The Region of Attica is actively assisting in the establishment of collaborations between businesses and research organizations, so that scientific knowledge can be utilized for the development of innovative products, services and production methods of high added value. In this context, Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias signed the call for funding the action concerning Research and Innovation partnerships, with a total budget of 17 million euros, an amount that will be covered in full by the Regional Programme “Attica” 2021-2027.
Present at the signing were the Secretary General for Research and Innovation Dimitrios Terzis and the head of the Programme’s Special Management Service Dimitris Drosis. The action aims at a more effective connection of scientific research with the needs of the productive fabric, strengthening collaborative projects that can improve the competitiveness of businesses and facilitate their entry into new markets.
It is noted that the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation, within the framework of the decision delegating responsibilities, will undertake on behalf of the Region the evaluation of the proposals that will be submitted.
As the Regional Governor of Attica Nikos Hardalias characteristically emphasizes:
“We are allocating €17 million to connect research with production and support innovation. Attica has universities, research centers and businesses with specialized human resources, know-how and significant development potential.
With the new call, we are creating the conditions for these forces to collaborate on joint research projects, with clear objectives and the prospect of utilizing their results in the economy.
This funding gives businesses the opportunity to develop, together with research organizations, solutions that will respond to the real needs of citizens and society. From health and agri-food to digital technologies and the circular economy.
We are making use of the available resources to strengthen the competitiveness and extroversion of businesses, expand the possibilities of applied research and give more room to the scientific workforce to make use of its knowledge and skills. I call on businesses and research bodies to seize this opportunity and submit mature and well-documented proposals.
We attach particular importance to the quality of collaborations, the usefulness of the research results and their ability to find application in production. Our goal is for the projects that will be funded to offer specific solutions, strengthen Attica’s productive capabilities and open up new prospects for its businesses and researchers”.
For his part, the Secretary General for Research and Innovation Dimitrios Terzis stated the following:
“The action “Research and Innovation Partnerships in Attica” is an important development tool for transforming scientific knowledge into products and services with a substantial economic and social footprint, within the framework of the Regional Programme “Attica” of the NSRF 2021-2027.
At the core of the action lies the cooperation of businesses, research bodies and academic institutions. The obvious importance of this cooperation is highlighted even more in light of the broader strategy of the Ministry of Development and Minister Takis Theodorikakos for a new productive model, based on balanced regional development, industry, manufacturing, investments, innovation, extroversion and competitiveness.
The General Secretariat for Research and Innovation, drawing on its 40 years of expertise in the evaluation and management of Research and Innovation actions, is working closely with the Region of Attica and Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias, so that an open, transparent and effective funding process may be implemented, in which the proposals submitted will be evaluated with meritocracy and scientific rigor.
Our goal is for the best ideas to acquire the conditions to develop into real innovation, creating significant added value for Attica and more broadly, through the dissemination of their results, for the national economy”.
Six priority sectors for research and innovation
The action focuses on the sectors of the Regional Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). Specifically, proposals must concern the following sectors:
- Materials – Construction and Industry.
- Agri-food Chain.
- Environment – Circular Economy.
- Life Sciences – Health and Medicines.
- Transport – Supply Chain.
- Digital Technologies.
The research projects must demonstrably fall within the priorities of the Strategy and be carried out within Attica. Based on the funding data of the call, approximately 50 collaborative projects are expected to be supported.
The beneficiaries and the basic terms of participation
Funding applications are submitted by partnerships involving at least one existing business and one research organization. Businesses must have completed at least one full annual financial year and participate overall at a rate of at least 40% of the project budget.
Eligible to participate are businesses that have been legally established and operate with headquarters or a branch in Attica, either as legal entities or sole proprietorships. Each independent business may participate in up to two funding applications, at the level of VAT number or unique beneficiary code in the Integrated State Aid Information System (OPSKE), while it is not permitted for work on the investment plan to have started before the submission of the application.
The participating businesses must not be undertakings in difficulty, according to the definition of Regulation (EU) 651/2014, be under bankruptcy, liquidation or compulsory administration, or have received rescue or restructuring aid. At the same time, compliance is required with the legislation on the health and safety of employees and the prevention of occupational risk.
The research organizations, for their part, participate through schools, departments or branches in Attica, where the industrial research or experimental development will be conducted. Basic prerequisites are their educational and research character, the wide dissemination of results without exclusions or discrimination, through teaching, databases, publications or open-access software, as well as the reinvestment of all profits from knowledge transfer activities into their main activities.
For members of Teaching and Research Staff, researchers and Special Functional Scientists, a maximum participation limit of two funding applications is provided for. The detailed terms and conditions of participation are defined in the call for the action.
The amount of the aid and eligible expenses
The maximum budget of each project is set at 400,000 euros. The aid rate varies depending on the size of the business and the research and development category under which each work package falls. For industrial research, it may reach up to 80% for small and very small businesses and up to 65% for large ones, while for experimental development up to 60% and 40%, respectively.
Eligible expenses include personnel costs for researchers and technicians, to the extent that they are directly employed on the project, as well as expenses calculated with a flat rate of 40% of eligible personnel costs. The Managing Authority may include operations exceeding the available budget of the action, within the framework of the proper management of the Programme and with the aim of absorbing all of its available resources.
The submission of funding applications will begin on 6 October 2026, at 13:00, and will be completed on 28 January 2027, at 15:00. The date of submission of the funding application is defined as the start date of eligibility of expenses.