Potential - Call I

The Potential Programme helps companies to set up and increase capacities necessary for the implementation of research, development and innovation activities.

It is possible to obtain support for investments in the establishment or expansion of development centre (departments) aimed at research, development and innovation of products and technologies, including specific software and applications that form a part thereof (software that is component part of the products or technologies). Such a centre should contribute to the introduction (implementation) of technologically new or innovative products, product lines, production processes and technologies. However, there must be the real expectation that the results of the centre's work will actually be used in production.

For the Call I period for submission of applications was prolonged. Registration Applications can be submitted until 31. 12. 2008, Full Applications can be submitted until 31. 1. 2008. Meanwhile the financial alocation was increased from CZK 600 mil. to CZK 900 mil.

1.1          Basic characteristics:
Who can apply (aid recipients)
How much can be obtained for one project
(form and amount of aid)
  • Subsidy for eligible costs in the amount of CZK 1 to 75 million.
  • Percentage amount of the subsidy for eligible investment costs is governed by the regional map valid for the period 2007-2013.
  • Subsidy for consulting services related to the implementation of the project in the amount of 50% of costs for these services
  • Subsidy for defined operating costs up the amount according to the “de minimis” rule, i.e. up to the maximum amount of EUR 200,000.
For what aid can be obtained
(supported activities)
  • Establishment or expansion of a development centre (department) focused on research, development and innovation of products or technologies if there is an expectation of their use in production.
  • Projects that will be supported are those whose results are manifested in the branches defined in NACE (OKEČ) sector classifications 17-37, 72 and 74.3
What costs can be supported
(eligible costs)

1. Eligible investment costs, i.e. long-term tangible assets:

  • acquisition of machinery and other facilities;
  • buildings (up to the amount of 40% of eligible investment costs);
  • land (up to the amount of 10% of eligible investment costs) and long-term intangible assets:
  • Acquisition of licenses and know-how.

2. Eligible operating costs and selected costs for consulting services (only up to 50% of the costs).

3. Costs for publicity related to the project.

Eligible costs will be precisely defined in individual calls.
Specifics and restrictions
  • Production activities and simple renewal of assets are not supported.
  • The minimum amount of investment in long-term tangible and intangible assets exclusively used in the project amounts to CZK 5 million in the case of small and medium-sized enterprises and CZK 10 million in other cases.
  • Only assets used exclusively for supported activities can be included in eligible costs.
  • Only projects implemented in the Czech Republic, outside the territory of the Capital City Prague are supported.

It is recommended for potential applicants to read attachments at the bottom of this page. Text of the Potential programme gives basic information regarding the programme. Text of the Call then specifies information valid for the first Call. Prior to applying for the support within the Potential programme we highly recommend to read properly text of the Call as well as related annexes in order to assess whether the projects fulfils all necessary conditions given by the Call.

Following annexes of the Call are attached:

Annex 1 - Eligible costs– contains specification of eligible costs and relating restrictions given by the Call.

Annex 2 – Supported NACE categories contains listing of those economic activities in which results (outputs) of the research, development and innovation centre shall appear. Restriction on economic activities is binding for the applicant and results of the project can appear only in supported NACE activities.

Annex 3 – Annex I of the EC Treaty defines list of products whose manufacture and introduction to the market is in the area of Common Agricultural Policy. Projects whose results will be manifested in sectors defined by the Annex I of the EC Treaty shall not be supported.

Annex 4 – Selection criteria defines grading methodology of submitted projects. It is recommended to study properly those criteria in order to evaluate project’s prospect of approval.

Annex 5 – Outline of the Business Plan contains important information about how the project (business plan) should be structured and what information it should contain. The outline of the Business plan is designed in a way that it reflects selection criteria defined in the Annex 4.

Further document available for applicants is the “ Guidelines for Applicants and Recipients of Subsidies from OPEI” document (available in Czech only) which contains additional information regarding the Call, Registration Application, Full Application, eAccount, SME definition, Phases rules, General rules for eligibility of costs and more.

The process of submission of aid applications can be found under the section Process for Obtaining Aid.

Attached files

Description Type Size Date

Potential - text of the programme

 139.64 kB 12 May. 2008

Potential - Call for Submission of Projects

 65.63 kB 19 Nov. 2007

Supported NACE categories

 5.35 kB 22 Jun. 2007

Annex I of the EC Treaty

 9.39 kB 22 Jun. 2007

Eligible costs

 15.56 kB 22 Jun. 2007

Selection criteria

 72.51 kB 1 Nov. 2007

Outline of the Business plan

 21.34 kB 22 Jun. 2007

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