Czech innovations supported with CZK 3.5 billion

15 Sep. 2011 | CzechInvest, Ministry of Industry and Trade | The Ministry of Industry and Trade has extended the fourth call for submission of aid applications.

logo OPPI From November companies will again be able to apply to CzechInvest for funding that helps businesses to produce and market the results of original research and development. Today the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT) announced an extension of the fourth call of the Innovation – Innovation Project Programme, which is part of the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation (OPEI). A total of CZK 3.5 billion in aid is available.

“Support of innovation is my priority. Besides direct aid from either European or national sources, the Ministry of Industry and Trade strives to support primarily the creation of a high-quality business environment in which highly competitive firms will be able to grow. Particularly the realisation of more than forty interlinked projects anchored in the International Competitive Strategy that we have prepared should contribute to achieving this objective,” says Minister of Industry and Trade Martin Kocourek.

“Businesses can receive up to 50 million crowns or, in some regions, even as much as 100 million crowns for the purchase of machines and equipment, hardware, software and other intangible assets, such as intellectual property rights,” explainsPetr Očko, Director of the EU Funds, Research and Development Section of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

“Projects must use the results of research and development. Thus, projects involving the simple replacement of production technology without a connection to research activities will not receive aid,” says Miroslav Křížek, CEO of CzechInvest, adding: “Within the fourth call of the Innovation – Innovation Project Programme, CzechInvest accepted 597 registration applications for aid. Since the issuance of the first call, approved applicants have received more than 2.6 billion crowns.”

Acceptance of registration applications will begin on 3 November of this year and will end on 20 January 2012. CzechInvest will then accept full applications from 21 November 2011 to 29 February 2012. Administration of all documents is handled exclusively via the eAccount application at www.czechinvest.org. CzechInvest employees are available on business days from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. via the information line at 800 800 777 to answer questions concerning the proper use of eAccount and errors to be avoided when submitting applications and other queries. Potential applicants can also consult their business projects with CzechInvest at the agency’s 13 regional offices. More information is available at http://www.czechinvest.org/regionalni-kancelare.