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Latest SME Instrument results: European Commission to invest €8.8 million in 184 innovative businesses

 

184 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 28 countries have been selected for funding in the latest round of the Horizon2020 SME Instrument.

Horizon2020's SME Instrument - Countries

The funding is provided under Phase 1 of the instrument, which means that each project will receive €50,000 to finance feasibility studies for new products that can disrupt the market. They can also ask for up to three days of free business coaching

In this fourth and last round in 2016, the European Commission received 2091 proposals by the cut-off date of 9 November. The 184 SMEs selected for funding proposed 176 projects in total (multiple SMEs can be involved in one project).

Horizon2020's SME Instrument - Countries

Most of the projects funded were in the area of transport (29). It was closely followed by ICT (26) and health (21).

Spanish SMEs were particularly successful with 52 beneficiaries accepted for funding, followed by firms from Italy (24) and the UK (13). Since the launch of the programme on 1 January 2014, 2024 SMEs have been selected under Phase 1 of the SME Instrument.

The next cut-off for Phase 1 is 15 February 2017.