The synergy between science and business will be supported by over 2 billion. lv., reports the Ministry of Innovation and Growth /PEACE/. At the end of last year, the European Commission approved the new Scientific Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Intelligent Transformation Program / PNIIDIT / with a budget of 2.14 billion. Lv.
This is the first European program for the interaction between business and science in Bulgaria’s history of European funds management. /. The MIR Program will stimulate cooperation with Bulgarian and international companies – small, medium and large, with science and development centres at home and worldwide.
In the second half of 2023, the new scientific program will open three application measures for about 500 million. lv. from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises / SMEs /, as well as large companies in cooperation with SMEs. Higher schools, research organizations, development centres and institutes can also apply for it.
Some measures will allow the joint participation of companies, scientific unions, non-governmental organizations, large enterprises and municipalities.
The first procedure to be announced for the PNIIDIT application will be a voucher scheme to support small and medium-sized enterprises in their efforts to implement scientific developments in their businesses. The vouchers will have a total value of 50 million. Lv.
The application will be made by small and medium-sized enterprises, which will order scientific developments for their business through the vouchers to universities, development centres and other scientific entities at their discretion.
The scientific products developed should be implemented in the production of the companies that commissioned the developments and commercialized them.
The second measure of PNIIDIT is to build a national network of 12 digital and innovation hubs – associations between business, scientific organizations and universities, the non-governmental sector and technology and business mediators, with a budget of 140 million. Lv.
The third measure is to develop the Centres of Excellence and Centres of Competence built under the Operational Program on Science and Education for Intelligent Growth (2014-2020. ) with a budget of over 280 million. Lv. , under which the application is expected to be announced also in the second half of the year.