NCBR to launch call for research projects on improving accessibility for people with special needs

Almost 100 million Euros (445 million PLN) from the European Funds for a Modern Economy program will be invested by the National Center for Research and Development (NCBR) in projects aimed at ensuring accessibility for people with special needs. The "SMART Path for Accessibility" call, aimed mainly at large enterprises, launched on the July 6 will be open until August 31 this year.

The projects proposals should focus on finding solutions to increase the accessibility for people with special needs, understood as removing the barriers present in, for example, physical space (including buildings, equipment), digital reality, information and communication systems, products, services, processes, or meeting the special needs of these people.

The call is aimed at large enterprises planning to implement complex projects in the field of: research and development (R&D), innovation implementations, R&D infrastructure development, internationalization, competence development of employees and business managers, digitalization and greening of business operations.

The call is open to large enterprises independently applying for project support. According to the selection criteria, large companies (with the exception of small mid-cap companies) that provide for manufacturing investments, must include cooperation with SMEs in the project in order to receive the funding. Such cooperation can take the form of knowledge transfer, cooperative linkages, including: innovation clusters (including export clusters), production chains, technology networks, technology platforms, among others.

The budget provided to support accessibility solutions is aprox. 100 million Euros (445 million PLN). Applicants should remember that the minimum value of eligible costs in the project is 220 000 euros (1 million PLN, the limit applies to the R&D module), and the eligible costs of the R&D module must constitute at least 20% of the total eligible costs of the project.

The maximum value and level of funding depends on the type of public aid selected under the modules. Funding will be provided in the form of grants as public and de minimis aid. A conditional grant will be provided for the "implementation of innovations" module.

Implementation of the R&D module, which includes either industrial research and development or development only, is mandatory. The remaining modules, in accordance with the innovative formula of the competition, the company can implement according to the needs and specifics of the project.

Each funded project must comply with the thematic scope of the call and fit into at least one National Smart Specializations.

Pro-accessibility activities focused on inclusion and non-discrimination -  like the flagship "Accessible University" call, implemented with the support of European Funds under the Knowledge Education Development Program - are a permanent feature of calls launched by the National Center for Research and Development.

In the "SMART Path for Accessibility" call, applications can only be submitted via the LSI system from July 6 to August 31 (until 4 pm) this year.