December 2011 1

JP SammutDirector, EuroMedITI - Technology

Commercialisation

Commercialisation Programme 2012Information Session

Commercialisation Programme 2012 Scope

March 2012 2

The Programme will help participants access specialist advice to prepare a viable business plan for their technology to be ready for, and attract, capital investment. The programme is most suited for those new to commercialisation who believe that their technology has commercial potential, but are unsure what to do next.

The funds will be allocated on the basis of a public call for proposals and an external peer review system.

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The National R&I ProgrammeProgramme Participation

Programme TotalProposals

RequestedFunding

Available Budget

TotalProjects Funded

RTDI 2004 85 €7.0M €700K 15

R&I 2006 58 €7.0M €930K 7

R&I 2008 40 €5.4M €700K 7

R&I 2009 17 €1.5M €300K 3

R&I 2010 40 €5.8M €700K 5

R&I 2011 40 €5.8M €1.1M 8

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• Focus on 4 Priority Areas1. Environment and Energy Resources2. Information and Communications

Technology 3. Value-added Manufacturing and Services4. Health and BioTechnology

• Typical Project Activities•Business and IP planning; •Commercialisation validation; •Capital sources and •Business linkages

Commercialisation Programme 2012Focus

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• Participant – An Individual Organisation or a team of Members

• Members can be academia, public, private, NGOs - eligible for funding

• Foreign entities eligible but not funded

Commercialisation Programme 2012Participation

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• Eligible Direct Costs– Technical personnel– Project Management– Travel, networking, dissemination,

externalization– Subcontracting– Other Expenses related to the project (e.g.

Demonstration set-ups)

• Eligible Indirect Costs– 10% of eligible costs, excluding subcontracting.

Funding ModalitiesEligible Costs

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• Ineligible Direct Costs– Product Development– Equipment– Expenses related to loans, interest, etc – Recoverable value added tax.– Expenses which are recoverable

through other funding mechanisms

Funding ModalitiesIneligible Costs

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Process

• Written Proposal submission

• Shortlisted Participants Advised

• Shortlisted Participants Presentation

• Funding offered to successful Participants

25/04/2012, noon

25/04/2012, noon

30/05/2012

30/05/2012

14/06/2012

14/06/2012

27/07/2012

27/07/2012

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1. Programme Objectives– Degree of fit with priority sectors– Meeting a market opportunity

2. Status– Technology Development– Product Development– IP Agreement– Business approach– Proposes suitable actions

Four Evaluation Criteria

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3. Quality of Participant– Participants have necessary knowledge and skills– Balanced participation and funding

4. Potential Impact– Application and uses of technology/ product – Degree for potential Commercialisation.– Roadmap for realisation of benefits– Spillover effects on local economy– Other Benefits

• Cost Reduction• Licensing• Networking• Organisational Benefits

Evaluation Criteria cont.

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• Project funding: €25K – €75K

• Project duration: 6 – 12 months

• Funding levels– Public, Academic, NGO: 100%– Business: 75%

Funding ModalitiesProject Funding

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• The share of the project costs between the Members in the project Participant reflect the ratio of IP share as detailed in the IP agreement

• Ownership of IP and all rights rests with participants

Project ConsiderationsIntellectual Property (IP)

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Funding ModalitiesAllocation of funds

• Typical Initial advanced payment 80% unless split into stages- where next stage funding depends on success of previous stage;

• Retention of 20% of total project grant depending on successful progress/ final reporting

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• Participants must maintain separate financial accounts and separate bank account

• Actual costs with fiscal receipts

• Costs determined in accordance with usual accounting and management procedures

• Expenses must be consistent with principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness

• Refundable expenses limited to allocation

Project ConsiderationsFinancial Considerations

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Project ConsiderationsDuring Project

• Need for professional record keeping and auditing

• Significant events – inform MCST

• Withdrawal of member – agree with MCST for reallocation or replacement

• Default – MCST entitled to withdraw funding and claim refund

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• Electronic Submissions to commercialisatiion.mcst@gov.mt

• OneOne single application file in Ms Word (.doc) format (without signatures)

• OOnene single application file in Portable Document Format (.pdf) (includes a scanned signed copy of the Participant Details Section for each participant + initialisation of every page)

• OneOne single Technology Profile file in Power Point (.ppt) format (without signatures)

• Files limited to 5MB per file

• All received proposals acknowledged by email

Submissions of Proposals

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Commercialisation Programme 2012State Aid

• Operates under de minimis state aid regime:– Projects in fisheries, aquaculture and agriculture

ineligible– Industry to ensure they do not exceed allowable

limit of aid (€200K gross over 3-year period)– Necessary reporting required

• Double funding not allowed – checks are conducted

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For Further Information Contact:

JP SammutDirector, EuroMedITI – Technology CommercialisationMalta Council for Science and TechnologyVilla Bighi, BighiKalkara, KKR1320

Email: joseph.p.sammut@gov.mt Tel: (356) 2360 2127Web: www.mcst.gov.mt

Thank You