EUREKA Call for R&D Project Outlines Sweden – Switzerland – Belgium

Date de clôture : 19 janv. 2018  
APPEL À PROJET CLÔTURÉ

Call description

Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland are jointly announcing a tri-lateral call for outlines of joint innovation projects under all suitable EUREKA instruments (EUREKA Network, EUREKA Cluster and Eurostars projects). Any consortium with partners from at least two of the three countries is welcome.

The present call for project outlines is connected to two networking events in Belgium and in Switzerland targeting R&D driven SMEs, large industries open for cooperation and market oriented research institutions.

The applicants will receive feedback on their project outlines in the form of guidance on how to prepare a high quality proposal and on how to apply for funding in a second phase. If necessary, there will also be recommendations on which of the EUREKA funding mechanisms best fits to your project idea.

Special focus

The Call is open for all topics, but focuses on the development of products and services within:

Additive Manufacturing

• Metal powder development for additive manufacturing
• Other materials suitable for additive manufacturing
• Pre-process, process and post process development
• Geometry and design optimization

Digitization of the Future Industry

• Digital & Real Factories
• Transparent Communication and Connectivity
• People in Manufacturing
• Solutions for flexible distributed production
• Advanced manufacturing technologies

Life Science

• Drug development, vaccine development.
• Medical devices, diagnostics
• Biotechnologies, biomaterials, E-health

Eligibility criteria

 Eligible partners are invited to present joint outlines for market-oriented, innovative R&D projects according to the following procedures:

• The consortium includes at least two partners from two different countries and at least one R&D driven SME. Other partners such as large companies, research institutes, and universities are welcome as additional participants.
• The project has an obvious advantage and added value resulting from the cooperation between the participants from the different countries (e.g. increased knowledge base, commercial leads, access to R&D infrastructure etc.).
• The project demonstrates the contribution of the participants from all countries involved in a balanced way, and the project is significant to all countries involved.
• Partners from other EUREKA countries may also participate. This requires funding from their respective home countries.

Submission and the approval procedures 

In the first phase:

• Partners are encouraged to submit a short Project Outline, which can be downloaded on www.swii.org or www.b2match.eu/SBII-Digitization-of-the-Future-Industry.
• The completed project outlines of phase 1 should be submitted to the national EUREKA offices of the participating partners simultaneously (main contacts) by email with copy to all partners of the project outline. Submission is open between 1 September, 2017 and 19 January, 2018.

The outlines will be screened by the EUREKA offices in Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland and the partners will be provided with a detailed feedback as well as additional recommendations within the shortest possible delay after the submission (about 2 weeks).  

In the second phase:

• Partners with approved outlines will be recommended to submit their full applications to the EUREKA instrument (Network/Eurostars/Cluster) that best suits their project.
• The national EUREKA offices in Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland will assist on how to submit full applications.

Funding details

Funding support to successful project proposals of Phase 2 will be given to each partner by its own national funding organization in accordance with the national laws, rules, regulations and procedures in effect. Concrete funding mechanisms depend on the most suitable EUREKA instrument (Network/Eurostars/ Clusters) that will be decided on in Phase 1 of the submission process. 

Belgium

In Belgium, three regional funding agencies responsible, depending on the location of your head office

Walloon: La Direction des Programmes fédéraux et internationaux (SPW-DGO6)

• Minimum 40% of the Walloon budget must be allocated to an enterprise;
• The project cannot receive double funding;
• The budget for the Walloon partners should follow the SPW-DGO6 cost model;
• The beneficiary must have a stable financial situation;
• The beneficiary must have Operational offices in the Walloon Region;
• The project must add benefit to the regional economy;
• A Walloon funding request’s form must be submitted to the SPW-DGO6.

Flanders: Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO)

All companies based in Flanders are eligible if they can exploit the results of the project and if this can lead to an impact on employment and/or investments in the company. Funding % depends on activities.

