FINANCE
Innovation support programs
FUI : calls from the single inter-ministry fund
> Calls for R&D projects
Single Inter-Ministry Fund (FUI) is funding research projects and clusters’ collaborative development on the products or services’ development which may be put on the market in the short or middle term.
State’s funding for the FUI from 2009 to 2011: €495M
Two calls for projects are published per year.
Eligibility:
• Be collaborative and collect at least two companies and a laboratory or a training organization
• Being driven by a business undertaking R&D in France
• Have the purpose or development of a new high innovative content product(s) or service(s)
• Be accredited by at least one cluster
• Consist of R&D projects mostly in the area (s) 's cluster
• Not have been funded by the State, the Local Authorities or State Agencies (RNA, OSEO)
• Provide benefits in economic terms for the country, in terms of employment, investment and structuring of sector of activity
Selection’s criteria :
• Impact on value creation, activity and employment
• Strategic nature of the project for companies involved in it
• Strategic aspect and structuring of the project regarding the objectives of the pole
• Business prospects and positioning of actors in these markets
• Innovative technological content
• Partnership’s quality
• Complementarity with other projects selected by the cluster, subject to public support
• Inter-cluster projects
• Incentive support (acceleration of work that could not be achieved without public intervention / local expertise mobilization)
• Commitment of local authorities to support projects concerned poles
10th FUI call for project
Official launch date: March 31, 2010
Funding schemes:
• 25% for large firms
• 30% for intermediate companies (250-2000 people)
• 45% for SMEs in the cluster’s R&D area
• 30% for SMEs outside the cluster’s R&D area
• 40% for research organizations
• 100% of marginal costs for research organizations
For laboratories, the unimportant R&D works or small contribution to the collaborative nature of the project are intended to be presented in subcontracting.
Applications forms are to be completed online on the website www.competitivite.gouv.fr
FUI R&D project Calls is not open to structuring projects => planned launches for specific call of "innovative platforms" projects
In the framework of existing international cooperation, a collaboration involving a French company, SMB if possible, and a foreign firm is eligible (plus one or more laboratories or research organizations or public training institutions).
The projects’ selection is ensured by the departments concerned by cluster policy proposal on the IWG (Interministerial Working Group).
The management of grants is performed by OSEO.
> Calls for innovatiove platforms project
Goals :
- Giving to clusters’ players some pooled resources in open access to the cluster’s members, in particular SMEs.
- Assist players to complete their innovative projects in the final stages of R & D, trials, testing, prototype development.
Allocation 2009-2011: €105M (FUI and Caisses des dépôts et consignations / CDC)
Projects evaluation according to the following criteria:
- Tools shared and open to R&D projects
- Strategic Relevance of the project: economic impact on technological and scientific advances
- Strength of the business model and self-sufficiency: economic entity able to achieve a balance of independent financial grant.
- Level of financial involvement of project partners and private / public partners
Balance sheet of selected projects following the first call in October 2008
35 preselected projects
Launching of the second call for project in march, 31st 2010
Process of the call :
- Pre-selection phase:
Deadline to file online: June 18th (12:00)
Deadline for pre-selection by the State and the CDC: July 26th
- Engineering Phase:
Final funding schemes
Equity participation and supports to the project by the partners
- Decisions:
Finalization of the file by the holder
Decision making by the IWG and the CDC within 10 months
Two levels of public funding by the state and CDC
1/Support to the various stages of the project’s set-up:
- Engineering Phase:
CDC: financing of the market research, economic relevance and platform’s set-up. Contribution at 50% but that can reach 80% in the limit of €200k for large scale projects.
- Final Phase Post-selection:
STATE: investment subsidies or decreasing and transient grant, for the establishment and operation of the platform
CDC: Real Estate Investment (portage of buildings and equipment) or in the platform’s operating structure.
2/ European frame:
Two possible schemes
- "innovation center" scheme : public funding for structures operating platforms for innovation. This schema includes aid for investment and operation. Access to the platform should not be restricted.
- Scheme "to impact" : public funding for the users of the platform with a reduced price. The platform should not be lucrative and structured by a research organization (or other). This support is based on the platform potential to affect user business of its services through reduced rates.
