Behind the Scenes: How the FFplus Supports Innovation

 

When we talk about Fortissimo Plus Project (FFplus), the visible results usually take the spotlight: European SMEs using high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle business challenges, bring prototypes to market, or streamline processes.

Yet behind these results lies something less visible—and just as important: a carefully designed support system. FFplus does not just hand out funding and wait for results. It provides a solid framework, tools, and expert guidance so that every sub-project can stay on track, learn along the way, and make the most of the opportunity. What might look like just standard reporting is, in fact, a framework built to give innovators clarity, assistance, and momentum.

 

The Proposal: A Strategic Starting Point

Every journey into the FFplus ecosystem begins with a proposal. But these proposals are more than forms— they prompt a deep-dive into your business strategy. Here are key questions to steer SMEs' thinking to help them effectively prepare their proposals:

• Who are we, and how are we organised? – Relevant for the administrative section that establishes your credibility and eligibility (Proposal Part A).
• What business problem are we solving, and why does it matter? How will HPC or AI help us succeed?– Relevant for the technical narrative of the business objectives and workplan (Proposal Part B).
• Is the business case clear? Do we have the right team, resources, and plan in place?– These questions mirror the evaluator checklists, translating evaluation criteria into guiding prompts for SMEs to test the strength of their ideas.

This reflective process is shaped by the type of call.

For Type 1 – Business Experiments, the focus is on applying HPC to a real business challenge with defined, measurable outcomes.

For Type 2 – Innovation Studies, the lens shifts toward Generative AI, advancing the AI lifecycle (datasets, model training, trustworthy AI) and showing why large-scale European HPC is essential for model development.

Applicants are never left in doubt: FFplus FAQ is updated on an ongoing basis to answer real applicant feedback and other important updates, and our direct emai-based help provides clear and timely answers to questions about the rules or submission process.

Note: FFplus cannot provide help with writing proposals or building consortia. For that stage, SMEs can turn to the wider ecosystem National Competence Centers (NCCs) and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). What FFplus does provide, once selected, is the overall management framework. Proposals do not need to describe this; they only need to outline the business action plan and technical management of their own activities. Technical and operational support from EuroHPC projects like Epicure and Minerva, on the other hand, is available to a project upon request.

Even before funding, proposals invite you to go beyond “what business challenge experiment will we run?” toward "how will this experiment change our business—and how will we sustain that change?"

 

Onboarding: Building a Solid Foundation

Being selected is the start of a guided journey. Once the funding agreement is signed, sub-projects are onboarded into the FFplus monitoring and support framework—designed to give every new partner the right information, templates, tools, and personal touchpoints from day one.

To ensure a smooth and active start, the first month is all about getting started with the right tools and connections:

• Kick-off Workshop – A welcome event to meet the FFplus consortium, connect with potential peers, and discover key assistance channels.
• Infokit Documents – Tailored guides for Business Experiments and Innovation Studies, with first tasks, timelines, contacts, and reporting instructions.
• Shared Workspaces and Mailing Lists – A secure web-based document management platform (BSCW[5]), and mailing lists that keep all partners updated and ensure no communication is lost.
• The Monitoring Platform – A central resource to track milestones, flag risks early, and document reports. This keeps milestones, risks, and updates visible to both you and the FFplus consortium.
• Reporting Templates – Concise but meaningful formats for technical progress and financial reports, risk logs, and short reflections, drafted in a real-time collaborative text editor (Etherpad).

This is not just about administrative steps; it is about building a culture of transparency and support. By giving SMEs a clear structure from the start, we empower them to focus on what matters most: innovation, not logistics.

 

Monitoring: An Active Force for Change

If onboarding is about a strong start, then monitoring is about building momentum and gaining insights along the way. In FFplus, monitoring is not a passive, box-checking exercise. It’s a dynamic, two-way process that combines structured digital tools with continuous direct communication. This integrated approach turns every update into a chance for dialogue and guidance.

This is the essence of how our monitoring process works:

• Log Progress and Submit Reports – Use the provided templates and the Monitoring Platform to update milestones and deliverables. This includes uploading documents to the BSCW and updating the colour-coded task status.
• Prepare Reflections – Before each monitoring meeting use the shared Etherpad to update the requested information and your reflections, capturing "what went well, what challenges remain, or what is next."
• Join Monitoring Meetings – Biweekly at first, then monthly, these meetings turn your reports into a dialogue with coordinators and, when relevant, with peers working on similar themes.
• Receive Expert Guidance – Coordinators and FFplus experts help interpret issues, suggest adjustments, and point you to additional resources, whether in monitoring meetings or through one-to-one dialogues.

This blended model—part reporting, part reflection—keeps projects on track and turns progress into lessons.

 

Why does it matter?

The framework provides the structure, the dialogue adds meaning, and together they make monitoring in FFplus a process of learning in motion—not just reporting.

This approach brings tangible benefits across the entire ecosystem: it not only ensures sub-projects feel supported and stakeholders see a transparent system, but it also allows FFplus experts to capture not just project outputs, but truly meaningful outcomes. This is where the real value is unlocked. This sort of understanding does not emerge automatically; it is uncovered through the specialised support and human interaction, which are at the core of the monitoring process. This deeper look helps us understand and nurture how a project is evolving, exploring potential aspects such as:

• Strategic Shifts: Is the SME thinking differently about digital innovation?
• Organisational Change: Have workflows, decisions, or culture evolved?
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Are new bridges forming between business, academia, and other sectors?

And importantly, this paves the way for engaging virtual coffees as well as facilitates the production of strong success stories that carry a clear message: highlighting the challenge addressed, the solution developed, and the tangible benefits delivered to business, society, or the environment.

This holistic focus is one of the ways the coordinated effort across the consortium helps ensure FFplus is not just enabling a project’s completion, but its long-term, transformative success.

 

Authors: Ana Labrador - CESGA Team