For a company aiming to develop innovative projects and grow its business, access to financial resources is essential. By participating in calls for proposals, companies can obtain funding, incentives, grants, and other favorable conditions to support their investments.
To access a funding opportunity, it is crucial to analyze the company's needs and ongoing or short-to-medium-term projects, identifying their key elements in terms of objectives, planned activities, expected outcomes, and expenses to be done.
"What we always recommend to companies is to search for a grant that aligns with their innovation project and their strategy, resisting the temptation to create or adapt their project solely for the purpose of applying for funding," explains Filippo Bianco, CEO of Friuli Innovazione. "Identifying the right funding vehicle or the right mix of available options is the first step. It is essential to understand how to properly manage the project design phase to participate in the call, defining parameters and content to write the proposal coherently and comprehensively, thereby increasing the chances of success."
Equally important, although often underestimated, is the management and reporting of a funded project. Proper implementation of these phases is indispensable to prevent the revocation of granted support due to non-compliance with established rules, such as the execution of activities, timing of implementation, and achieved results.
"For over 15 years, Friuli Innovazione's team has been providing qualified support in drafting and managing research and innovation projects for various options at regional, national, and European levels. In addition to these services," Bianco emphasizes, "companies increasingly request constant information and updates on the publication of calls, especially those with open deadlines, to be prepared for preparing the necessary documentation."
Measures in Favor of Companies in Friuli Venezia Giulia
In the coming months, several measures in favor of companies in Friuli Venezia Giulia are expected under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In the 2021-2027 seven-year program, the focus is on addressing the challenges facing the region, with an emphasis on the competitiveness of the productive system and the natural, landscape, and cultural resources of the territory to revitalize the regional economy, capable of tackling global challenges and creating sustainable and inclusive development opportunities.
"We recommend that companies monitor the calendar of regional calls under ERDF program because interesting measures dedicated to companies are expected in the winter. These measures include supporting proof of concept, fostering new entrepreneurship, developing skills for industrial transition, initiating process and organizational innovation activities, and making innovative and technological investments in favor of digital transformation. These measures can be significant financial tools for company development, especially in the current context where production efficiency and digitalization of processes are fundamental elements for competing in national and international markets" concludes Filippo Bianco.
Scheduled for October is the opening of the offices for the submission of grant applications for national measures such as Brevetti+ (Patents+), Disegni+ (Designs+), and Marchi+ (Trademarks+) for the provision of incentives for the enhancement of industrial property rights, promoted by MIMIT - Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.
Another noteworthy opportunity is the national call for the green transition of Italian industries, which will finance, for example, energy efficiency investments, renewable energy source facilities, hydrogen and cogeneration plants, and projects for reducing resource usage. The measure will be open from October 10th to December 12th and has an initial budget of 300 million euros.