The iNEST Innovation Ecosystem Consortium, which brings together the nine Universities of the Triveneto area, has published the new cascade calls to finance research and innovation projects in the thematic areas of the nine Spoke1. The tenders are open to businesses, research bodies, associations and public and private bodies operating in the North East and have the aim of stimulating collaboration between the academic world and the socio-economic fabric of the area.
Beneficiaries
The following subjects can request the benefits referred to in the Notice:
- Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that compete individually or collaboratively with other companies;
- Large Enterprises (GI) in single or collaborative mode provided that the requirement for collaboration with at least one MSME persists;
- Research Organizations (OdR) can participate as beneficiaries exclusively in collaborative projects and each ODR cannot individually support less than 10% of the eligible project cost; the cost incurred by all the ODRs participating in the project cannot be greater than 30% of the eligible project cost.
- the local unit where the R&D activities will be carried out must be located and operational in the territory of the iNEST Ecosystem (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Bolzano and Trento) or in the South and be active and productive at the time of submission of the application;
- Each company within the group can support a maximum of 70% of the total eligible project cost.
What it finances
Industrial research and experimental development projects presented by companies individually or in collaboration in the specific areas for each SPOKE are considered eligible.
- Spoke 1 ECOSYSTEMS FOR MOUNTAIN INNOVATIONS;
- Spoke 2 HEALTH, FOOD AND LIFESTYLES;
- Spoke 3 GREEN AND DIGITAL TRANSITION FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY;
- Spoke 4 CITY, ARCHITECTURE AND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN;
- Spoke 5 SMART AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTS (MANUFACTURING, WORKING, LIVING);
- Spoke 6 TOURISM, CULTURE AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES;
- Spoke 7 SMART AGRI-FOOD;
- Spoke 8 MARITIME, MARINE, AND INLAND WATER TECHNOLOGIES: TOWARDS THE DIGITAL TWIN OF THE UPPER ADRIATIC;
- Spoke 9 MODELS, METHODS, COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR DIGITAL TWIN.
Facilitation
The benefit will be in the form of a non-repayable contribution. The aid intensity will thus be calculated as a percentage of the expenses presented by the individual project partners and on the basis of the size of the company according to the table below.
The overall contribution granted to the individual minimum and maximum project must be verified for each individual SPOKE.
The duration of implementation of the project cannot exceed 15 months starting from the date indicated in the provision for admission to financing.
Eligible expenses:
- personnel costs specifically assigned to carry out the project - according to Standard Costs
- indirect costs – determined at a flat rate and equal to 15% of the eligible direct costs
- administrative costs, covering only the costs of external auditors/reviewers conducted by independent and specialized personnel, registered in the register of legal auditors which certifies the expenses incurred and the reports.
- costs for specialist consultancy services, provided they are essential for the implementation of the project or external contractual research costs entrusted to OdRs not affiliated with the iNEST project. The services in question must be used exclusively for the purposes of research and/or project development activities and not for project support (e.g. management activities, reporting, other), and are eligible up to a maximum limit of 35% of the costs totals allowed for each partner.
- costs for expenses for materials, supplies and similar products, directly attributable to the project activity. The eligibility period, referring to the project proposals admitted to the contribution, starts from the date indicated in the provision for admission to the financing and ends strictly by the date established for the conclusion of the project always reported in the provision for admission to financing and in the mandatory contract
Presentation
The financing request can be submitted no later than midnight on 10 October 2023.
Photo by RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist on Unsplash
