Deadline: 18-Nov-21
The Innovation Norway is pleased to launch Business Development, Innovation and SMEs Programme Bulgaria, Support for start-ups.
Focus Area
- This call will finance projects proposed by Bulgarian start-up companies in one of the two focus areas:
- Green Industry Innovation
- Welfare Technology
- The aim is to finance development and application of innovative green or welfare technology/products, processes, and solutions.
- The expected outcome of projects financed by these Calls is increased competitiveness for Bulgarian enterprises within the mentioned areas, in the form of growth in turnover and net operational profit.
- In the focus area Green Industry Innovation, projects are also expected to contribute to the development and application of innovative technologies, processes, and solutions, as well as reduction of CO2 emissions and more energy efficient production processes
- In the focus area Welfare Technology, the projects are expected to contribute to the development and introduction of innovative technologies, services and solutions that help elderly and persons with disabilities to become more independent and self-reliant. The products, services and solutions should help meeting the social and health challenges of the ageing society.
- The technological solutions are mainly expected to be used by or support staff that deliver or carry out welfare services.
Funding Information
The total amount available for financing of projects from this call is EUR 2,000,000. The amount is divided between the Programme focus areas into the following indicative amounts:
- Green Industry Innovation: EUR 1,500,000
- Welfare Technology: EUR 500,000
Eligible Activities
- The target group for this Call are Bulgaria startup micro and small enterprises. The start-ups can apply to the Call together with partners. The partners can be entities in Bulgaria or in Norway.
- Partnerships with an entity in the Donor State strengthens bilateral cooperation. Donor Partnership Projects are therefore encouraged with additional points during assessment in case the partnership is well justified and contributing to the project objectives:
- A Donor Partnership Project: is defined as cooperation between a Project Promoter in Bulgaria and at least one legal entity in Norway, implementing a project where all entities are independent of each other and perform substantial and relevant tasks in the completion of the project. Such projects will be awarded additional points during project assessment.
- A Partnership Project: is defined as cooperation between a Project Promoter in Bulgaria and at least one legal entity in Bulgaria, implementing a project where all entities which are independent of each other and perform substantial and relevant tasks in completion of the project.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicant:
- Micro and small enterprises as defined in the EU Recommendation 2003/3611 , registered as legal entity in Bulgaria under the Commercial Act.
- The applicants:
- must have been established and registered with at least 6 months and maximum 4 years of operation at the date of the deadline of the call;
- must be operating within one of the two focus areas of programme (Green Industry Innovation and Welfare Technology and ambient assisted living);
- must be unlisted small2 enterprises up to four years following their registration, which have not yet distributed profits and have not been formed through a merger.
- Eligible partners:
- Any private or public entity, commercial or non-commercial, and non-governmental organisations registered in Bulgaria or in Norway.
Who can be partners?
- The start-ups can apply to the call together with partners. The partners can be entities from Bulgaria or from Norway.
- Eligible partners are any private or public entity, commercial or non-commercial, established as a legal person in Norway or in Bulgaria.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3wqCZeA
