Grant competition aims to increase innovation

Micro-sized, small and medium companies in Pomorskie will be eligible to apply for EU grants worth PLN 66.5 million in 2017, the Pomorskie Voivodeship Development Agency stated on Tuesday in a press release. Winning companies are eligible for up to PLN 1 million in support, each. The call for competitors was announced under sub-measure 2.2.1, entitled, ‘investments profiled - support subsidy’, the release stated. The competition is one of many taking place under the Regional Operational Programme for Polish regions covering the time period 2014 through 2020. The possibility of obtaining of funding, the release said, is conditional upon the company’s planning and utilization of innovative solutions. Applications may be submitted from February 1 to March 15 of 2017. Decisions on winning applicants will be made by September. Businesses can apply for grants for investments related to the introduction of new products and services. According to the recommendations of the European Commission each region has been singled out for the areas of R&D and innovation in which it can excel. For Pomorskie, the release stated, there is a special emphasis on technology and the sea, interactive information technology, energy and ecological construction, and medicine for treating epidemics. Entrepreneurs can apply for financial support for plans that aim to improve the manufacturing process, increase service provision, make more efficient the purchase of machinery and equipment, or reduce the cost of production processes.