Business Finland provides funding for cooperation with SMEs
The aim of the call is to bring within the scope of research-company cooperation SMEs and so-called mittelstand companies that have not yet systematically utilized the expertise of research organizations.
Only research organizations are funded in the call.
Application period starts 6.8.2024 and ends 29.11.2024.
Information webinar (in Finnish) about the call will be held on 7.8.2024 at 9-10 in Teams.
Registration for the webinar closes on 5.8.2024 at 16.15.
What is the call about?
Finland's R&D expenditure will be raised to 4% of GDP by 2030. According to the Government Program, the economic impact of R&D funding will be increased by emphasizing funding for research-enterprise cooperation and by funding shared RDI infrastructures.
The Government Program also aims to strengthen the cornerstone of the economy and exports through measures to double the number of growth-oriented medium-sized entrepreneur-led enterprises (so-called mittelstand) by 2030.
Objectives of the call
The aim of this call is to bring within the scope of research-enterprise cooperation SMEs and mittelstand companies that have not yet systematically utilized the expertise of research organizations. The term SMEs used in this application notice also includes mittelstand companies.
It is aimed at that the cooperation initiated through the funded projects will also provide research organizations with information on the needs of SMEs related to testing and experimentation infrastructures. The information can be utilized in possible separate calls for funding the construction and upgrade of testing and experimentation infrastructures. Infrastructures will not be funded under this call.
Projects to be funded
In this call, funding is granted for a Co-Research project carried out jointly by a single research organization or several research organizations. There must be an identified need for the topic of research among SMEs, but these companies do not yet have the capacity or vision to directly utilize the know-how in their product development or business.
The participants of a Co-Research project or joint project will work together to create new knowledge and know-how, which are expected to have a long-term impact on the development of the competitiveness of Finnish small and medium-sized enterprises including mittelstand companies.
The funding will be allocated to projects that promote the ability of SMEs to grow their business either independently or in the ecosystems of large, globally operating companies. The results of the research projects serve as a basis for the companies' own development projects and possible Co-Innovation entities.
The funding will accelerate the utilization of research knowledge in the R&D activities of SMEs and the creation of new export companies. In this call, funding can also be granted for projects that improve the ability of domestic market companies to compete with international forerunners in their industries.
A Co-Research project or joint project strengthens research organizations' expertise in the field of research relevant to business life, domestic and international research networks, and transfers information to SMEs about the new business opportunities created by research.
Business participation
At least three SMEs shall be involved in supervising the study. In a competitive situation, the application is clearly advantageous if there are more companies and/or companies committed to research have not previously worked closely with research organizations.
The degree of company commitment is measured by the number of committed companies and their funding for a research project or joint project. Priority is given to projects in which the financial contribution of companies is at least 10% of the costs. In addition to funding paid to research organizations, companies' share of funding may include so-called in-kind investments in the form of data or software, materials or devices donated to a research project.
The project must include a work package that plans the path to exploit the results of the project. The aim is to make extensive use of the results of public research among project funding and other SMEs.
Applying for funding, funding levels and timetable
The funding level is 60%. If a single research project involves close international cooperation, the funding may be 70%. In a joint project involving several research organizations, the increased funding level applies only to those parties to the joint project that contribute to the fulfilment of the criteria for close international cooperation in their own subprojects.
Business Finland projects must always be presented at the University of Oulu to the staff of the Innovation Centre and then to the representative of BF, before submitting the application. You can get more information from the Innovation Centre, from your faculty's research funding specialist, or Business Finland's website.