PILSEN BUSINESS VOUCHERS
Details
COUNTRY: Czechia
REGION: Pilsen
PERIOD: 2013 – Ongoing
Goals, Recipients, Beneficiaries
The City of Pilsen contributes to the development of the business environment and the competitiveness of companies in Pilsen and its surroundings through the programme of support for cooperation between companies and research organisations in the Pilsen agglomeration – the Pilsen Business Vouchers.
The aim of the programme is to support and strengthen innovative activities of Pilsen SMEs. For companies, the vouchers are an incentive to establish contact with a research organisation or to expand existing cooperation. With the help of the Pilsen business vouchers, they can use the capacities, knowledge and equipment of a research organisation that they do not have at their disposal.
Cooperation with a research organisation will not only bring real project outputs, but also new professional contacts, interesting solutions or ideas for further innovations. Finally, it will also provide insights that companies don’t have time for within their day-to-day operations. For research organisations, on the other hand, the Pilsen vouchers represent a valuable exchange of experience.
Eligible Projects / Expenses
Who can apply for the Pilsen Business Voucher?
An enterprise (small, medium or even large) that implements innovative activities and has its headquarter or registered office in the Pilsen agglomeration.
Who can provide the services?
R&D organisation, listed in the list of research organisations on the website of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, which is based in the territory of the Czech Republic.
What services of research organisations are supported by the programme?
- Measurements, diagnostics, testing, assays, analyses, verification or calculations
- Design of systems or their components, designs, equipment, materials, methods, processes or hardware
- Software design and development
- Design of optimization of processes, methods, parameters or use of materials
- Modelling/simulation of processes, processes, systems or operations, etc.
Support
Voucher is a one-off grant given to a recipient to purchase services from research organisations. These services must be knowledge-based and new to the beneficiary. The outputs/results of the services provided will be used by the beneficiary for its business purposes, namely innovation activities.
For SMEs, the maximum amount of the grant is 75 % of the eligible costs (price of services excluding VAT), up to a maximum of CZK 300 000 (€12 000).
For a large enterprise, the maximum amount of the grant is 40 % of the eligible expenditure (price of services excluding VAT), up to a maximum of CZK 300 000.
Procedure
The programme’s total allocation within the 2024 call was CZK 4,000,000 (160 000 euro). If eligible applications exceed this amount, they will be scored points if they are SME, have headquarter in Pilsen, have not previously received a grant from this programme, requests a subsidy rate lower than the maximum, etc. All these criteria are scored, and the applications are then ranked according to the number of points they receive. Only those projects with higher scores will receive the grant.
The services of a research organisation will then be commissioned to assist the company in the areas listed as eligible expenditure. The offer from the specific R&D organisation is part of the application – this step speeds up the subsequent implementation of the collaborative research.
Upon completion of the contract, the applicant will pay the costs to the research organisation and then demonstrate compliance with the grant conditions and request reimbursement of this amount.
Status and Results
One call is being opened every year. Usually at the end of the year the evaluation takes place and at the beginning of the following year the successful companies can start benefiting from the funds.
By 2024 (at a time when the last call has not yet been evaluated), 9 calls have been launched, 168 applicants requested a subsidy in the form of a voucher and have been supported and 121 projects succeeded. In total €1,25 mil. redistributed.
Remarks
This support instrument is a part of a wider framework, a Pilsen Innovation Ecosystem (PINE). PINE is a unique ecosystem that works with technology perceptions with kindergarten children, permeates all levels of the education system and is gradually working with promising innovators who have the potential to start their own companies, helping them to grow in their innovative business. PINE also connects the world of start-ups with the world of investors.
Contacts
ORGANISATION: Business Innovation Center
CONTACT PERSON: Jana Nyergesova
EMAIL: nyergesova@bic.cz