TACR announcing TREND support programme, project applications accepted until 11 July
On 15 May 2019, the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TACR) announced the first call under the TREND programme supporting industrial research and experimental development. This is an opportunity mainly for projects focusing on the development of new technologies and materials increasing the level of automation and robotisation, and on the utilisation of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence or photonics.
Project proposals are accepted from 16 May to 11 July 2019. Work on the projects should commence between 1 January and 1 April 2020, the maximum duration of the project should not exceed 60 months. The percentage of support depends on the size of the business, while for large enterprises, it is between 25% and 65% of eligible costs. The maximum amount of support is CZK 70 million per project. Eligible costs include namely operating costs, which are further divided into direct (wages, services of a research nature, etc.), and other indirect costs.
Project outputs must be in one of the defined forms:
- industrial design,
- applied design/a utility model,
- a prototype,
- a functional sample,
- software,
- a pilot plant,
- verified technology,
- other.
Preferential treatment for Industry 4.0 and regions
The programme supports projects regardless of the place of their implementation, meaning that support is also available to Prague entities. Businesses may file up to four project proposals, and may apply alone or in collaboration with other businesses or research organisations. Projects from Industry 4.0 and selected automotive areas are treated preferentially. The programme also gives preference to projects in structurally affected regions – Ústí nad Labem, Karlovy Vary or Moravian-Silesian region. The call for proposals stipulates a number of other parameters and conditions. We will be happy to discuss the individual criteria of your project and help you prepare a project application.