Over BGN 34 million will be awarded to 12 innovative companies with the seal of excellence from the EC under the Recovery Plan

Over BGN 34 million will be awarded to 12 companies for the creation and development of innovative services and products. The funds are under the fourth measure of the Recovery and Sustainability Plan under the Ministry of Innovation and Growth - "Support for innovative enterprises awarded with the "Seal of Excellence" by the EC.

The total budget of the procedure is BGN 118 million, and documents for it are accepted in two receptions. The 12 approved enterprises were ranked after the first admission, which ended in May this year.

The measure is intended for innovative companies that received the "Seal of Excellence" from the European Innovation Council, for which funding under the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs did not reach, despite the high quality of their projects. Since the ideas and developments of these companies have been assessed as high quality and develop new products and services with high added value for the economy, a resource to support these projects has been provided through the RSP.

With the funds, the approved companies will be able to implement innovative applications in the field of information technology, artificial intelligence and work with big data. Socially oriented innovations to create robotic systems to help people with disabilities, as well as alternatives to non-degradable products, will also be supported.

The conclusion of the contracts with the enterprises for granting free financing is pending, after which the implementation of all the planned activities will begin.

The second call for documents is expected to start in early 2024.