Funding opportunities for smaller companies under EU programs. Annemarie Reiche PNO Consultants

Transcription

1 Funding opportunities for smaller companies under EU programs Annemarie Reiche PNO Consultants

2 Agenda Introduction of SME Instrument Programme Statistics of SME Instrument Programme Evaluating your proposal How to write a successful proposal? Field report from a beneficiary Funding

3 Positioning of SME Instrument R&D driven projects Horizon 2020 Collaborative Research Target: R&D topics Eurostars Target: R&D Intensive SME Technology readiness level TRL 6 (Technology demonstration) Horizon 2020 SME instrument, IAs Target: Business innovation motivated SMEs, industry TRL 9 (System launch & operation) Market opportunity driven projects

4 MAIN FEATURES (1/2) Targeted at all types of innovative SMEs (for profit) showing a strong ambition to develop, grow and internationalise Only SMEs allowed to apply for funding (single company support possible) Highly competitive with low success rates Strongly market/business oriented, NOT research projects (TRL 6 minimum), EU dimension Bottom-up approach while addressing societal challenges and/or key enabling technologies, but based on topics

5 MAIN FEATURES (Topics: Technology areas) There is sufficient room for all kinds of promising ideas, notably cross-sector and inter-disciplinary projects. High risk ICT innovation Nanotech, or other advanced tech for manufacturing and materials Space research and development Clinical research for the validation of diagnostics devices and biomarkers Sustainable food production and processing Blue growth Low carbon energy systems Greener and more integrated transport Eco-innovation and sustainable raw material supply Urban critical infrastructure Biotechnology-based industrial processes Mobile e-government applications (2015 only) SME business model innovation (2015 only)

6 MAIN FEATURES (2/2) Only one application (Phase 1 & Phase 2) per SME at the time The Capability to implement the business plan will be a key point in evaluations 70% funding (exceptionally 100%) Eligible Technology Readiness Levels (TRL): TRL 6 - Technology demonstrated in relevant environment TRL 7 - Demonstration projects TRL 8 - Upscaling projects TRL 9 - Market replication and introduction Upfront payments Grant-based stage funding, but no obligation for applicants to sequentially cover all 3 phases, resubmission is possible

7 SME Instrument stage funding Concept & Feasibility Assessment Demonstration Market Replication R&D Commercialisation Idea to concept, risk assessment, technological & commercial feasibility Demonstration, prototyping, testing, market replication, scaling up, miniaturisation, research Quality label for successful projects, access to risk finance, indirect support IDEA continued support throughout the project MARKET

8 What is in for SMEs? Phase 1: Concept and feasibility assessment Input: Idea/Concept Business Plan I Activities: Feasibility of concept, Risk assessment, IP regime, Partner search, Design study, Pilot application, etc. Output: Elaborated Business Plan II Phase 2: R&D, demonstration, market replication Page limit: 10 Page limit: % success rate Lump sum: 50,000 ~ 6 months Input: Business Plan II plus description of activities under Phase II Activities: Development, prototyping, testing, piloting, miniaturization, scaling-up, market replication 30-40% success rate Output: Investor-ready; Business Plan III Output based payments: 0.5 to 2.5 Mio. EC funding ~ 12 to 24 months Phase 3: Commercialisation Promote instrument as quality label for successful projects; Facilitate access to private finance; Support via networking, training, information, addressing i.a. IP management, knowledge sharing, dissemination SME window in the EU financial facilities (debt facility & equity facility) InnoFIN No direct funding

9 MENTORING & COACHING Beneficiary of the SME instrument will be offered for free in addition to the grant with: Coaching and mentoring support up to 3 coaching days (PHASE 1) => can be transferred to PHASE 2 up to 12 coaching days (PHASE 2) Enterprise European Network services But in practice: Despite of the need for coaches, it is difficult to find appropriate ones.

10 Statistics how successful is this program?

11 Budget comparison SME Instrument (EU) 88% 2% 10% PHASE 1 PHASE 2 Total budget ~ 3 billion over ~ 5200 Phase 1 awards of 50k ~ 1700 Phase 2 awards of ~ 1.5m Budget 2014/2015: 500 million Budget and topics 2016/2017:? SBIR Awards 2012 (US program) Small Business Innovation Research Program 5,509 awards totalling $2.23 billion 3,528 Phase I awards totalling $534 million 1,982 Phase II awards totalling $990 million

12 Statistics about first five cut-off dates PHASE 1 Jun 14 Sep 14 Dez 14 Total 2014 Mrz 15 Jun 15 Sep 15 Total 2015 Submitted proposals 2,666 1,944 2,363 6,973 1,569 2,029 1,873 3,598 Above the threshold Funded projects % Funded 6% 9% 11% 8% 9% 6%? 8% PHASE 2 Jun 14 Okt 14 Dez 14 Total 2014 Mrz 15 Jun 15 Sep 15 Total 2015 Submitted proposals ,576 Above the threshold Funded projects % Funded 10% 12% 11% 6% 5%? 5% Real problem

13 Statistic of cut off round June % 17.0 % Phase 1 proposals Submitted Funded Above threshold

14 Higher success rates of SBIR Only Phase I awardees are eligible for Phase II awards.

15 Proposal efficiency in percent per country (June 2015) Funded projects N of evaluated proposals Success rate in %

16 Last cut off date in 2015 not in December, but on: 25/11/2015 More information: opportunities/h2020/index.html *Maybe the budget is a bit larger than in average this year! Shifting budgets from other H2020 programs to SME Instrument is possible.*

17 Evaluating your proposal

18 Evaluation criteria Commercialisation potential and economic impact Easy to use/produce for the customer and the firm There has to be a market Excellence in innovation Technical solution possible and better than existing ones Company's potential to achieve the envisaged results

19 Evaluation criteria Excellence (weight 1) Impact (weight 1.5) Quality and efficiency of the implementation (weight 1) 25% Good feeling (DANGER!!!) It s all subjective. Experts have limited time to evaluate your proposal. Thresholds: Phase 1: 13 points Phase 2: 12 points

20 Evaluators who reads my proposal Become an evaluator yourself!

21 How to write a successful proposal?

22 Is your project ready for the European innovation champions' league?

23 Looking for future Apple s who should apply High growth, highly innovative SMEs with global ambitions that want to disrupt the established value networks and existing markets. Good sign: company is based in an innovation hub, has received grants or venture capital funding, received innovation-related tax benefits, or won an innovation prize in the last 2 years.

24 Some points to success Focus on the project and on the business opportunity Not too many technical details, the business counts Write in an easy-to-understand style, for an investor Describe your project and company convincingly Provide enough information on competing solutions Have a high level of innovation: develop a new product or enter new markets Have clear concept for commercialisation Provide answers to all questions in the template

25 First lessons learned Use graphs and tables for better reading Bring it to the point Stay business-like Unsuccessful proposals were too much project focussed, not enough business opportunity oriented Description of impact not convincing (who will buy the product and why) No information on competing solutions (thus not knowing the market)

26 Example of changing markets Addressing societal needs and/or developing key enabling technologies Job creation along the value chain Radically changing the market High growth

27 Finally - Let a neutral person read your proposal and then improve it according to the received feedback Don t let research people write the proposal

28 Your contact Dipl.-Ing. Annemarie Reiche T: +49 (0) 341 / M: +49 (0) 175 / F: +49 (0) 341 / E: annemarie.reiche@pnoconsultants.com PNO Consultants GmbH Niederlassung Leipzig Fugger Business Park Fuggerstr. 1 c Leipzig