The dedicated SME instrument's supports close-to-market activities, with the aim to give a strong boost to breakthrough innovation. Highly innovative SMEs with a clear commercial ambition and a potential for high growth and internationalisation are the prime target.
The SME Instrument offers small and medium-sized businesses the following:
- Business innovation grants for feasibility assessment purposes (optional phase I): EUR 50,000 (lump sum) per project (70% of total cost of the project);
- Business innovation grants for innovation development & demonstration purposes (possible phase II): an amount in the indicative range of EUR 500,000 and 2,5 million (70% of total cost of the project as a general rule);
- Free-of-charge business coaching (optional in phases I and II), in order to support and enhance the firm's innovation capacity and help align the project to strategic business needs;
- Access to a wide range of innovation support services and facilitated access to risk finance (mostly in optional phase III), to facilitate the commercial exploitation of the innovation.
Topics, further information, documents and submission service:
- BG-12-2015-1: Supporting SMEs efforts for the development - deployment and market replication of innovative solutions for blue growth
- BIOTEC-5b-2015-1: SME boosting biotechnology-based industrial processes driving competitiveness and sustainability
- DRS-17-2015-1: Critical infrastructure protection topic 7: SME instrument topic: Protection of Urban soft targets and critical infrastructures
- ICT-37-2015-1: Open Disruptive Innovation Scheme (implemented through the SME instrument)
- INSO-10-2015-1: SME business model innovation
- INSO-9-2015-1: Innovative mobile e-government applications by SMEs
- IT-1-2015-1: Small business innovation research for Transport
- NMP-25-2015-1: Accelerating the uptake of nanotechnologies, advanced materials or advanced manufacturing and processing technologies by SMEs
- PHC-12-2015-1: Clinical research for the validation of biomarkers and/or diagnostic medical devices
- SC5-20-2015-1: Boosting the potential of small businesses for eco-innovation and a sustainable supply of raw materials
- SFS-08-2015-1: Resource-efficient eco-innovative food production and processing
- SIE-01-2015-1: Stimulating the innovation potential of SMEs for a low carbon energy system
- Space-SME-2015-1: SME Instrument
Deadline Date: 25-11-2015 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)
Cut-off date(s):
- 18-03-2015 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)
- 17-06-2015 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)
- 17-09-2015 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)
- 25-11-2015 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)