On 2 March 2017, Pomorska Specjalna Strefa Ekonomiczna Sp. z o.o. (the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone) and the Port of Gdansk Authority SA signed a partnership agreement for the project "Satellite techniques for intermodal transport") (Space 3ac Intermodal Transportation) under the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020. PGA says the agreement provides the framework for PGS SA's participation in the project as the Large Enterprise submitting the port's requirement for satellite technology solutions.
The project implemented by the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone (PSSE) in partnership with the Port of Gdansk Authority SA was among the winners of the ScaleUp competition organised by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development in mid-2016. This is the first competition from the Start In Poland government programme. The purpose is to combine the capacity of creative start-ups working with satellite technologies with the infrastructure, experience and resources of large enterprises, including state-owned companies. The competition was organised by the INNO_LAB - Centre for analysis and pilot studies for new instruments, and funded with Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020 funds. 61 participants submitted applications to the competition, whose jury included representatives of the Ministry of Development, the Polish Development Fund and the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development. 10 partnerships were successful in the competition, whose award ceremony took place in November 2016. The successful competitors will receive a total of PLN 60 mln in funding for acceleration projects for startups.
The Space3ac Intermodal Transportation project will support 20 companies working with satellite technologies which, in the acceleration process, will develop solutions for state-owned companies: Port of Gdansk Authority SA, Port of Gdynia Authority SA, C.Hartwig Gdynia SA, the Maritime Institute in Gdansk and the Polish Space Agency.
The accelerator will provide consultancy and expertise, as well as financial support to companies, to an amount of up to PLN 200,000 per project. Recruitment for the programme is ongoing, and companies and teams may apply through the website www.space3.ac. In its first edition, Space3acaccelerator focused on startup projects - says Aleksandra Jankowska, President of the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone. The positive outcome of this edition convinced us to go one step further, and commit the capacity to addressing the needs of a specific industry whose position in Pomerania is particularly strong.
The Port of Gdansk Authority SA submitted three tasks for implementation by startups. The tasks include the establishment of an IT system supporting port infrastructure, the environment and a smart system for port traffic management.
- We give the green light to innovative and development projects that will harness the potential of startups and mobilise them for practical implementation of new techniques and technologies serving the development of maritime economy - says Lukasz Greinke, President of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA. - We want the port and its operations to be innovative and forward-looking. We aim to use technical innovations that will help us effectively improve the competitiveness of the port. The project, implemented together with PSSE, gives us exactly that opportunity. We believe that today we are launching a cooperation that will contribute to the development of a smart road traffic management system for the port, but not only. We also hope it will help us find a company to develop a smart noise, dust and odour emissions measurement system for key locations at the port, including the data transmission system. The next task for the startups will be to develop a professional 3D map for the port area with Geographic Information System features.
The Port of Gdansk Authority SA and PSSE have made commitments to cooperate and announce, together with the Project Partners, two competition calls for startups. The deadline for submissions for the first task expires on 30 March 2017, while stage two will be implemented from 1 September to 30 November 2017. The entire project's term ends on 29 April 2018.
The "Satellite Techniques for Intermodal Transport" pilot project will be implemented under the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020, priority axis II: Support for the environment and capacity of enterprises for R&D&I activities, Submeasure 2.4.1 Centre for analysis and pilot studies of new instruments - innoLAB Pilot Scale UP.