Berlin firm Horatio has invented an eco-efficient locking system for office and hotel doors, called GreenAccess. The Enterprise Europe Network helped the firm to open its doors to EU funding opportunities.

“GreenAccess involves no keys, no wires and no batteries, but full security in the building,” says Horatio’s CEO Martin Immke. It is able to generate and store its own power, harnessing the energy created by opening and closing the doors. A long-term client of Enterprise Europe Network Berlin-Brandenburg, he mentioned that he wanted to put his company’s new system onto the European market, but that funding was needed to do so.

Network expert Davina Wenninger suggested applying to the European Commission’s Eco-innovation programme. It gives clever ideas and new environmentally-friendly solutions a chance to reach an EU-wide market, boosting Europe's environmental and competitive standing. It was launched in 2008 and has funded more than 140 projects.

“One of the requirements for taking part in the programme is to offer European added value,” says Wenninger. She helped Horatio write a strong company profile to be distributed on the Network’s powerful matching database and 12 companies soon got in touch.

Horatio selected two – the Spanish research institute Aimme – Instituto Tecnologico Metalmecanico in Valencia and JSJS Designs PLC in Willenhall, UK – and they wrote the proposal together. The bid was given the go-ahead and the partners have been working on the project since mid-2011. Part of the work involves making sure the invention meets European norms.

Immke says: “From finding the right EU programme and partners to writing the proposal, the Network gave us fast, thorough and individual support."