From January next year, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth opens for applications the first procedure under the new program "Competitiveness and Innovations in Enterprises" (PCIP) 2021-2027. It will be for the development of innovations in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with a budget of BGN 127 million, the department informs.

The PCIP was approved by the European Commission in record time - it was sent on August 16 and approved on October 3.

Its total budget is BGN 3 billion. It is a continuation of the Operational Program "Innovations and Competitiveness" 2014-2020 (OPIC) and is one of the two major programs for business managed by the Ministry of Innovation and Growth.

It will support innovations in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises at various stages of their development.

Partnership projects between SMEs and large companies to develop new technologies and innovations will be paid for.

Minister Pulev appointed the members of the Supervisory Board of the Fund of Funds

The main priorities of the Program are two - "Innovations and Growth" and "Circular Economy".

Funds are provided for the development and implementation of innovations in companies, development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, creation of new or development of existing companies with a focus on high-tech sectors of industry, protection of patents, industrial property, etc.

Digitization, the increase of cyber security, data privacy in small and medium-sized enterprises and the skills of the staff to work with the technologies of Industry 4.0 will be stimulated.

In addition to greater energy efficiency and independence of companies, in the second priority - "Circular Economy", funding is set for more efficient use of resources, the development of products with greater durability or with the possibility of recycling,

The department will also open the next procedure at the beginning of 2023, in the amount of BGN 117.5 million - to improve the production capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises, family businesses, companies from the creative industries and crafts.

After it, there will be a third procedure - around the middle of 2023 - for the implementation of innovations in small and medium-sized enterprises for nearly BGN 300 million.

The department reported that, meanwhile, more than 2,500 projects have been submitted throughout the country for grants under the "Technological Modernization" measure for the purchase of machinery and equipment.

They will be the first companies in our country to receive financing under the Recovery Plan.

Outside the capital, the largest number of companies from the regions of Plovdiv, Varna and Ruse have applied under the first procedure under the Plan.

It is under the Ministry of Innovation and Growth.

There was huge interest in it from small and medium-sized enterprises. 

application

Competitiveness Program