Innowwide library and guidelines

We've answered questions about the first Innowwide call for market feasibility projects submitted to the helpdesk and/or asked during webinars. Repeated questions have been grouped.

Disclaimer: These FAQs are for reference purposes only and do not have legal value in themselves. Please consult the Innowwide call for projects text and implementing guidelines.

What is the total available budget for the first Innowwide call for projects?

3 million euro to fund 50 market feasibility projects.

How many SMEs will apply?

We expect to receive between 400 and 600 applications.

Can I submit multiple applications to the same Innowwide call for projects (e.g., one targeting United States and another targeting South Africa)?

You may only submit one application per call for projects.

If I received funding from Innowwide’s pilot phase, can I apply and receive funding again?

Yes, but you must apply with a different project and targeting a different market.

Is there a focus (thematic or industry) for this call for projects?

This call for projects has no thematic or industry focus. Innovative SMEs from any sector can apply.

Can an organisation registered as a foundation apply?

Foundations can apply only if they are an SME according to the European Union definition, which considers:

• economic activity
• number of employees
• revenue

You must complete an SME self-assessment in your Innowwide application and confirm your status as eligible to receive Innowwide funding.

Do I already need an existing product, or can I apply if I only have a product concept?

You can participate in Innowwide with an innovative product concept or a solution you have already developed and commercialised (in your home market).

Your Innowwide market feasibility project can be the start of a future international R&D and innovation project you intend to carry out (in the short or medium term) with local counterparts in your target country. This future project may be for developing, improving or researching new applications for your innovative solution (product, process or service), including frugal innovation.

How will the requirement of “high impact in the target country” be measured?

In the impact section of your application, you must describe how your innovative solution is relevant to your target market in terms of sales, societal, environmental, ethical and gender relevance (in particular, in relation to Sustainable Development Goals).

Independent experts will consider this when evaluating the impact of your project.

What does ”civil applications” mean?

Innowwide projects (and results) cannot be for military use.

Is there a template for the workplan?

We do not provide a template for your workplan.

Must Innowwide projects start after a funding decision has been made?

Yes. When a funding decision has been made and a grant agreement has been signed, your market feasibility project can begin.

When will I receive a funding decision?

• Call for projects opens: 5 September 2022
• Call for projects deadline: 15 November 2022, 17:00 CET
• Evaluation results (indicative): March 2023
• Grant agreement signature/project start date (indicative): April 2023

If my Innowwide market feasibility project is funded and successful, am I obliged to market my product, process or service in the target country?

Although the aim of your market feasibility project is to determine whether your product-, process- or service-market combination can be commercialised in your target market, you are not obliged to commercialise it after your project ends.

Do I already need to have a source of funding ready for a future R&D project that will result from my Innowwide project?

No.

Can growing startup companies that have not begun making a profit yet apply?

Startups can apply to this call for projects. Instead of a self-financial viability check, startups (or SMEs that do not have two years of financial records) will be assessed their financial capacity based on a two-year business plan.

Subcontracting

Can I choose to target two different countries in a single project application?

No. Your market feasibility project must target only one pilot market (country) where you intend to develop and validate your innovative business solution with a local counterpart.

Can a market feasibility project have more than one subcontractor? Can subcontractors be based in another country than the target country?

You must have one local counterpart (main subcontractor) based in your target country.

You are allowed to use other minor subcontractors in your target country or in a different country (including in EU or Horizon Europe Associated Countries). These subcontractors must be justified and can only conduct minor tasks (e.g., publishing, preparing promotional material, supporting participation in trade fairs, supporting matchmaking, clerical support, etc.).

Can subcontracting costs be 0? Is there a maximum subcontracting amount?

As subcontracting costs vary from country to country, you can decide how much you want to dedicate to subcontracting.

There are no minimum or maximum subcontracting amounts, but cooperation with a main subcontractor is an important part of your market feasibility project, so you must allocate a reasonable budget to your subcontractor.

Can subsidiaries/affiliated companies based in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries or parent firms based in non- EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries be main subcontractors?

Subsidiaries/affiliated companies and parent firms can be a main subcontractor if they:

1. are independent from the applicant SME,
2. are based in an eligible target country,
3. are legal entities according to the EU definition and
4. have local competencies to collaborate on the project with the applicant SME.

What type of organisation must the subcontractor be?

Subcontractors can be any type of legal entity organisation.

For African companies targeting EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries where the EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country organisation is applying on behalf of the African company, the African company must be an SME.

How is the subcontractor paid?

The beneficiary SME is responsible for allocating work to and paying the subcontractor. You should define a payment method in the contract you sign with your subcontractor.

How can I find a counterpart in another country?

Finding a counterpart can be time consuming. Please take this into account before starting your application for this call for projects (deadline 15 November 2022).

We have provided a (non-exhaustive) list of organisations that can help you find a relevant partner.

When contacting these organisations, please state information about your company (type of company, sector, previous experience in international collaboration, etc.), the type of partnership you need (cooperation description, type of partner sought, country, etc.) and your contact information.

Are SMEs in the United Kingdom eligible to receive funding through Innowwide? Is the United Kingdom a possible target country?

If the United Kingdom has not become an Associated Country in Horizon Europe by the call for projects deadline (15 November 2022), organisations cannot participate either as beneficiary SMEs or as target country subcontractors.

Organisations in Andorra, the Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland are also excluded from this call for projects.

Funding

Does Innowwide fall within De Minimis rules?

Innowwide is funded by Horizon Europe and exempt from De Minimis rules.

Can I receive Innowwide funding at the same time as participating in other EU funding programmes?

European Commission financial regulations prevents you from receiving funding from more than one European Union programme for the same activities and expenses. Activities in your Innowwide market feasibility project cannot be funded by any other EU funding programme.

Are there rules for calculating personnel costs? Do I need to submit timesheets after finishing my project? Do I need to submit evidence like flight tickets?

Innowwide reviews the outcome of your receiving the 60,000 euro lump sum. If your project is finalised correctly, you do not need to report costs and resources.

However, you need to follow regular bookkeeping practices. The beneficiary SME must have specific financial accounts and report the execution and results of your market feasibility project.

At any moment, the Eureka Association (or the European Anti-Fraud Office, the European Court of Auditors, etc.) reserves the right to carry out checks, reviews, audits or investigations.

Innowwide is a mono-beneficiary funding programme. How are projects funded when an African company targets a EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country? Are costs distributed between the partner and the counterpart?

The SME in the EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country applies and receives funding on behalf of the African company. The African company can then carry out the market feasibility project in the EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.

The African company is also the main subcontractor in the financial transaction. The SME beneficiary in the EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country receiving the funding is responsible for paying the African company. This is defined in the contract between the beneficiary and the main subcontractor that must be submitted when you sign your Grant Agreement.

Does Innowwide fund more than 60,000 euro per project?

Successful market feasibility projects receive a fixed grant of 60,000 euro.

The maximum funding is up to 70% of minimum project eligible costs (personnel, subcontracting, purchasing costs, travel and subsistence, equipment depreciation and other goods, works and services) of 86,000 euro.

Should I state the budgets of the main partner and local counterpart in the application form?

No. You must only state the budget for the beneficiary SME. Subcontracting costs (for the local counterpart in your target country) is listed in a budget category within the overall budget.