Announcements


Technology showroom - Invitation for technology providers and innovators

2013-08-23

Frontex is organising a theme-centric Technology Showroom in November/December 2013 for border-security technology providers and innovators (Small and Medium Enterprises are especially encouraged), to demonstrate to end-users (Border Guard Authorities from EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries):

  • lab prototypes that might have application potential, exhibit readiness to be tested in an operational environment, but are not yet on the market, or
  • on-the-market solutions that have been successfully deployed in non-border-control contexts, but which require further exploration in terms of their usability in the border-control domain.

The general objective of this event is to improve communication and information exchange between the end-user community, i.e. border guard authorities, and the technology providers and innovators.

The event’s specific objective is to:

  • gather feedback and impressions from the end-user perspective, including operational users, regarding the application potential of presented solutions;
  • identify and prioritize further research that would be most appropriate to convert the “lab” prototypes into real-world solutions;
  • elaborate on the possibility to carry out operational tests with the involvement of the end-user community;
  • brainstorm on defining application-oriented research projects centered around the demonstrated lab prototypes;
  • discuss non-operational aspects and impacts of the demonstrated technology (e.g. data protection and ethical issues, financial implications etc.).

Accordingly, Frontex invites technology providers and innovators to send their applications by filling in the form available at: http://btn.frontex.europa.eu/form/application-form-technology-showroommeetings-border-security-technologies, by 15 October 2013.

The applications received will be evaluated based on the relevance, novelty and priority of the challenge addressed. Depending on the outcome of the evaluation of the submitted applications, which will be announced by 31 October 2013, and the interest of potential contributors, the first event is envisaged to take place in November or December 2013 at a date that will be announced in due time. During the event, the selected entities will be allocated 30-40 minutes of presentation time (including 10-15 minutes for questions and answers), having the option to present only in front of Frontex and Member States’ experts (without the attendance of other technology providers’ representatives).

The outcome for the presenters will be feedback and advice from the end-user community on the presented prototypes and solutions with respect to: Their usability potential, further potential research activities to move the developments forward, and ideas on carrying out operational tests with the involvement of end-users

NB: The technology providers that would like to present already existing border security technologies (beyond the scope of the Technology Showroom) in the context of other future events may fill in the same form and select the appropriate option at the beginning.