Defence supports innovation to combat Covid-19 

Call for projects in the maturing phase open to the economic and academic community

Attached to the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Defence Innovation Agency (AID) has launched a call for innovative projects as part of the plan to combat Covid-19. Companies with already advanced technological solutions that can join the national effort have the opportunity to submit their projects until 12 April 2020. Civilian and military personnel from the Ministry of the Armed Forces can also submit their proposals.

Created on September 1, 2018, the Defence Innovation Agency (AID) is intended to centralize and coordinate innovations within the Ministry of the Armed Forces.

Mobilized within the framework of the management of the coronavirus crisis, it is in charge of quickly carrying out a call for projects to help deploy innovative and technological means throughout the country.

The projects submitted are validated as and when they arrive according to 3 essential criteria: expected impact, scientific and/or technological credibility, and feasibility period.

A budget of €10 million has been set aside to enable the implementation of a maximum number of innovative solutions that meet health, social and economic challenges.

What are the priority innovative solutions identified by the Ministry of Defence?

Solutions are being sought:

-> to limit the spread of the virus

• Individual and collective protection for carers, the sick and the population ;
• Management of the safety distance between individuals;
• Automation of tasks for sampling, cleaning equipment or rooms;
• Production of new decontamination solutions for all types of surfaces, for small and large equipment, for living spaces, etc. ; 
• Mass production capacity of decontamination solutions;
• Virus detection in the environment;
• Movement limitation factors and control of transgression.

-> for patient care and support to caregivers

• Facilitation of the deployment of field hospitals in support of populations;
• Crisis management, referral, structuring/modularity of care chains (e.g. logistics management, HR, etc.);
• Support for medical care (production of missing equipment or treatment, concept of recycling, diversion or other ideas to make up for these shortfalls);
• Diagnosis and rapid self-diagnosis and the associated course of action - mass screening - participatory screening;
• Management of the individual and societal psychological impact (communication and awareness-raising on the crisis and the epidemic, improving the perception of the risk of epidemic, post-crisis management, etc.).

-> to facilitate the maintenance of social relations and economic life

• Improvement of remote work (digital continuity tools, security, etc.) ;
• Improvement of life in isolation at home (digital solutions but also outside digital solutions) ;
• Any other proposal, argued and able to be useful in the context of Covid-19, may be submitted. It can also be industrial solutions to reorient a production tool towards current needs in terms of equipment or hydroalcoholic gel manufacturing.

On the other hand, the innovation or technological solution must imperatively be in a mature phase in order to be rapidly operational.