Information Day – 23 May 2023, 10:30–12:30

Innovation and Development Unit – Kristiina Niilits (EIS) Slides
Product Development Grant – Erki Varbola (EIS) Slides

Recording of the information day – Here

Definition of development obstacle

Familiarization with the terms and conditions

Familiarize yourself with the conditions of the Innovation Component support.

Before you start preparing your application, review the conditions of the Innovation Component support.

Finding a Partner

The pool of potential service providers as collaboration partners is limited. The entrepreneur must find suitable collaboration partner(s).

A practical guide for the grant recipient – how to request quotations and conclude contracts? Golden rules of the procurement process. read here

Project plan preparation

Prepare a project plan

With one cooperation partner, a suitable project plan must be developed for providing the service. At the same time, the cooperation partner must prepare a quotation, which is an integral part of the application form when applying for the EIS Innovation Grant. The quotation must include a clear description of the activities of the purchased service and unit prices so that it is clear how the total amount of the quotation is formed.

NB! If the cost of the purchased service is €20,000 or more excluding VAT, two independent quotations must be submitted. Provide an appropriate justification if it is not possible to submit quotations or if the cheapest quotation is not selected.  Guide for obtaining quotations

NB! If the cost of the purchased service is €60,000 or more, a procurement procedure must be conducted in the public procurement register, info.

Submitting the application

Filling out and submitting the application

After receiving the quotation(s) and defining the project activities, the application must be completed and submitted through E-toetus.

We are happy to assist you in preparing the application to ensure that the project is of high quality and meets all requirements.

In addition to the application, the following documents must be submitted:

• Sample application form
• Service provider quotations with a brief description of the activities to be performed
• Terms of reference and, based on it, two comparable quotations with a brief description of the activities to be performed if the service costs €20,000 or more

Guide – For obtaining quotations.

• CVs of the service provider
• CVs of the team members
• Balance sheet and profit and loss statement as of the last quarter
• Annual report (must be available on time from the register)
• Group structure diagram must be submitted if the applicant has subsidiaries or holds majority voting rights in another company

Group member scheme

• Power of attorney

Submit application

Taotluse hindamine

Application Assessment

The EIS evaluates the submitted application within up to 10 working days. If the decision is positive, the innovation grant is issued and the project can commence.

Evaluation criteria for compliance of the innovation grant application:

• The project’s alignment with the priority and objectives of the implementation plan referred to in § 1(2) and its contribution to achieving the goal set out in § 3;

• Justification of the project;

• Cost-effectiveness of the project;

• The beneficiary’s capacity to implement the project;

• Relevance of the activities described in the application for contributing to the achievement of strategic targets and principles confirmed in the national long-term development strategy, if the project has a connection to at least one of the indicators listed in § 3(5), thereby contributing to the achievement of strategic targets and principles.

Project Implementation

Project Implementation

The entrepreneur and the cooperation partner carry out the project according to the agreed terms. If the cooperation partner requires an advance payment, the entrepreneur is initially obliged to cover it themselves (as with all other state grants).

The use of the innovation voucher must be communicated to the public.

The grant recipient is obliged to separate project-related costs from other expenses. Depending on the accounting software used in the company, this can be organized by opening a separate cost account for the project or by assigning attributes corresponding to account codes (object, project, etc.) to distinguish project costs.

Submission of Reports

Submission of Reports

After the project is completed, a final report and other required documents must be submitted. If everything has been carried out according to the original agreement, EIS will pay the entrepreneur the full value of the innovation voucher.

Upon completion of the main project, the final project report must be submitted through the E-toetus system along with the following documents:

• Payment application (a list of costs is submitted in E-toetus);

• Description of activities carried out during the project and/or technical description of the project result in free format or as a completed result file;

• General ledger extract to verify the separation of project costs;

• Proof of fulfillment of the publicity obligation, for example, a photo of the final report marked with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) logo, a poster installed in the office, or a reference to a website marked with the ERDF logo that presents the project activities.

Submit the report