AEI is already working on some R&D&I calls reinforced with European funds (NGEU)
The State Research Agency (AEI) plans to launch soon some calls for R&D&I grants funded by the European Recovery Instrument-Next Generation EU (NGEU 2021-2026) and mainly linked to technology transfer and public-private collaboration.
This is the case of the call for Public-Private Collaboration Projects (former call for Collaboration Challenges), whose grant tranche will be linked to the funds of the Recovery Plan and the loan tranche to the General State Budget and which is expected to be open in 4Q 2021. In addition, the AEI is launching three new R&D&I funding initiatives, also linked to European funds: Green and Digital Transition (still in the definition phase in the AEI), Proof of Concept projects and Strategic Lines projects.
From artica+i we will continue to be in close contact with the Public Administration to update information about these and other R&D&I funding opportunities. In addition, thanks to the extensive experience of our consultants in the area of National Project Financing and Global Management of European Funds, we are available to our clients to channel this type of aid, helping to promote public-private collaboration and providing support, not only during the design phase of the proposals, but also in their monitoring and technical and economic justification.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE COLLABORATION
This is an initiative included in the State R&D&I Plan 2021-2023 and which, thanks to European funds, is expected to increase considerably in the grant tranche of the next call for proposals 2021.
Its objective is to finance experimental development projects in collaboration between companies and research organisations, aimed at responding to the 6 challenges or clusters identified in the Spanish Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2021-2027.
The beneficiary consortia must be formed by at least one research organisation (public or private) and one company, with the minimum participation of the members being 10% of the project budget. The maximum business participation will be 70%; above this proportion, the consortium must have two companies among its members.
With regard to the duration of the projects, which will start in 2022, whereas up to now, the Retos Colaboración projects have ranged from 2 to 4 years, they could now be for 3 years due to the European requirements for justification. Similarly, consideration is being given to limiting the minimum budget per project to €300,000.
Furthermore, whereas projects were previously conceived in watertight budget annual instalments, it now provides for a single implementation period, with no annual instalments. In this way, the amount granted could be implemented flexibly throughout the life of the project.
STRATEGIC LINES
This call, which expects to fund 40-50 projects in total through the EU’s Resilience and Recovery Mechanism, could be available this April and resolved by November 2021.
With an estimated budget of €43 million in grants and a loan tranche still to be determined, these projects will have a duration of 3 years and will require an interdisciplinary approach to be addressed. They will be basic or applied research projects, with a special role for research centres and business participation. As a condition, the projects must respond to one of the 22* specific topics already published, albeit provisionally, by the Ministry of Science and Innovation at the following link.
Among the main new features, according to AEI sources, is the absence of a minimum percentage in the project’s budget balance between research organisations and companies, which will be 10% in all cases. Thus, it will be necessary to set up a research team with public-private collaboration, but it may be coordinated by any of its members.
Moreover, proposals will have to be submitted in English, as the composition of the evaluation committee will have a strong international weight.
In addition, whereas projects were previously conceived in watertight budget annual instalments, it now envisages a single execution period, without annual instalments, allowing flexibility in the distribution of expenditure by annual instalments and between direct and indirect expenditure items. Financial justifications will be annual for all members of the partnership, but there will be only one final technical verification. In this way, the amount granted could be implemented in a flexible manner throughout the life of the project, with very large advances expected to be distributed with the approval decision. This management formula is applicable to both types of projects: Public-Private Partnership and Strategic Lines.
PROOF OF CONCEPT
Although this is a call that was already contemplated in the previous State Plan, it was not able to go ahead due to lack of budget. On this occasion, and thanks to the European funds of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, it is expected to be launched imminently with a budget of €40 million for the next call in 2021 (estimated for April 2021).
The main objective of this grant is to promote and accelerate the transfer of knowledge and results, as well as to foster the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of research groups. To this end, the idea, knowledge or result object of the proof of concept must come from or be closely related to the execution of a research project funded by the AEI in previous calls (2016 and 2017) of Knowledge Generation Programmes (PGC) or Challenges for Society (RTI).
It is expected to include projects -individual or coordinated, depending on the nature of the previous project- lasting 2 years and with a budget of no more than €150,000.
(*) The AEI expects to include one more topic in this list.
