The Foundation for Polish Science has announced the first call for proposals for the PRIME Project, funded by the European Funds for Smart Economy (FENG) programme.
The PRIME Project is addressed to scientists at any stage of their career working in Polish research organisations, who will form project teams in order to verify the market potential of their research findings and to prepare and implement the most suitable commercialisation path, including the setting up of a spin-off in ‘Phase III’ of the Project.
Objectives:
The PRIME Project is to support the formation of project teams operating in the field of commercialisation in terms of the actual market needs and developing product development plan answering these needs. The Project participants will learn how to launch an offer that satisfies the needs of the target group and how to develop the possibly most adequate strategy for implementing products into the market. All in the formula of setting up and growing spin-off companies.
Phases of implementing the Project:
‘Phase I’ (6 months) is designed to improve the competencies of team members and preliminary market validation of the identified commercialisation subject.
‘Phase II’ (12 months) is mainly dedicated to the in-depth market validation of the solution, development of the product and commercialisation strategy, and customer search.
‘Phase III’ (12 months) is aimed at spin-offs that have been formed as a result of the commercialisation strategy defined in Phase II. The spin-offs will follow an individual company and product development plan.
Who can apply for funding?
Applicants to ‘Phase I’ are research organisations with Project Teams applying to the Project, consisting of:
- Scientific Leader – the person who acts as the main executor of the Grant, the creator or co-creator of the intellectual property that is the basis of the subject of commercialisation. This person is the main implementer of the product development and commercialisation vision;
- Business Leader – a person who supports the Scientific Leader mainly in relations with the market and is responsible for the market validation of the commercialisation product;
- Technology Transfer Support – a person supporting the Research Leader in the development of the commercialisation strategy and responsible for the development and implementation of the intellectual property protection path and the Grantee’s internal.
Applicants to ‘Phase III’ are companies set up as a result of Projects implementing a commercialisation strategy developed by the Team within ‘Phase I’ and ‘Phase II’.
Researchers at any stage of their research career—including before obtaining a degree—can apply for a grant in the PRIME Project.
Allocating the funding
Participants will be able to access a wide range of training and workshops, a Bootcamp carried out in Poland and the UK, business mentoring and tailor-made professional consultancy.
The PRIME Project in ‘Phase I’ and ‘Phase II’ can provide funding to cover the costs of time spent on tasks in the Grant (based on an hourly unit rate) and travel costs (‘Phase II’). In ‘Phase III’, support can be received for the implementation of an individual product and company development plan (de minimis aid).
One Grant can receive a maximum funding of PLN 313,904 within ‘Phase I’ and ‘Phase II’.
One Applicant, as a research organisation, may receive grant support within the entire PRIME Project (all calls combined!) of up to PLN 942,060 for three projects in ‘Phase I’ and ‘Phase II’.
Application deadline: 13 February 2025, 4 p.m.
Note: One Applicant may submit a maximum of 3 grant proposals.
Contact persons:
SPIN-US Sp. z o.o.
Przemysław Ziemski, 32 359 20 79, przemyslaw.ziemski@us.edu.pl
University of Silesia
Joanna Śróbka, 32 359 21 99, joanna.srobka@us.edu.pl
Detailed information and documents available here
Announcement about the Call available here
