{"id":6190,"date":"2019-03-12T16:50:29","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T16:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/?page_id=6190"},"modified":"2022-01-06T15:49:35","modified_gmt":"2022-01-06T15:49:35","slug":"nacionalen-inovacionen-fond","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/en\/general\/nacionalen-inovacionen-fond\/","title":{"rendered":"National Innovation Fund (NIF)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #29588e;\"><em><strong>Updated last 26.03.2021<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fund is created in accordance with Council of Ministers Decision No. 723 of 8 September 2004 for adoption of Innovation Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria and measures for the implementation thereof, amended with Decision No. 385 of 22.05.2006.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The center\u2019s last announced innovation session is Session No. 11, which has expired on 17.09.2020. Further information for the sessions ended is available at the internet page of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/en\/themes\/nacionalen-inovacionen-fond-19-287.html\">Ministry of Economy<\/a> and of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sme.government.bg\/en\/?page_id=2022\">Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The adoption of a new Innovation Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria is expected.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What is the National Innovation Fund?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The National Innovation Fund (NIF) was established by virtue of decision of the Council of Ministers in September 2004. According to the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation of the Republic of Bulgaria 2014 \u2013 2020, NIF is one of the instruments for implemention of the innovation strategy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The goals underlying the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation of the Republic of Bulgaria 2014 \u2013 2020 (ISSS) are implemented through the actions of the Fund in the period 2016-2020.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border: 2px solid #afabab;\" border=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #4f81bd; border: 1px solid #4f81bd;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong><em>For more information<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ffffff;\"><span style=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"For more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/files\/useruploads\/images\/msp\/computer_-_more_information.png\" alt=\"For more information\" width=\"40\" height=\"42\" \/><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ffffff;\">\n<p><span style=\"\">Additional information on the essence of the National Innovation Fund is available on the website of:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sme.government.bg\/en\/?p=2695\" target=\"_blank\">The Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Promotion Executive Agency<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Goals of the National Innovation Fund <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main goal of the Fund is to promote the scientific research and development activities <a title=\"Footnote 1\" href=\"javascript:showPage(3);\">[1]<\/a> in order to improve the competitiveness of the enterprises and encouraging the cooperation between the science and business in Bulgaria. The Fund\u2019s direct objectives are:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>to promote the implementation of scientific research and development projects and projects for technical feasibility with the aim of acquiring new or improved products, processes or services designed to raise the economic efficiency, improve the innovative potential and technological level of enterprises, increase private investment and enhance the dynamics of innovative processes<\/li>\n<li>to increase the production volume; <\/li>\n<li>to improve the quality of the produced goods, services or processes; <\/li>\n<li>to reduce the quantity of the resources used; <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li> to increase the investments in efficient enterprises.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border: 2px solid #afabab;\" border=\"2\" width=\"633\" height=\"89\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #4f81bd; border: 1px solid #4f81bd;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><em><strong>Important to know<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ffffff;\"><span style=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Important to know\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/files\/useruploads\/images\/msp\/attention_-_important_to_know.jpg\" alt=\"Important to know\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #ffffff; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"\">The funds are provided by the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Promotion Executive Agency.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What activities the National Innovation Fund does support? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Find encourages the development of innovations on research and development projects, financing innovations which has not reached the market yet.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Fund does not finance:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Projects for overall development, leading to finished market product or service; <\/li>\n<li>Projects, containing classified information; <\/li>\n<li>Project, for which the aid has no stimulating effect; <\/li>\n<li>Aid for enterprises in difficult situation; <\/li>\n<li>An enterprise, against which there is non-executed order for refund as a result of a previous decision of the Commission, with which certain aid is declared illegal or incompatible with the domestic market, with the exclusion of the schemes for aid for remedying damages, caused by force majeure circumstances; <\/li>\n<li>Activities, related to the export for third countries or another member-states, an namely such which are directly related to the exported quantities, with the implementation and functioning of distribution network or with other current costs in relation to the export; <\/li>\n<li>Projects in the part of the expenses, already financed with public funds or resources of the EU or a member state. If such financing is established, the project proposal is not refused, but funded are only the non-funded with public funds or resources activities \/ costs;<\/li>\n<li>Projects, with which aid is declared for granting: <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8211; in the fishing and aquaculture sector;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8211; granted in the sector of initial production of agricultural produce;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8211; for processing and sale of agricultural products, when the aid amount is determined based on the price or the quantity of these products, which are purchased by the initial producers or offered at the market by the respective enterprises;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8211; for processing and sale of agricultural products, when the aid is bound with the obligation for it to be transferred partially or in whole to the initial producers;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8211; for making easier the closing of non-competitive coal mines in accordance with Resolution 2010\/787\/EC of the Council.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What is the budget available to SMEs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Fund\u2019s budget is different for each call session. For example, the eleventh session in 2020 had a budget of BGN 5 000 000.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>How is the programme budget allocated?