As the Communication Partner of the DTO-BioFlow project, Trust-IT is pleased to announce the launch of the Second Open Call, inviting international networks, citizen science groups, research institutes, universities, and NGOs to contribute to the creation of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EU DTO). The call seeks to fill critical gaps in marine biodiversity data by facilitating the establishment of long-term data flows through EMODnet Biology. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to access up to €60,000 in funding. The call will remain open until February 28, 2025, at 23:59 CET.
Supporting Marine Biodiversity Data Collection
This Open Call provides an excellent opportunity for marine biodiversity data holders to make their valuable datasets publicly available via the EMODnet portal, contributing to the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EU DTO). EMODnet serves as Europe’s leading portal, providing free and open access to interoperable data and products across various marine domains, including biology. The EMODnet Biology data products encompass a wide range of species, such as angiosperms, benthos, birds, fish, macroalgae, mammals, reptiles, and plankton, detailing their temporal and spatial distribution across European seas.
The key goal of this call is to standardise and publish previously unavailable biodiversity data while establishing semi-automated workflows for sustainable data ingestion into the EU DTO. The call is open to a wide range of organisations, all with the potential to significantly enhance our understanding of marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
Addressing ‘Sleeping Data’ Gaps
Despite significant strides in marine biodiversity data collection, large portions of this data remain unpublished or inaccessible, often referred to as "sleeping data." This Open Call aims to awaken these datasets by offering up to €60,000 in funding per project. The eligible activities include developing data pipelines, ensuring data formatting, standardisation, and quality control, and ensuring compliance with Open Access standards.
Building on the success of the first Open Call, which funded nine innovative projects from across Europe, this second call expands on the momentum to address marine biodiversity data gaps. Projects funded in the first round utilised AI-assisted imaging and citizen science, covering a wide range of marine species, from cetaceans to benthos, across regions from the Arctic to the Mediterranean.
Key Dates and Application Process
The second Open Call is open until February 28, 2025, with evaluations taking place in March 2025. Projects will be selected based on their relevance, impact potential, sustainability, and overall proposal quality. Selected projects will be funded for a one-year period, from May 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026. For detailed information about the application process, eligibility criteria, and required documentation, please visit the official DTO-BioFlow website.
Get Involved
To learn more and apply, visit the DTO-BioFlow Open Calls page. For any inquiries, feel free to contact the team at opencalls@dto-bioflow.eu.
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