Call for Proposals for the «Creation and Initial Development of Startups with International Orientation (PRE-SEED)» Programme
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
In this section you may find information on National Schemes published by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation (formerly know as the Research Promotion Foundation – RPF).
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The objective of the «Creation and Initial Development of Startups with International Orientation (PRE-SEED)» Programme is to support the creation and initial development of innovative Startups which aim to develop innovative products and services with global market penetration prospects.
Detailed Call Description
The Programme aims to support startups which are in the stage of developing their business idea and/or they are at the early stages of their product or service development.
Products/services are expected to have a high level of innovation and differentiation, in comparison to existing or competitive solutions and will address certain needs and/or improve the experience and quality of life of users. Enterprises should have reliable and justified plans for the penetration into the international markets.
Enterprises which demonstrate the financial/commercial and technological feasibility of their innovation and potentially could be viable and profitable, will be supported. The support to products/services which have the ability to create new and/or disrupt existing markets is highly desirable.
The team members of the startups are expected to have the appropriate and complementary technical, scientific and business knowledge and skills and to demonstrate their commitment to the operation and development of the company and the implementation of the proposed plan.
It is clarified that for the purposes of the Programme, Startups are considered companies with a technological orientation and potential for high growth, which are established with the aim of developing a product/service that the founders of the company seek to make available to the international market. Through the Programme, the RIF provides the incentive to the founding teams of the startups to focus on the companies’ activities to explore, evaluate and develop the innovative business idea, create an initial product / service and conduct preliminary efforts towards the commercialization of the product / service.
Funding is expected to cover, amongst others, the initial stages of the operation of the company, the recruitment of personnel in a way to strengthen the capabilities of the founding team, the development of a prototype, the preparation of market research, the identification of the appropriate business model, the preparation of a business plan, the related activities of the group to secure the intellectual property, investors search, etc.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
€119.999 maximum funding per project
Thematic Categories
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Associations
- Central Government
- Chambers
- Educational Institutions
- Large Enterprises
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
- Trade Unions
- Training Centres
Eligibility For Participation Notes
The Host Organisation (HO) of a project must be a Startup company, as specified in the Chapter 1.2, Section III, of the RESTART 2016-2020 Work Programme.
It is noted that if a proposal is submitted by a group of natural persons, the registration of the company should be completed until the signing of the Contract.
All general rules and procedures for the participation of organisations and individuals, the eligible activities and costs, as well as the specific information regarding the RESTART 2016-2020 Programmes, are included in the RESTART 2016-2020 Work Programme for the period May 2022-December 2023, which is the basic reference document and an important information source for interested parties and can be found on the Research and Innovation Foundation’s IRIS (Innovation Research Information System) Portal (https://iris.research.org.cy/#/documentlibrary).
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
Partner Support Centre
Τelephone: 22205000
Email: support@research.org.cy