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The percentage of the grant in the total expenses is:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>50% &#8211; for industrial scientific research; <\/li>\n<li>25% &#8211; for experimental development,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">which may go up to 80% with:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>10% for medium-sized enterprises; <\/li>\n<li>20% for small enterprises; <\/li>\n<li>Up\u00a0to 15%, in case of effective cooperation      with a scientific research and knowledge dissemination organisation and \/      or another enterprises.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>How can you apply?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The submission of the application documents is electronically on the website of the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Promotion Executive Agency, and the documents submitted have to be signed with a qualified electronic signature.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What is the procedure, criteria and methodology for the evaluation of the project proposals?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The evaluation of the proposals includes:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Evaluation of the administrative compliance and      eligibility \u2013 this stage addresses the following questions: is the      application deadline complied with, are all required documents available      in the specified format, is duplicated funding in place, etc.?; <\/li>\n<li>Technical and economic evaluation of the project      proposal \u2013 at this stage the innovation (relevance of the project,      realisation of a technological achievement, benefits to the public, etc.),      efficiency of the approach, economic feasibility (competitive advantages,      market applicability, return on expenses incurred, etc.); <\/li>\n<li>Financial evaluation of the budget.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Who are the eligible candidates?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The eligible candidates include traders registered in Bulgaria in the meaning of the Commerce Act (CA) or an equivalent person in the meaning of the legislation of another European Union member state.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">An eligible partner for the implementation of a project under the scheme may be an enterprise \u2013 trader in the meaning of the CA or an equivalent person in the meaning of the legislation of European Union member state and \/ or scientific research and knowledge dissemination organisations from a European Union member state. The scientific research and knowledge dissemination organisation should have the status of a legal entity. In the case of projects involving partners of the enterprise (one of the enterprises for projects involving more than one partner) is a coordinator, has the status of an applicant and submits the tender documentation (including the documentation required for the partner in the implementation of the project).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">At joint ventures of enterprises only one start-up is allowed to participate.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Which are the thematic areas specific to the Fund?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thematic areas in accordance with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/files\/useruploads\/files\/innovations\/ris3_26_10_2015_bg.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">ISSS<\/a>, within which scientific research and development projects fall\u00a0 include:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Mechatronic sand clean technologies; <\/li>\n<li>Information and communication technologies and      computer science; <\/li>\n<li>Healthy life industry and biotechnologies; <\/li>\n<li>New technologies and recreation industries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What are the expense eligibility requirements?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eligible expenses include only expenses for actions on \u201cindustrial scientific research\u201d and \u201cexperimental development&#8220;:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Personnel expenses (main and auxiliary) on      scientific research and development project \u2013 up to 70% of the total      expenses in the budget of each participant; <\/li>\n<li>Tools and equipment expenses. They include only      the expenses for depreciation write-offs for purchased new instruments,      tools, equipment and intangible fixed assets within the project framework.      The maximum admissible share of the planned expenses for depreciation      write-offs in group \u201cCosts of instruments, tools and equipment\u201d in the      budget of each participant individually is up to 50 % of the total planned      expenses.; <\/li>\n<li>Hired services expenses. Admissible are only      expenses for the assignment of scientific research, and the admissible      relative share for hired services shall not exceed 10 % of the total      amount of the expenses in the budget of each participant; <\/li>\n<li>Materials and consumables expenses. This item      should include only expenses for new and unused materials and utilities, designated      solely for the implementation of the project and included in the project\u2019s      budget. The costs of water, electricity and\/or thermal energy are      admissible only for projects, for which implementation they represent at      least 50 % of the total expenses for materials and utilities under the      budget of each beneficiary \/ coordinator or partner(s); <\/li>\n<li>Expenses on business trips aboard. Costs of      business trips are admissible only when in the project participates a      partner, who is registered in another EU member-state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The scientific research and knowledge dissemination organisation covers at least 10% of the eligible expenses under the project.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Duration of the scientific research and development projects \u2013 up to 18 months.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What are the deadlines within which I can apply on calls under the Programme?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You can apply for financing from the Fund depending\u00a0on the terms of the call for each specific year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border: 2px solid #afabab;\" border=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #4f81bd; border: 1px solid #4f81bd;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong><em>For more information<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ffffff;\"><span style=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"For more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/files\/useruploads\/images\/msp\/computer_-_more_information.png\" alt=\"For more information\" width=\"40\" height=\"42\" \/><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ffffff;\">\n<p><span style=\"\">Additional information regarding the application to the National Innovation Fund is available on the website of:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sme.government.bg\/en\/?page_id=2022\" target=\"_blank\">The Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Promotion Agency<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Footnote 1\" href=\"javascript:showPage(1);\">[1]<\/a> The intellectual property rights on the products and the outcomes, as well as the related access rights received during the implementation of a project funded from the NIF, are held by the candidate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Updated last 26.03.2021 The fund is created in accordance with Council of Ministers Decision No. 723 of 8 September 2004 for adoption of Innovation Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria and measures for the implementation thereof, amended with Decision No. 385 of 22.05.2006. The center\u2019s last announced innovation session is Session No. 11, which has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":0,"parent":6419,"menu_order":1000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6190","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":6190,"bg":6189},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/150"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6190\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.government.bg\/rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}