Innovation Matching Grants: Business Development Support for Innovative Technology Start-Ups in Armenia

Deadline: 3 April 2018

The EU4Business “Support to SME Development in Armenia” (SMEDA) project in cooperation with Enterprise Incubator Foundation has announced “Innovation Matching Grants – Business Development Support for innovative technology Start-ups” grant competition.

The programme is is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ’s Private Sector Development in South Caucasus Programme.

The aim of the project is to support technology-oriented ventures and to increase the competitiveness of existing SMEs by providing financial and technical assistance to develop new innovative products and services for domestic and global markets.

The project aims at stimulating the rate of technology absorption, technology transfer, innovation, and commercialization of research ideas in the private sector, and also fostering the collaboration between research centers and SMEs. The programme emphasizes the support of the development of viable technology enterprises in regions of Armenia, such as Gyumri and Vanadzor.

Funding Information

The amount of grant per initiative is 35.000 EUR (the contract shall be concluded in AMD, EUR/AMD exchange rate would be determined based on the Armenian Central Bank exchange rate announced at the date of the winner notification).
Up to 9 grants will be provided with project duration of 9 months.

Activities

Development of industrial prototype
Production/Manufacturing
Market Validation
Product Launch
Market entry/Customer acquisition
Market Expansion

Eligibility Criteria

SME or startup should be registered as legal entity in Republic of Armenia as an LLC, OJSC or CJSC.
In alternative unregistered startup teams (comprised of at least two people) can apply, if their project/technology has a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL).
The team and the companies should mention in a written form, that technology have completed the technology validation in the lab environment (TRL 4) and the technology was validated in relevant environment (TRL 5) i.e. the basic technological components integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements have been tested in a simulated environment.
The applying company should be innovative and technology-oriented and the suggested project should have a high-technology – focus.
This doesn’t incorporate, e.g web applications and platforms, such as e-commerce, and other e-service platforms, mobile applications and services,solutions for business process automation.
All applicants must submit self-statement letter on providing of the necessary co- financing of the grant funds in cash, if awarded the grant to be eligible for proposal evaluation.
The applicants need to be a legal entity incorporated in Republic of Armenia and themain shareholder(s) – more than 51% shares – has citizenship of the Republic of Armenia or legal entity incorporated in Republic of Armenia.
Projects with a focus on developing products or services for military use are not eligible.
This also incorporates dual use technologies if the targeted customers are military or security forces.