RD&I Grant Scheme

R&D&I is a critical element for enterprises to remain competitive and take advantage of their growth potential through the development of innovative products and solutions. The Business Enhance RD&I Grant Scheme aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the private sector through R&D&I in line with the Smart Specialisation Strategy and supports enterprises through the provision of a non-repayable grant for research, development and innovation actions within the Smart Specialisation Areas. The incentive falls under Priority Axis 1 ‘Investing in research, technological development and innovation’ of Operational Programme I 2014 – 2020 ‘Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges’.

MANUFACTURING

HEALTH

AVIATION AND AEROSPACE

ICT

MARITIME SERVICES

TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Supported Smart Specialisation

Areas

MEASURE 1 – FEASIBILITY STUDIES

This Measure seeks to support eligible enterprises through a non-repayable grant to conduct a Feasibility Study to assess the potential of undertaking a planned R&D project.

MEASURE 2 – RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Grants under this measure are aimed at supporting eligible enterprises that are planning to undertake Industrial Research and Experimental Development Projects aimed at the development of new products, services or solutions including Key Enabling Technology at pre-commercialisation stage at potentially a minimum Technology Readiness Level 6: TRL6.

MEASURE 3 – INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES

Grants under this measure are aimed at supporting enterprises to set-up facilities with the aim to provide research infrastructures that perform an economic activity, to support the development and exchange of knowledge, expertise and the creation of technology transfer possibilities among Undertakings.

MEASURE 4 – PROCESS INNOVATION

Grants under this measure are aimed to support Undertakings to innovate through the development and implementation of either a new or significantly improved production or delivery method.

FEASIBILITY STUDIES

MEASURE 1 FEASIBILITY STUDIES

This Measure supports enterprises to conduct studies to establish the feasibility of planned Industrial Research and Experimental Development projects that would lead to the development of new products, services or solutions including Key Enabling Technology at pre-commercialisation stage at potentially a minimum Technology Readiness Level 6: TRL6

ELIGIBLE COSTSThe eligible costs incurred directly to undertake the Feasibility Study may include:

Personnel costs: Wages of researchers, technicians and other supporting staff to the extent employed on the project, and who are employees of the beneficiary including personnel costs of Post-Doctoral Researchers recruited by the assisted enterprise, to work on the project.

Acquisition of knowledge: Costs of contractual research, technical knowledge, patents bought or licensed, as well as costs of consultancy and equivalent services, used exclusively for the R&D feasibility study and acquired from outside sources unrelated to the beneficiary.

Aid Intensity 60%Medium

Aid Intensity 50%Large

Micro&Small Aid Intensity 70%

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

PROJECTS

MEASURE 2 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

The Measure supports the implementation of Research and Development projects which include Industrial Research and Experimental Development activities leading to the development of new products, services or solutions including Key Enabling Technology at pre-commercialisation stage at po-tentially a minimum Technology Readiness Level 6: TRL6.

Supported actions may be implemented by Single Undertakings or through effective collaboration between:

unrelated Undertakings where at least one is an SME, and where no single Undertaking bears more than 70% of the eligible costs; or

an Undertaking and one or more research and knowledge-dissemination organisations, where the latter bear at least 10% of the eligible costs and have the right to publish their own research results; or

unrelated Undertakings where the results of the project are widely disseminated through conferences, publications, open access repositories, or free or open source software.

ELIGIBLE COSTSPersonnel costs: Wages of researchers, technicians and other supporting staff to the extent employed on the project, including personnel costs of Post-Doctoral Researchers recruited by the assisted enterprise or the partner enterprises within the collaboration, to work on the project.

Acquisition of knowledge: Contractual research, technical knowledge, patents bought or licensed, as well as costs of consultancy and equivalent services, used exclusively for the project, and acquired from outside sources unrelated to the beneficiary.

Costs of equipment and Instruments to the extent and for the period used for the project.

Additional overheads: The costs of overheads for materials and supplies incurred directly as a result of development of the project.

Aid Intensity 45%

Effective Collaboration Projects +15%

Maximum Aid Intensity 60%

Aid Intensity 35%

Effective Collaboration Projects +15%

Maximum Aid Intensity 50%

Aid Intensity 25%

Effective Collaboration Projects +15%

Maximum Aid Intensity 40%

Micro&Small

Medium

Large

INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH

INFRASTRUCTURES

MEASURE 3 INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES

Support to projects implemented by a Single Undertaking or jointly by unrelated Undertakings towards the setting-up of Research Infrastructures that perform an economic activity, being facilities that support the development and exchange of knowledge, expertise and the creation of technology transfer possibilities among Undertakings.

ELIGIBILE COSTSInvestment costs for the acquisition of tangible assets directly required for the setting-up of the Research Infrastructure.

Investment costs for the acquisition of intangible assets being the acquisition of patents, licences, software and acquisition of technical knowledge required directly for the implementation of the supported action.

Micro, Small, Medium,

Large

Aid Intensity 50%

PROCESS INNOVATION

ELIGIBLE COSTSPersonnel costs: Wages of researchers, technicians and other supporting staff to the extent employed on the project, including personnel costs of Post-Doctoral Researchers recruited by the assisted enterprise or the partner enterprises within the collaboration, to work on the project.

Acquisition of Knowledge: Costs of contractual research, and technical knowledge, patents bought or licensed, as well as costs of consultancy and equivalent services used exclusively for the project and acquired from outside sources unrelated to the beneficiary.

Costs of equipment and Instruments to the extent and for the period used for the project.

Additional overheads: The costs of overheads for materials and supplies incurred directly as a result of development of the project.

MEASURE 4 PROCESS INNOVATION

This Measure supports the implementation of process innovation actions by SMEs jointly or independently, and actions involving effective collaboration between Large enterprises and SMEs where the latter incur at least 30% of the eligible costs.

Aid Intensity 15%Large

Micro, Small,Medium

Aid Intensity 50%

The Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes initiative is administered by the Measures and Support Division within the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality being the designated Intermediate Body responsible for the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes under Operational Programme I 2014 – 2020 ‘Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to

meet our challenges’.

Address: Measures and Support Division, Triq il-Kukkanja, St. Venera SVR 1411

Contact Number: 22001100

Email: msd.meae@gov.mt

Website: www.businessenhance.gov.mt www.eufunds.gov.mt

Operational Programme I – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 “Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges” Aid Schemes part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund

Co-financing rate: 80% European Union; 20% National Funds