The Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) invites all micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from the region to join the information campaign organized by the Directorate General for European Competitiveness Funds (DG EFC) at the Ministry of Innovation and Growth. The event will be held on January 29, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev". The campaign is aimed at presenting the procedure BG16RFPR002-1.005 "Small Innovative Grants for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)" under the Program "Research, Innovation and Digitalization
for Smart Transformation" 2021-2027., which provides financial resources for the implementation of new technologies and developments, solving technological problems and access to unique research infrastructures.

The measure is targeted at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and takes the form of fixed grants for the provision of services by knowledge providers such as universities/scientific organizations, including centers of competence, centers of excellence, the laboratory complex of Sofia Tech Park and research infrastructures from the National Roadmap for Scientific Infrastructure.

Financial support will be provided for research-intensive services that help businesses introduce new products, processes or services, solve technological problems, develop new business models or prototypes and provide access to unique research infrastructure.

The total budget of the procedure is BGN 25 million. The innovative grants are of a fixed amount depending on whether they will be used to obtain one or two services and should be implemented within 12 months of signing the implementation contract:
Fixed cost for financing one service –14,710 BGN.
Fixed cost for financing two services – 29,420 BGN.

The deadline for submitting project proposals through the UMIS system is
until 4:30 p.m. on March 28, 2025.