«HORIZON 2020": OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE PROJECTS FOR ENTREPRENEURS.
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 innovatiod facilitaten support services and access to risk finance (mostly in optional phase III), to facilitate the commercial exploitation of the innovation.
Topics:
1. Open Disruptive Innovation Scheme
2. Accelerating the uptake of nanotechnologies advanced materials or advanced manufacturing and processing technologies by SMEs
- Creation of added value for the creative combination of existing research results with other necessary elements;
- The result of the study should be the technology and products in the industrial maturity and readiness for commercialization after the project completion.
3. Dedicated support to biotechnology SMEs closing the gap from lab to market
4. Engaging SMEs in space research and development
5. Supporting innovative SMEs in the healthcare biotechnology sector
6. Accelerating market introduction of ICT solutions for Health, Well-Being and Ageing Well
7. Stimulating the innovation potential of SMEs for sustainable and competitive agriculture, forestry, agri-food and bio-based sectors
8. Supporting SMEs efforts for the development - deployment and market replication of innovative solutions for blue growth
9. Stimulating the innovation potential of SMEs for a low carbon and efficient energy system
10. Small business innovation research for Transport and Smart Cities Mobility
11. Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
12. New business models for inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
13. Engaging SMEs in security research and development
