Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments for the Private Sector, Especially SMEs An Overview Samuël Maenhout Policy Officer of Unit for "SMEs, Financial Instruments and State Aid" (B.3) DG Research and @ 'Bridging Business and Research', Information Event on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions April 30, Brussels, Belgium
What is Horizon 2020? Framework funding programme for all EU research & innovation-related activities (2014-2020)* A core part of Europe 2020, Union & European Research Area: - Responding to the economic crisis to invest in future jobs and growth - Addressing people s concerns about their livelihoods, safety and environment - Strengthening the EU s global position in research, innovation and technology * Total budget amount of EUR 79 billion (in current prices including inflation)
Horizon 2020 A Coherent Vision Programme Dynamics A strong challenge-based approach, allowing applicants to have considerable freedom to come up with innovative solutions Emphasis on innovation, with continuing support for R&D Less prescriptive topics, strong emphasis on expected impact A strategic approach, with two-year work programmes Focus areas bring together different technologies, along entire innovation chain
Three priorities S M Excellent science Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions E Industrial leadership Societal challenges
Horizon 2020 Pillar Societal Challenges Industrial Leadership Horizon 2020 Objective LEITs in SMEs Concrete Support Measures Collaborative Projects SME Instrument Collaborative Projects SME Instrument Eurostars (II) Networking and Support Actions Access to Risk Finance Debt Facility Equity Facility Accompanying Measures Excellent Science MSCA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions FET Collaborative Projects Project Grant Support Capacity Building and Value Chain Development Support Financial Instruments and Accompanying Measures HR Support Figure 1: Horizon 2020's complementary measures for SME support
Horizon 2020 Grants
SME Grant Support Horizon 2020 Positioning in the Cycle Horizon 2020 Collaborative Research Target: R&D topics (min. 3 participants) Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Target: in SME (min. 1 participant) Eurostars Target: R&D intensive SME (min. 2 participants) R&D driven projects Market opportunity driven projects
Simple Horizon 2020 Collaborative Research Target: R&D topics (min. 3 participants) Simplified R&I Cooperation Implementation similar to Cooperation Programme under FP7. Intended to facilitate collaborative research & innovation across Europe through transnational consortiums that consist of a minimum of three different partners (legal entities) from three different EU member-states or countries associated to Horizon 2020. Same reimbursement rate for all*: Up to 100% of eligible cost (limited to maximum of 70% for innovation actions), 25% flat-rate for indirect costs Simplifying participation for SMEs: A unit cost system in the rules for SME owners and physical persons without a salary Simplification regarding personnel costs like simplified provisions on productive hours and clear minimum rules on time-recording * Exception for non-profit organisations
Open and Ambitious Horizon 2020 Collaborative Research Target: R&D topics (min. 3 participants) 13 % of the total combined budget for all societal challenges and the enabling and industrial technologies (LEITs) or at least EUR 5.5 billion* should be directly invested into collaborative research and innovation activities conducted by SMEs. The major initiatives that favor the involvement of SMEs include selection of SME-relevant topics, and coordination and support actions. SME participation is expected not to be uniform across the different priorities of Horizon 2020, but the ambition is clearly to enhance SME participation across the board. An example: Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Open (Excellent Science-pillar): fosters collaboration across disciplines on radically new, high-risk ideas and accelerates development of the most promising emerging areas of science and technology; recognises and stimulates the driving role of new high-potential actors in research and innovation, such as women, young researchers and high-tech SMEs, is also important for nurturing the scientific and industrial leaders of the future. No thematic restrictions. Call budget for 2014-2015: EUR 154 million. * In current prices
Eurostars Target: R&D intensive SME (min. 2 participants) **: R&D Performing SMEs in the Lead European joint programme initiative (public-public partnership), co-funded by 34 EUREKA countries & the EU (through Horizon 2020) Support for R&D-performing SMEs wishing to exploit promising R&D results and bring new products or services to the market Transnational approach: collaboration of an R&D-performing SME with at least one other partner from another EUREKA country that is also participating in Eurostars 2 Bottom-up approach: SME defines the nature of the project; open to all technology areas Average project volume: EUR 1.4 million (upper limits in terms of funding depend on national funding bodies in respective EUREKA countries) Funding rates vary between 35-100% of eligible costs depending on national funding rules/ rates in countries participating in Eurostars 2 Total budget: ca. EUR 1.2 billion; Eurostars 2-participating countries will contribute EUR 861 million, EU contribution of EUR 287 million (max.)
