FAST - FEDERAZIONE DELLE ASSOCIAZIONI SCIENTIFICHE E TECNICHE

Their core work

FAST is an Italian federation of scientific and technical associations based in Milan that acts as a bridge between research and industry, primarily by delivering innovation support services to SMEs. Their core activity under H2020 has been providing Key Account Management (KAM) and coaching to small businesses in the Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna regions, helping them access EU innovation instruments like the SME Instrument and Fast Track to Innovation. They also organize major science engagement events, having coordinated the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) in 2015.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

FAST began their H2020 participation with a dual focus: technology transfer and SME coaching (KAMINLER 2015) alongside large-scale science event coordination (EUCYS2015). Over time, they narrowed their focus almost exclusively to SME innovation support services, with the later KAMINLER iterations (2019-2021) expanding the range of EU instruments they advised on — adding FET-Open and Fast Track to Innovation to their portfolio. The event coordination activity did not continue beyond the initial EUCYS project.

FAST is deepening its specialization as a regional SME innovation intermediary, broadening the range of EU funding instruments it covers while staying firmly rooted in Northern Italy.

How they like to work

FAST primarily operates as a participant (4 of 5 projects), joining existing consortia rather than leading them. Their one coordinator role was for a high-profile event (EUCYS2015), suggesting they can lead when the task aligns with their convening strength. With only 12 unique partners concentrated in a single country, they appear to work within a tight, regionally focused network — likely the same consortium partners across the recurring KAMINLER project.

FAST has worked with 12 unique consortium partners, all concentrated in a single country, reflecting their regional focus on Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna. Their network is built through repeated collaboration on the same KAMINLER initiative rather than diverse partnerships.

What sets them apart

FAST's distinctive value lies in being a federation of scientific associations — not a single research lab or consultancy, but a network of technical communities. This gives them unusual reach into Milan's scientific and industrial ecosystem for connecting SMEs with the right expertise. For consortium builders, they are a ready-made regional relay: if you need to deliver innovation support services to SMEs in Northern Italy, FAST has the infrastructure and track record across four consecutive project cycles.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EUCYS2015
  Their only coordinator role with EUR 800,000 — organized the EU's flagship young scientist competition in Milan, demonstrating large-scale event management capacity.
• KAMINLER
  Four consecutive editions (2015-2021) show sustained commitment and proven delivery of SME innovation services in Northern Italy — rare continuity across H2020.