Innosuisse: SME impulse programme meets with great response
The "Innovative Power Switzerland" impulse programme for SMEs has got off to a successful start: Together with research institutes, companies have already submitted 224 innovation projects. Projects can still be submitted under the programme until the end of 2022. 226 million are available.
At the beginning of 2021, Innosuisse re-launched two funding initiatives. Annalise Eggimann, Director of Innosuisse, is pleased with the start: "Last year already showed us that Swiss companies push ahead with their innovations, especially in times of crisis. I am pleased that this will to innovate is continuing this year". This is also urgently needed, affirms Eggimann, because the crisis in connection with the Covid 19 pandemic has massively accelerated the need for structural changes and, in particular, for the digitalisation of the economy.
Positive interim balance
After only six months, it is already clear that the impulse programme is meeting with a great need among Swiss companies. In times of the Covid 19 pandemic, the federal government wants to use the programme to specifically stimulate science-based innovation projects by SMEs with up to 500 full-time positions. In the first half of 2021, the Innosuisse Innovation Council approved 72 impulse innovation projects totalling CHF 33.1 million. So far, demand has been particularly strong for the first special measure, which provides for a reduction in the SMEs' own contribution as implementation partners from 50% to 30%, as well as the possible waiver of the cash contribution, according to the Swiss Agency for Innovation Promotion. The range of projects funded here is diverse: for example, in the area of social sciences and business management, Innosuisse is supporting the development of a "Sharing Potential Accelerator", which uses analyses to identify individual, temporarily unused objects and then attempts to rent them out. The "VocalHUM" project in the ICT area is developing an intelligent system that improves communication between caregivers and bedridden patients by increasing their speech intelligibility in real time.
CHF 226 million reserved for impulse programme
According to information, companies have so far shown less demand for the second measure. With this, Innosuisse wants to support innovation projects by SMEs that address pandemic-related structural change or that have the potential for disruptive or radical innovations. In addition, these innovation projects must require the specific knowledge of a specialised third-party provider, according to the statement.
In the field of life sciences, for example, Innosuisse has approved a project that aims to maximise the potential of mRNA-covid-19 vaccines by developing a novel vaccine delivery system to improve efficacy, stability and cost-effectiveness. Submission of innovation projects under the Impulse Programme is open until the end of 2022. A total of 226 million has been reserved for funding under the Impulse Programme.
78 pre-proposals for flagship projects submitted
The Flagship Initiative is also attracting a great deal of interest, as Innosuisse emphasises. This programme was launched in January 2021 to provide impetus for systemic innovation in view of the current economic and social challenges facing Switzerland. As part of the first call for proposals, 43 pre-proposals were submitted for the first thematic priority "Managing the acceleration of the digital transformation induced by Covid-19" and 35 for the second thematic priority "Improving resilience and sustainability and reducing the vulnerability of society, infrastructure and processes". Following an initial evaluation, the Innovation Council had recommended 33 consortia to submit a full proposal by 13 August 2021. The final decision will be made at the beginning of October. The first flagships could then be launched.
Regular promotional business is on track
The regular funding business also continues at a very good level in the first half of 2021, according to Innosuisse. Current figures on national and international innovation projects, the start-up coaching programme and the mentoring offer can be found in the figures sheet.
Click here for Innosuisse funding figures 1st half 2021.
Covid-19 medicinal products: invitation to tender opened
On 19 July 2021, the Federal Office of Public Health, in collaboration with Innosuisse, launched the call for proposals for the federal programme to promote research, development and production of Covid-19 medicinal products (cf. here). The programme is funded with CHF 50 million and is limited until the end of 2022. Eligible companies, universities and hospitals can submit their projects on the Innosuisse website until 16 August 2021.
