12th competition session of the National Innovation Fund

The National Innovation Fund is again recruiting projects for grant funding. This is the 12th competition session of the fund, which again has a budget of around BGN 5 million. The deadline for applications is September 10, 2021, applications must be submitted electronically with an electronic signature.

Application conditions 

Thematic areas in which the project proposals should fall are: Informatics and ICT; Mechatronics and clean technologies; Healthy Living and Biotechnology Industry; New technologies in the creative and leisure industries.

An eligible candidate for financing is an enterprise registered under the Commercial Law, or an equivalent person within the meaning of the legislation of an EU member state. The same requirements apply to an eligible project implementation partner. A partner may also be an organization for scientific research and dissemination of knowledge from an EU member state with the status of a legal entity.

The maximum value of the grant for one project is up to BGN 500 thousand, and the term for its implementation is up to 18 months. Expenditures for: remunerations are eligible; depreciation of tools/equipment; materials and consumables; external services; business trips abroad. Support from the fund cannot exceed 50% of eligible costs for industrial scientific research and 25% – for experimental development.

However, funding can be increased by:

10% for medium enterprises
20% for micro and small enterprises
15% – if the project involves cooperation between enterprises or takes place in at least two Member States, or is joint between one enterprise and at least one research and knowledge dissemination organization (under certain conditions).
You will find the rules for managing the funds of the National Innovation Fund (PUSNIF), as well as complete information about the documents required for application and the application procedure here: https://www.sme.government.bg/?p=54753

Source: Infobusiness