for innovative startups and SMEs to apply for the Open Call #2 for Tech Solutions, and benefit from the more than €1M available to support 9 projects.
As a result, 149 expressions of interest were registered, resulting in 105 proposals completed and submitted.
While we wait for the public announcement of the 9 proposals selected and the startups/SMEs behind them, let’s dive in and take a look at some statistics behind the applications.
Countries and Regions
The Open Call #2 for Tech Solutions received proposals from a wide range of regions, thanks to the promotion efforts targeting participants from all eligible countries. Applications were received from companies based in a total of 28 countries, with a significant predominance of applications from Greece (18 companies), followed by Italy (11) and Cyprus (9).
Both Spain and Turkey contributed 8 companies each. Five companies were based in France, Portugal, and Romania, while four were headquartered in Estonia, Germany, and the Netherlands. Hungary contributed applications from 3 companies.
Two companies were represented from Belgium, Ireland, Lithuania, and Malta. Finally, the list of countries includes one company based in each of the following: Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Type of Applications
The Open Call #2 for Tech Solutions was open to SMEs and startups, applying individually or in consortia of two entities maximum. Out of the total applications, the vast majority were submitted by single entities (92 proposals), while 13 proposals were submitted by consortia.
Regarding the profile of the participants, it is worth noting that 105 companies in total were represented across these applications. Of these, 66 were startups, while 39 were SMEs.
Challenges per application
The Open Call #2 for Tech Solutions invited startups and SMEs to submit a proposal to address one out of eight challenges.
All the eight challenges were chosen in the applicants’ proposals, with Challenge 8 being the one with the highest number of applications (40 applications).
Applications Submitted per challenge | n=105 |
Challenge 1 – SOT-aided NDT Thickness Tool for a Fully-Actuated Aerial Robot | 3 |
Challenge 2- Remote Inspection Support and Augmented Collaboration between Onboard and Shore-Based Experts | 7 |
Challenge 3 – Autonomous Patrolling Concepts and Early Event Detection Frameworks for Engine Rooms | 21 |
Challenge 4 – Vessel Structural Condition Analysis and Hotspot Identification via Digital Representation and Modelling for Robotic Inspection | 7 |
Challenge 5 – Combined Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Structural Integrity Using Imaging and Measurements | 11 |
Challenge 6 – NDT-MINI: Ultra-Lightweight, low power (<10W) ACFM/ECT Sensor for Autonomous Drone Inspection | 3 |
Challenge 7 – Graphical User Interface for UAS | 13 |
Challenge 8 – Open Challenge: Tell us what AUTOASSESS needs (within the project framework) | 40 |
What’s Next
Once the evaluation and contracting phase is finalised, the selected applicants will enter a 9-month programme divided into 3 stages (Plan, Develop & Integrate, Assess):
- Plan: Participants will submit a complete plan of activities for the next 9 months, including the milestones, implementation plan and the expected outcomes in each programme stage.
- Develop & Integrate: Participants will develop the solution and proceed with the integrations according to each solution proposed.
- Assess: Participants will test, validate and demonstrate the final solution.
Stay tuned for the winners announcement, by following us on LinkedIn!
