The third Policy Axis aims to improve the competitiveness and resilience of the Cypriot economy. In addition to the other axes, it includes measures that contribute to the promotion of a new model of development and international competitiveness of the Cypriot economy, based on the results of the relevant study of the Cyprus Economy and Competitiveness Council.

Includes investments and reforms to expand the productive base by strengthening the primary and secondary sectors of the economy, improving competitiveness and the business environment, mainly by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), diversifying and strengthening the tourism product, modernizing public administration and local authorities, reform and improve the efficiency of the judiciary, fight corruption and enhance transparency, enhance research and innovation, and the resilience of the financial sector and the financial situation.

The “Research in Enterprises” Programme aims at (a) enhancing the competitiveness of Cypriot enterprises thus resulting in making a contribution in the country’s economic growth, through the development of new products / services / production methods of high added value, or significantly enhanced products / services / production methods which will be commercially used, and (b) intensifying the participation of Cypriot enterprises in research activities resulting in raising the contribution of the private sector in the country’s RTDI (Research, Technological Development and Innovation) investments.

€ 200,000

The maximum aid intensity for Enterprises and Other Private Sector Organisations cannot exceed 70%.

• New Entrepreneurship
• Research, Technological Development and Innovation
• Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness

• Investment Funds
• Large Enterprises
• Other Beneficiaries
• Private Bodies
• Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
• Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
• State-owned Enterprises

Research Organisations, Enterprises, Other Organisations

SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS AND CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION:

The Host Organisation (HO) of a project must be a Small, Medium or Large Sized Enterprise (B1, B2, B3).

The Host Organisation should be, at the time of submission, an enterprise that has not previously submitted proposals as Host Organization to the RIF in the frame of the RESTART 2016-2020 Programmes, other than proposals submitted to the «Innovation Vouchers» and «Participation in International Brokerage Events» Programmes. In the case where the Host Organisation is not an «Autonomous Enterprise», its «Partner Enterprise(s)» or «Linked Enterprise(s)», should also comply with the above condition.

The project should be initiated by the Enterprise/Host Organisation, which should have a direct and significant commercial interest in achieving the project’s results. Furthermore, the core activities of the Host Organisation should be relevant to the project activities.

Please note that participation of a Large Enterprise in a RESTART 2016-2020 Programme project is possible after the justification, through the proposal, of the incentive effect that the funding will have for the Large Enterprise, as specified in the Chapter 1.2, Section III, of the RESTART 2016-2020 Work Programme.

Research Organisations, Enterprises or Other Organisations may participate as Partner Organisations. Partner Organisations shall support the Host Organisation in accomplishing the project’s objectives and may have their own commercial and/or scientific interests in achieving the Project results.

Participation of Foreign Research Organisations is allowed.

Participation of Startups is not allowed except for those that have sold at least one product or service, in the last two (2) years and can document sales and turnover through audited financial statements.

In the frame of the present Call, each organisation can receive funding as Host Organisation only in one (1) Project.

The submission of the same or similar Proposal in both Calls «ENTERPRISES/Sub-Call1/0223» and «ENTERPRISES/Sub-Call2/0223», is not allowed. Same or similar proposals are proposals with the same or similar scientific content and relevant activities. If it is found that the same or similar proposals are submitted in both Calls, the Proposal submitted first, will only be forwarded for evaluation.

Funding of same activities that have already been supported by the RIF in the frame of previous funded projects, is not allowed.

At least 40% of the Project Budget should be allocated to the Host Organization.

Within the framework of the present Call the following specific conditions also apply:

• All private organisations (Host Organisation and Partner Organisations) are required to register the updated data regarding their ultimate beneficial owners in the Competent National Registry / Archive, as per «The prevention and suppression of money laundering and terrorist financing Law of 2007 (188(I)/2007)». The RIF maintains the right to proceed with the appropriate checks in the competent Registries to verify the registration. For this purpose, all private organisations should submit an official proof for the data registration during the Contract Preparation stage. Furthermore, all private organisations (Host Organisation and Partner Organisations) who request funding exceeding €150,000 during the Contract Preparation stage will be required to also submit the data (Name and Surname, ID / Passport Number and Date of Birth) of their ultimate beneficial owners through the relevant Declaration.
• Funded Projects should comply with the «Do No Significant Harm» principle, according to which they must not include or support activities that could cause significant harm to any of the six environmental objectives, as per Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 2020/852, on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment.
• In order to support the exploitation of research results, the interaction between the Host Organisation and the Central Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO) for the preparation of a customised Action Plan for the Provision of Services by the KTO, is obligatory in the frame of the present Call. It is noted that, the adoption of the Action Plan and the acquisition of the Services are not mandatory.
• In the event that it is found that the Proposal (or a similar one with minor deviations regarding the content and / or participants) has been submitted under any other Programme / Call of the RESTART 2016 – 2020 Programmes, and this has not been duly declared by the Project Coordinator at the Proposal Submission Stage (Part-A), the RIF has the right to declare the proposal ineligible and/or to consider to impose sanctions to the Host Organisation and/or the Project Coordinator.

RIF Support Service
E-mail: support@research.org.cy
Telephone: +35722205000

(Publish Date: 08/03/2023 only for internal use)