Calabria: support, research and development for businesses.

Calabria: business support, research and development

“There are 20 million resources that the Calabria Region, through the Education, Training and Equal Opportunities Department, makes available for the pre-information selection notice for research and development projects. an ambitious initiative that implements Action 1.1.1. of the Calabria Fesr-Fse regional program 2021-2027, aimed at strengthening research and development in the priority areas of the Smart Specialization Strategy (S3)".

This is what Giusi Princi, vice-president of the Calabria Region with responsibility for education, declared in a note.

“The objective of the Notice – underlines Princi – is to support industrial research and experimental development projects through active collaboration between companies and research organisations. Collaborative research between companies and universities represents an advanced form of cooperation that actively involves both the academic and industrial sectors in order to promote innovation and technological advancement of Calabrian companies, with the aim of improving their production processes making them more competitive, also attracting new investments in Calabria by large companies. This type of collaboration creates a bridge between the academic world, where scientific and technological research takes place, and the industrial sector, where the results of this research are applied to develop new products, processes or services."

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises that can join forces in an associated form, collaborating with a research organization to apply, will be able to participate in the Notice. The financing made available covers costs ranging from personnel to equipment, from patents to consultancy services, the maximum amount that can be financed varies based on the size of the company and the structure of the project, with particular attention for sustainability and environmental impact.

The aid, granted in the form of a capital contribution, can cover up to 80% of eligible costs. Tangible support to catalyze innovation in Calabria.

The application window will open in the first days of 2024 with a financial endowment of 20 million euros which will help transform many ideas into reality.

“Research – continues the vice president – ​​is the beating heart of innovation, and collaboration between the academic and productive worlds is the key to bringing out the true potential of our region, a prerequisite for the development and growth of the Region. This notice represents, in fact, a significant step to support the competitiveness of the Calabrian economy and integrates with the initiatives also implemented by the Department of Economic Development and Cultural Attractors. In January, the Notice will be presented during many initiatives which will involve the associations representing the business system, in a logic of sharing and comparison”, concludes Vice President Princi. a and business development.