Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
This topic focuses on mutual learning and support scheme for national and regional innovation programmes.
Detailed Call Description
Start-ups and SMEs are the primary source of innovation in the European Union (EU) and globally. However, the fragmentation of innovation ecosystems and the lack of connectedness among public national and regional agencies and innovation support schemes appear to be one of the main bottlenecks towards ensuring sufficient support of the most promising start-up and scale-up companies in the EU.
The pilot Plug-in scheme is a novelty under Horizon Europe and is a specific process applicable to the EIC Accelerator only.
Under the ‘Plug-in’ scheme, applicants do not apply directly to the EIC Accelerator calls. Instead, a project review is carried out to assess the innovation or market deployment potential of an existing project at national or regional level to decide whether the project is suitable for support under the EIC Accelerator.
The first pilot results of a mapping of national and regional programmes by the European Commission in close cooperation with Member States has shown that although 31 out of 52 programmes submitted were certified, several programmes did not pass the certification and some Member States have not submitted any programme to the review at all. This action aims to assist Member States and Associated Countries to improve or create national and regional funding programmes that could qualify for certification under the Plug-in scheme of the EIC Accelerator. Applications from regional and national agencies from ‘moderate’ and ‘emerging’ innovator countries and regions are particularly encouraged.
The proposals are expected to include specific activities that will allow applicants to:
- Enhance the quality of support provided at national and regional levels to the most promising innovative start-ups and SMEs;
- To improve or set up national and regional funding programmes that could qualify for certification under the Plug-in scheme of the EIC Accelerator;
- To share best practices in terms of design, functioning, operation, and monitoring of such programmes;
- To broaden access to information and communicate to the applicants (start-ups and SMEs) on the opportunities to access the national and regional funding programmes and have their chance to be selected under Plug-in scheme to apply to step 2 of the EIC Accelerator.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Expected EU contribution per project: €0.10 million
Thematic Categories
- New Entrepreneurship
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Legal Entities
- Local Authorities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: This action requires the participation of at least three (3) independent legal entities, established in three (3) different Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, of which at least one (1) is established in a ‘moderate’ or ’emerging’ innovator region and at least one (1) in a ‘strong’ or ‘innovation leader’ innovator region.
The Regional Innovation Scoreboard is taken as a reference, and in the case of entities representing national authorities, the European Innovation Scoreboard. The applicants must use as a reference the latest version of the documents mentioned above at the time of the call closure. Associated Countries which are not included in the European Innovation Scoreboard and are ranked below 25 on the latest Globa uropean Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) Innovation Index are considered as ‘moderate’ or ‘emerging’ innovators. In cases of Associated Countries not included in any of the previously mentioned references, the participation rank of the country in the Horizon Europe programme will be taken as a reference and countries ranked below the average will be considered as ‘moderate’ or ‘emerging’ innovators.
Target group(s): national or regional innovation agencies or similar organisations, national and regional authorities in charge of management of innovation programmes, EIC Plug-in contact points.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia
P.O.Box 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Τelephone: +357 22205000
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Person:
George Christou
Scientific Officer
Email: gchristou@research.org.cy
Nedi Κaffa
Scientific Officer
Email: nkaffa@research.org.cy