The requested budget of an enterprise / potential beneficiary in a funding application may not exceed three fifths (60%) of the highest turnover achieved in one of the three financial periods preceding the year in which the funding application will be filed. 

Maximum total budget for each funding application:

• Intervention I: €800,000
• Intervention II: €2,000,000
• Intervention III: €2,000,000
• Intervention IV: approved budget ceiling by Horizon Europe

Businesses and research organizations, as well as other bodies that are treated either as research organizations or as businesses engaged in research projects, which should meet, among others, the following conditions for each Intervention:

I. Research & Development by businesses: Existing businesses that have completed at least one (1) full (annual) financial year. Potential beneficiaries who are either small and medium-sized enterprises (individual SME) or business clusters including at least one SME. In addition, business clusters may include one (or more) entities of the Other Bodies category which are treated as enterprises.

II. Partnerships between businesses and research organisations: Partnerships of existing businesses that have completed at least one (1) full (annual) financial year, with research organizations, where the main beneficiaries are the enterprises. In this intervention, the partnership shall include at least one SME and at least one research organization. The partnership may also include one (or more) entities of the Other Bodies category which are treated either as research organizations or enterprises.

III. Uptake of research outcomes: Existing individual SMEs that have completed at least one (1) full (annual) financial year.

IV. Seal of Excellence for businesses: Existing Greek SMEs that have received the Seal of Excellence for research & development projects under EU’s funding programme Horizon Europe but did not receive funding because the available budget had been exhausted.

Beneficiaries can be funded for expenses incurred within the framework of the project, including:

• Direct staff costs;

• 40% flat rate on eligible direct staff costs for the remaining project costs.

For each intervention, the aid intensity shall be determined by:

• The classification of the research & development category;
• The size of the enterprise (micro/small, medium, large enterpris

The electronic submission of applications to the Integrated State Aid Information System (OPSKE) will start on Thursday 6.6.2024 for all Interventions.

The deadline for each Intervention is:

• Intervention I: Wednesday 10 July 2024, at 15:00
• Intervention ΙΙ: Wednesday 17 July 2024, at 15:00
• Interventions III & IV: Open until the available budget is exhausted or until Wednesday 27 November 2024, at 15:00.

The implementation period of the submitted proposals should not exceed 36 months.

For businesses, the aid under the Action constitutes a grant and will be allocated under Commission Regulation (EU) No. 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty (General Block Exemption Regulation), as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1315 (OJ L 167, 30.6.2023) and in force.

For research organisations, the aid under the Action constitutes a grant as defined in paragraph 20 of the Communication from the Commission “Framework for State aid for research and development and innovation” (2022/C 414/01).

For all interventions of the Action, the activities eligible for funding should fall within the categories of industrial research and/or experimental development as per Article 25 “Aid for research and development projects” and Article 25a “Aid for projects awarded a Seal of Excellence quality label” of Regulation (EU) No 651/2014, as in force.