Guidelines

OBJECTIVE

ISblue aims to help train the next generation of innovators and leaders in marine science and technology.

This HUB call for proposals seeks to support:

– ISblue students in taking initiative and learning by doing, by enabling them to apply their skills and creativity through the development of concrete, innovative, and career-oriented micro-projects.

– Researchers, faculty members, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral fellows from ISblue partner institutions who wish to lead and/or supervise innovative projects involving students, either as part of ongoing training programs or through extracurricular initiatives.

These projects will be supported and implemented within the shared framework of the ISblue HUB. Through this call, applicants may access material resources, consumables, stipends, and small equipment to support their initiatives and carry out projects in collaboration with socio-economic stakeholders and local schemes.

Projects may take place in facilities provided by the partner institutions or within the HUB premises at the Pôle Numérique Brest Iroise. Selected applicants will also benefit from guidance and support from the ISblue HUB manager throughout the entire duration of their projects.

WHO CAN APPLY

All Master’s level (M1 and M2) and engineering students affiliated with ISblue institutions may apply, either individually or as student associations.

All researchers, faculty members, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral fellows affiliated with ISblue partner institutions may also apply, either individually or as a team.

Joint applications between students and research/teaching staff are strongly encouraged.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Projects must demonstrate creativity, feasibility, and clear socio-economic potential and impact. Eligibility criteria should address several of the following aspects:

– Scientific relevance and innovative technological contribution, as well as alignment with one or more ISblue thematic areas;

– Involvement of one or more socio-economic, associative, or civil society stakeholders (industry partners, innovative SMEs, startups, associations, foundations, local authorities, etc.);

– Consideration of interdisciplinarity and/or sustainability within the project’s objectives and/or organization;

– Training-related projects and inter-institutional collaborations will be particularly valued;

– Quality and originality of the partnership.

Project leaders who successfully achieve a proof of concept through the HUB will be encouraged to apply to incubation schemes (UBO – Fabrik ta Pépite, Cap Avenir; IMT Atlantique; ENSTARTUP) and acceleration programs (Technopole Brest Iroise, FrenchTech) available at the regional or national level. Ifremer also offers the Octo’Pousse Innovation Competition to select candidates wishing to further develop their projects in collaboration with them.

TIMETABLE AND FUNDING

The call is open on a rolling basis, with an annual budget of €50,000.

Selected applicants will receive financial support tailored to their expressed needs (e.g., access to specific experimental facilities, purchase of consumables and small equipment, analysis costs, internship stipends excluding salary and indirect costs, FabLab or external service provider fees), enabling them to carry out their projects.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Applicants will be required to submit the following documents:You will be asked to attach the following documents to your application:

– CV(s) of the applicant(s) (for students);

– Letter of support from the socio-economic partner (in the case of a collaborative project);

– Requested quotations.

EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS

Complete applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by a jury composed of members of the ISblue HUB working group. Feedback will be provided within one month.

Grants will be awarded based on the available annual budget and according to the evaluation criteria outlined above.