Funding opoortunity, Research Lead
Two calls for proposals that aim to help SMEs become more innovative have been announced under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).
More than Euros 80 million is available under this aspect of FP7, which aims to bolster the innovative capacity of Europe’s SMEs and strengthen their contribution to the development of new technology-based products and markets. This will be achieved by helping SMEs outsource research, increase in house research efforts, boost networking activities, and improving the way SMEs exploit their results and acquire knowledge.
The larger of the two calls for proposals, FP7-SME-2008-2, has a budget of Euro 78.55 million and is seeking project proposals from SME associations in all research fields. Project consortia must consist of at least three independent national SME associations from three Member States or Associated Countries, or one pan European SME association from one eligible country. The call closes on 18 December 2008.
The second call, FP7-SME-2009-1, covers projects that help SMEs particpiate in European research programmes, and closes on 27 January 2009.
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