New PoC Call Coming Soon: Grants of up to €60,000
The aim of the programme is to encourage startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and research organisations to develop technological solutions addressing key global challenges — ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to advanced security testing methods.
The call will target micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises as well as research organisations, supporting pre-commercial activities in the early stages of developing new products, services, and technological processes. The objective is to assess commercial potential, guide further development, and reduce investment risk.
The call is expected to finance research activities at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3–4, which fall under the category of industrial research.
What Is Industrial Research?
Industrial research refers to planned research or critical investigation aimed at acquiring new knowledge and skills for the development of new products, processes, or services, or for improving existing ones. This includes digital products, processes, or services across any field, technology, industry, or sector.
It covers, but is not limited to, digital industries and technologies such as high-performance computing, quantum technologies, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, big data technologies, and cloud computing.
Industrial research may also include the development of components for complex systems, as well as the creation of prototypes in a laboratory environment or in environments with simulated interfaces of existing systems. Small pilot lines may also be included where necessary for industrial research, particularly for the validation of generic technologies.
Eligibility Criteria
Who Is Not Eligible to Apply?
- Natural persons
- Flat-rate sole traders
- Large enterprises
- Associations
- Companies in difficulty
- Companies without at least one employee in 2024
- Companies not registered for the activities relevant to the project implementation
Eligible Cost Categories (for Companies)
Eligible costs include:
- personnel costs (employee salaries),
- costs of external research services,
- depreciation of instruments and equipment necessary for project implementation,
- costs of materials and small inventory required for the project,
- other costs incurred exclusively as a result of project implementation
(up to 20% of total eligible costs, e.g. external project management services), - indirect costs (e.g. accounting, cleaning, telephone, electricity, etc.),
- costs of external services related to business validation activities and market analysis,
- VAT on costs for which the applicant is not entitled to a refund.
For micro and small enterprises, the aid intensity can reach up to 70% of eligible costs. With a maximum grant amount of €60,000, this call represents a practical and accessible tool for testing innovative concepts at an early stage, prior to potential market commercialisation.
For more details, visit the Netokracija portal.
For timely and high-quality project preparation, contact us at:
info@omniasolutions.hr
