A new era begins in supports that will increase the technological competencies of SMEs
Project-based research, technology development and innovation activities of SMEs are supported by various programs.
In this context, two calls are made every year, in January and July, for the Industrial R&D Support Program and the SME R&D Startup Support Program, through TÜBİTAK Technology and Innovation Support Programs Directorate (TEYDEB).
The road map for the new year was drawn with the preparations made under the coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Applications for the calls to be opened in two support programs will begin on January 2, 2025. The pre-registration application for the industrial R&D call was set as March 24, and the closing date was March 26. The dates for the SME R&D call will be March 17 and March 19, respectively.
Applications for the calls can be made via the Project Evaluation and Monitoring System (PRODIS) at “eteydeb.tubitak.gov.tr”.
The referee evaluation process of projects whose preliminary evaluation is deemed appropriate will be initiated. If there are various reasons such as the organization not contributing to R&D work, the absence of personnel with a bachelor’s degree in the project team, and the inadequacy of the information provided, the project will be rejected without being evaluated for technological competence.
GAINED COMPETENCY FOR NEW PROJECTS
Project proposals within the scope of the calls will be evaluated according to the criteria of increasing the company’s technological product or process development capacity for the international market, transforming solution proposals targeting customer needs or market gaps into commercial prototypes, and carrying out joint project studies by SMEs operating in the same or different fields.
In addition, the elements of developing projects in cooperation with universities, maturing and transforming technologies transferred from universities, research infrastructures, public research centers and institutes into new products and processes, and developing products and technologies in high technology fields will also be taken into consideration.
Within the scope of the Industrial R&D Support Program, increasing the international competitiveness of companies with the supported projects of SMEs and developing products targeting the international market, acquiring competitive domestic technologies in technologies that are dependent on abroad, developing technological products with strong commercialization potential, joint R&D and innovation projects. It is aimed to gain the competence to do R&D and innovation projects in cooperation with universities, to support project-based research-technology development and innovation activities.
SME R&D Startup Support Program supports the project-based research-technology development and innovation activities of the companies in question, encourages them to carry out R&D qualified innovation activities, contributes to the establishment and dissemination of R&D and innovation culture, and increases their competitiveness in the national and international markets. focused on gaining the competence to carry out systematic R&D and innovation projects jointly or alone.
SUPPORT UP TO 75 PERCENT
Support will be valid for 24 months in the Industrial R&D Program and 18 months in the SME R&D Startup Support Program. The support rate for the programs will reach 75 percent.
Support will be provided for various expenses of businesses, from personnel to travel, from tools, equipment and software to material and consumable expenses, from consultancy and service purchases to R&D service expenses.