25 Sep 2014
Photonics-related projects account for 10% of firms benefiting from €3bn investment project.
The selected SMEs, from 21 countries, will each receive €50,000 ($64,000) to finance feasibility studies for their projects, and they can also benefit from up to three days of business coaching. Later, these projects may be considered for further financial support from the Commission worth up to €2.5m per project.
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, said, “Innovative SMEs will help get the European economy back on track, creating lasting employment and great products and services. This new instrument is aimed at projects that are truly innovative, with a strong business opportunity and a solid concept to bring them to the market.”
The SME instrument was launched under Horizon 2020, the EU's new €80bn research funding programme, to help innovative small firms get innovative projects from the lab to the market. SMEs from EU Member States or countries associated to Horizon 2020 can apply.
Photonics-related
Photonics-related projects and the companies behind them include:
Further funding
The EC states, “the selected SMEs are in a good position to succeed in the second phase of the program, in which applicants could receive up to €2.5m to finance innovation activities such as demonstration, testing, piloting, scaling up, and miniaturisation. The beneficiaries will also develop their business plan.”
Around 645 projects in total should be funded in 2014. This number will rise to 670 in 2015. The call for proposals is constantly open and the next deadlines for evaluation are 24 September and 17 December 2014 for Phase 1, and 9 October and 17 December 2014 for Phase 2. The full list and map of SME Instrument beneficiaries is here.
About the Author
Matthew Peach is a contributing editor to optics.org.
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