For Development activities the funding is:

• 55 % of eligible costs for small enterprises
• 45 % of eligible costs for medium sized enterprises
• 35 % of eligible costs for large companies

If the activities in the project can be designated as Industrial Research a higher funding % can be asked (up to 80 % for a small company and 60 % for a large enterprise). Belgian or foreign academic partners or research institutes can be funded by VLAIO if their expertise is crucial for the Flemish partner (company) and if they are subcontracted by this company.

Brussels – Capital Region: L’Institut Bruxellois pour la Recherche et l’Innovation (Innoviris)

Project partners applying from the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region must

• be established on the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region, demonstrate a sustainable RDI activity there and carry out, partly or totally, the activities planned in the project within this territory.
• prove a sound financial situation and their financial capability to cover the share of their expenses which will not be covered by public funding
• have fulfilled their obligations in the framework of past financial support they would have received from the region,
• demonstrate their capability to carry out the tasks assigned to them in the project, exploit the results of the latter and the project's likelihood to have a positive impact on the Brussels-Capital Region's economy, employment and/or sustainable development.

The funding rates vary between 40 and 80% depending on the size of the enterprise and on the type of activities (Research or development). Brussels-based research organisations participating in a project may be awarded with a regional financial support (max 100%) but only in the framework of collaboration with a Brussels-based company.

Sweden

Grants for Eureka Network projects

Participation of Swedish industrial partners is mandatory for funding. Usually smaller projects with up to    100 000 Euros for Swedish partners. SMEs must have half of the requested sum in turnover or equity. Funding rates for Swedish participants:

• up to 50% of eligible costs for SMEs
• up to 30% of eligible costs for large companies
• up to 100% of eligible costs for research organisations and public sector

Grants for Eurostars projects

Maximum funding to the Swedish part of the project is 500 000 Euros. If no Swedish industrial partner participates, max. 200 000 Euros to Swedish part of project. SMEs must have half of the requested sum in turnover or equity. Funding rates for Swedish participants:

• up to 50% of eligible costs for SMEs
• up to 30% of eligible costs for large companies
• up to 70% of eligible costs for research organisations and public sector

Grants for EUREKA Cluster projects

Vinnova can fund maximum 50% of eligible costs for the Swedish part of the project.

SMEs participating in Cluster projects need to have at least 50 000 Euros in net turnover and a minimum of three employees. Funding rates for Swedish participants:

• up to 50% of eligible costs for SMEs
• up to 30% of eligible costs for large companies
• up to 100% of eligible costs for research organisations and public sector

Switzerland

Grants for Eurostars projects from SERI:

• 50% of eligible costs for SME, universities and R&D institutions
• 25% of eligible costs for large companies
• Maximum funding for all Swiss partners per project: 500 000 Euros

Grants for EUREKA Network projects and Cluster projects from CTI:

• Swiss academic partner and Swiss company share costs of the project 50:50; CTI may fund the share of the Swiss academic partner, i.e. up to 50% of eligible costs;
• Swiss academic partners are funded 100% by CTI. Additionally, 10% of the funding costs of CTI comes in form of a cash contribution (e.g. for material use by the research partner) from the Swiss company.
• Swiss companies get the right to exploit the project results in their specific business area.

Networking Events

Belgium

Actors from Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland interested in the present call are invited to attend the Digitization of the Future Industry in Networking Conference organized by the Swedish – Belgian Innovation Initiative SBII. The conference matches the most R&D intensive Swedish and Belgian MNEs, SMEs and academia with the aim to launch common market oriented R&D projects.

The conference takes place on 4 October, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium. The programme is available on www.b2match.eu/SBII-Digitization-of-the-Future-Industry. Swedish call participants may apply at Vinnova for travel grants to Switzerland.

Switzerland

Actors from Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium interested in the present call are invited to attend the Additive Manufacturing Networking Conference organized by the Swiss – Swedish Innovation Initiative SWII. The conference matches the most R&D intensive Swiss and Swedish MNEs, SMEs and academia with the aim to launch common market oriented R&D projects.

The conference takes place on 28 September, 2017 at Micro City in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The programme is available on www.swii.org. Swedish call participants may apply at Vinnova for travel grants to Switzerland.