“Research – Innovate”: New extension until September 20 for Intervention II

Extension, due to increased demand, until Friday 20 September 2024 at 15:00, Intervention II (Business Partnerships with Research Organizations) of Action of Strategic Importance “Research – Innovate” of the Program “Competitiveness” NSRF 2021 – 2027, as jointly decided by the Minister of Development, Takis Theodorikakos and the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasis.

The closing dates for all Interventions are as follows:

• for Intervention I on Tuesday 30.07.2024 at 15:00
• for Intervention II on Friday 20.09.2024 at 15:00
• for Interventions III and IV the Call will remain open until the exhaustion of the available budget per Region Category and at the latest until Wednesday 27.11.2024 at 15:00.

The main objective of the Action is to connect research and innovation with entrepreneurship and to enhance the competitiveness, productivity and extroversion of enterprises to international markets, with the aim of transitioning to quality innovative entrepreneurship and increasing domestic added value.

Research-Innovate Action Budget

The budget of the Action amounts to 300,000,000 euros.

The Action is implemented by the Special Service for the Management and Implementation of Actions in the Research and Innovation Sectors (EYDE EK) of the Ministry of Development and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union.

Beneficiaries of the “Research-Innovate” action

Beneficiaries of the Action are:

a) Enterprises and “Other entities treated as enterprises” and

b) Research organizations and “Other entities treated as research organizations”

The implementing agency is the Special Service for the Management and Implementation of Actions in the Research and Innovation Sectors (EYDE EK).

The funding application must be submitted electronically through the Integrated State Aid Management Information System (OPSKE).

Interventions

The Funding Applications that will be strengthened under the Action can be submitted either by individual small and medium businesses, or by business groups, or by business partnerships with research organizations and should concern research projects and innovation, be part of one of the four (4) Interventions and relate to the 8 sectors of the National Smart Specialization Strategy 2021-2027 (ESEE).

I. Research and Development by Enterprises

The Intervention is addressed to existing businesses that have at least one (1) closed full (annual) management year. Potential beneficiaries are either a small and medium enterprise (individual SME), or Business Groups, of which at least one must be an SME. In addition, one (or more) entity/entities belonging to the Other entities treated as enterprises may participate in the enterprise group.

II. Business Partnerships with Research Organizations

Intervention II concerns partnerships of existing companies, which have at least one (1) closed full (annual) management year, with research organizations, with companies as the main recipients. In the context of the intervention the partnership includes at least one micro-medium enterprise and at least one research organization. In addition, the partnership may involve one (or more) entities belonging to the Other Bodies treated as Research Organizations or to the Other Bodies treated as businesses.

In particular, in the context of the intervention:

• In partnerships of two or three or four partners – bodies, one must necessarily be an SME.

• In partnerships of more than four partners – entities, two must necessarily be businesses and at least one must be an SME.

III. Utilization of Research Results

Potential beneficiaries of Intervention III are existing individual small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which have at least one (1) closed full (annual) management year.

IV. Seal of Excellence for businesses

Potential beneficiaries are small and medium-sized Greek enterprises that received the Seal of Excellence for research and development projects within the framework of the European Union’s Horizon Europe Program, but did not receive funding due to exhaustion of the available budget.

Eligible expenses

Eligible costs in the Action, are the costs of article 25 paragraph 3 of Regulation (EU) no. 651/2014, as applicable, for research and development projects, concern a specific category of research and development and are as follows:

a) Direct expenditure on staff remuneration

b) To cover the remaining costs of the project, a uniform rate of 40% is used on eligible direct personnel costs

Expenditures for the projects of Intervention IV – Seal of Excellence (Seal of Excellence) for businesses are determined in accordance with the “Horizon Europe” Program appropriately adjusted to the above eligible categories of expenses

The start date of expenditure eligibility is defined as the date of submission of the funding application.

The maximum duration of completion of the physical and financial object of the research projects may not exceed thirty-six (36) months, from the date of notification of the Decision approving the evaluation results, with the possibility of extension for a period equal to one third of the initial duration. Intervention IV proposals will have a duration equal to that approved by the “Horizon Europe” Programme.

Contact – Information

For further information those interested can send e-mails to EYDE EK, at erevno-kainotomo@gsrt.gr or contact the Information Office Audience of the EYD Program Competitiveness: Dragatsaniou 8, Klathmonos square, Athens.

Public service hours: Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Telephone information: at 801 11 36 300 from a landline with a local charge from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Email: infoepan@mou.gr