SME Instrument - Main Features Targeted at all types of innovative SMEs showing a strong ambition to develop, grow and internationalise Only SMEs will be allowed to apply for funding and support Single company support possible From idea to market through three phases of continuous support No obligation for applicants to sequentially cover all three phases; each phase open to all SMEs 70% funding (as a general rule) 11 Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Target: in SME (min. 1 participant)
2% budget 10% success 30-50% success 10% budget 88% budget
Business Coaching Coaches will drive the performance of the organisation Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Target: in SME (min. 1 participant) Coaches suggested by EEN, and selected by the SME Voluntary: Phase 1: 3 days Phase 2: 12 days 13
Implementation? Article 18(2) Regulation [ ] a dedicated SME instrument that is targeted at all types of SMEs with an innovation potential, in a broad sense, shall be created under a single centralised management system and shall be implemented primarily in a bottom-up manner via a continuously open call [ ] Implemented centrally by one agency (EASME) Bottom-up approach within the frame of SC & LEIT each SC & LEIT defines a broad topic Continuously open call with around 4 cut-off dates per year Phase 1 18/06/2014 24/09/2014 17/12/2014 2014 2015 Phase 2 Phase 1 Phase 2 09/10/2014 17/12/2014 18/03/2015 17/06/2015 17/09/2015 16/12/2015 18/03/2015 17/06/2015 17/09/2015 16/12/2015 Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Target: in SME (min. 1 participant)
Evaluation? Commercialisation potential and economic impact Excellence in innovation There has to be a market Plus: EU added value Company's potential to achieve the envisaged results Easy to use/produce for the customer and the firm Technical solution possible and better than existing ones
Implementation / Work Programme 2014/2015 LEIT ICT LEIT NMP Call Topics Open Disruptive (2014: 45 M / 2015: 45 M ) Accelerating the uptake of nanotechnologies, advanced materials or advanced manufacturing and processing technologies by SMEs (21.8 M /23.8 M ) LEIT SME boosting biotechnology-based industrial processes driving competitiveness Biotech and sustainability (3.8 M /2.4 M ) LEIT Space SME Instrument (8.5 M /8.75 M ) SC1 Health Clinical research for the validation of biomarkers and/or diagnostic medical devices (66.1 M / 45M ) SC2 Bioeconomy & Supporting SMEs efforts for the development - deployment and market Resource-efficient eco-innovative food production and processing (9 M /17 M ) replication of innovative solutions for blue growth (3 M /5 M ) SC3 Energy Stimulating the innovation potential of SMEs for a low carbon and efficient energy system (33.95 M /37.26 M ) SC4 Transport SC5 Climate SC6 IIIS SC7 Security Small business innovation research for Transport (35.87 M /38.96 M ) Boosting the potential of small businesses for eco-innovation and a sustainable supply of raw materials (17 M /19 M ) Innovative mobile e-government applications by SMEs (2015: 4 M ) & SME business model innovation (2015: 11 M ) Protection of urban soft targets and urban critical infrastructures (7 M /7.4 M )
Horizon 2020 Access to Risk Finance for SMEs
Why Access to Risk Finance? Barriers to & Growth for SMEs Source: EC and ECB, SMEs Access to Finance Survey 2013 Analytical Report (14 November 2013).
, 2014-2020) Horizon 2020 Industrial Leadership Overall proposed funding in M * Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies (LEITs) (ICT, nanotechnologies, materials, biotechnology, manufacturing, space) Access to risk finance Leveraging private finance and venture capital for research and innovation in SMEs Fostering all forms of innovation in all types of SMEs 13 557 2 842 616 (+ complemented by expected 20% of budget of societal challenges + LEITs and 'Access to risk finance' with strong SME focus) * In current prices
The Basics WHAT SUPPORT WILL BE ON OFFER? H2020 Access to Risk Finance Risk-sharing in the form of loans and guarantees Risk finance in the form of equity FOR WHO or WHAT? RDI-driven/ innovative SMEs & small midcaps Ambitious RDI projects carried out by a variety of recipients (companies, stand-alone projects etc.) TO SERVE WHICH PURPOSES? Stimulate more investment in research and innovation, notably by the private sector No market distortion: intervention only to address financing gaps in the R&D&I delivery chain (notably due to high risk), and as such help translate R&D results to the market (/innovation) IMPLEMENTED HOW? Demand-driven ("first come, first served") Via banks, funds and other intermediaries at European level (European Investment Bank, European Investment Fund) and national/ regional level 20
H2020 Debt Instrument Access to Debt Loans and guarantees for RDI investments: Loans and guarantees for investments in Research & ; targeted at midcaps, larger companies, research institutes, stand-alone projects, PPPs, other entities; particular approach for innovative midcaps; loan amounts above EUR 7.5 million Loan guarantee facility for SMEs & small midcaps: Loan guarantee facility for loans to researchintensive and innovative SMEs & small midcaps; loan amounts between EUR 25,000 to 7.5 million 21
H2020 Equity Instrument & Accompanying Measures Access to Equity: Early stage finance for innovative enterprises (notably seed and start-up companies); limited growth-stage finance also possible Pilot facility for technology transfer (under development) to bring R&D results from public research organisations and universities to the market (licensing; creation of spin-off companies) Accompanying measures (for access to risk finance support): Technical and financial assistance (of EIB); Improving investor-readiness of start-ups, SMEs and small midcaps; Piloting co-investment by Business Angels; Prizes for best practices in R&I finance etc. 22
H2020 Financial Instruments in Practice Loans Loan guarantees Equity Mainly Midcaps and large corporates* SMEs/Midcaps: Loan guarantee up to 25 m SMEs and small midcaps SMEs and small midcaps Financial intermediary* Financial intermediary* Financial intermediary** EIB EIB EIF EIF *Bank or a financial institution selected on the basis of the call for expression of interest that signed an agreement with the EIF **Fund selected on the basis of a call of expression of interest that signed an agreement with the EIF *All entities will be eligible also PPPs, universities, research infrastructures etc., provided they can borrow 23
EU SME R&I Support vs. Valleys of Death University SMEs Mid-caps Larger Business Collaborative Horizon 2020 Intervention Logic
More Information Horizon 2020 http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/smes http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020- section/access-risk-finance http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020- section/innovation-smes EASME http://ec.europa.eu/easme/sme/ SME Techweb http://ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb/index_en.cfm Financial Instruments RSFF http://www.eib.org/products/rsff/ RSI www.eif.org/what_we_do/guarantees/rsi/index.htm EU Access to Finance - www.europa.eu/youreurope/business/index_en.htm
ACTION Participate via Participant Portal: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/des ktop/en/funding/sme_participation.html Calls for proposals Horizon 2020 documents Support services Evaluation experts
Thank you very much for your attention! Research and 27