Good practice:

Silver Surfer 4.0

Silver Surfer supports the innovations related at Silver Economy and helps regional SMEs offering solutions to address the challenges of ageing and disability.

The call for projects consists of 4 steps:
• Submission of applications on October 15th, 2018;
• Selection of 6 projects: the selected companies will receive a 50,000€ grant to development a proof of concept;
• Prototyping: from October 2018 to the end of January 2019 : the selected companies will have to work on their proof of concept. The jury and panel of users will select 3 laureates on January to develop their project and benefit from a grant of up to 200,000 euros;
• Laureates’ exhibition: the laureates will be presented during AgeingFit (business convention) on January 29th and 30th, 2019.

In 2018, 15 applications were submitted by companies during the first step. A jury selected 6 projects to participate in the second step of the competition:
• NUTRI EARTH
• E-WEAR
• LIFEBLOOM
• MY CYBER ROYAUME
• SICADE
• SIGO HEALTHCARE

Thanks to 50.000 euros shared between the 6 projects, the companies have elaborated a proof of concept to validate their innovative proposal. These proofs of concept are exposed on AgeingFit. On this occasion, the proofs of concept are evaluated by a panel of users as well as a jury to designate 3 winners of this 4th edition. These laureates will benefit from the support of Eurasanté, a grant and privileged access to the European accelerator Seas 2 Grow.

Eurasanté is financially supported by 5 public organizations to manage the project and fund a part-time job necessarily created : Lille European Metropolis, CARSAT (pension fund), Hauts-de-France region, County Council and BPI France. And partners to rate and welcome innovations (test areas).

3 companies were recompensed at 4th edition of the Silver Surfer: NutriEarth, Lifebloom, Sigo Healthcare.

Since 2015, 5 editions of Silver Surfer has been organized.
More than 80 applications were received and 15 startups has been rewarded.
The elderly person is at the centre of this call for projects and, this year for the first time, 6 innovations has been tested by elderly people in 11 nursing homes in addition to AgeingFit.

Potential for learning or transfer In the Hauts-de-France Region, Silver Surfer represents an essential tool for the financing of innovation in Silver Economy.

3 categories have been opened for this 4th edition. Theses categories are national priorities :
• Preservation and rethinking of the well-being of the elderly: solutions dedicated to the “well-ageing”;
• Housing design and adaptation (home automation, robotics, mobility, remote assistance, connected objects, personal service);
• Development of technological tools for caregivers.

The originality of Silver Surfer is involving end-users in the process of selecting the best innovations, thus perfectly meeting their needs. Indeed, we observe a gap between senior needs and the offer sometimes.
The involvement of users and their opinions in the final decision are important. We wish to verify user needs as closely as possible.