FINANCING, FOUNDS & TENDERS In this section you will find information about the international, regional and national initiatives and programmes aimed at financing intermediaries, networks of intermediaries and SMEs operating in the field of environment-energy-urban. At present we are gathering data and information about such financing initiatives. Please contact us if you have any updated information about financing tools, practices or schemes. A special link is devoted to the European Commission Call of Tenders http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/calls/calls.html   EIB-European Investment Bank http://www.eib.org/site/index.asp?designation=i2i Innovation 2010 Initiative With the establishment of the Lisbon Agenda in 2000, the European Union set itself the strategic goal of establishing a competitive, innovative and knowledge-based European economy, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010. The Innovation 2010 Initiative (i2i) was launched by the EIB Group in response to the Lisbon agenda.

EU Commission

http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/cip/index_en.htm

Co-financing Programme

CIP - Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme 2007-2013

Beneficiary: SMEs

By tabling the first "Competitiveness and Innovation framework Programme (CIP)" the Commission proposes a coherent and integrated response to the objectives of the renewed Lisbon strategy. Running from 2007 to 2013, it proposes a budget of more than EUR 4 billion over the 7 year period. The proposal was adopted by the Commission on 6th April 2005. It was then transmitted to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions and is now being negotiated.The CIP is one of a series of flagship programmes that will define the Barroso Commission’s actions from 2007. They will work in parallel and complement each other. CIP will complement major initiatives such as the cohesion activities, the framework programme for research, and the EU programme for lifelong learning. The programme is articulated in three major subsections variously financed:

- Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme: € 2 631 million (from which € 520 million dedicated to eco-innovation)

- ICT Policy Support programme: € 802 million

- Intelligent Energy-Europe Programme: € 780 million.
Covering both industry and services sectors the programme is exclusively addressed to SMEs, providing for seed capital and networking opportunities young companies.

 

EU Commission

http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/

Multiannual co-financing programme

SPEC - Support Programme for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Competitiveness.

Beneficiary: Enterprises

As the successor programme would begin in 2007 under the next Community Financial Pespective, the Commission proposes to prolongue the current multiannual programme until 31 December 2006. This will ensure continuity of Community support for the improvement of the business environment and for the growth and competitiveness of enterprises in the interim. The MAP successor programme will be included in the framework of a wider Programme for Competitiveness and Innovation bringing together a number of existing and planned Community programmes in the fields that have been identified as most critical to boosting European productivity and sustainable growth. The framework Programme will run from 2007 until 2013. The "Support Programme for Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Competitiveness (SPEC)" will keep on focusing on SMEs while providing a comprehensive legal, economic and administrative "tools set" for innovative enterprises creation.

The project articulates into a number of objectives:

- Spending up the adjustment of industry to structural changes;

- Encouraging an environment favourable to initiative and to the development of enterprises, particularly SMEs;

- Encouraging an environment favourable to cooperation between enterprises;

- Fostering better exploitation of the potential of policies of innovation, research and technological development.

- The community financial instruments will be managed by the European Investment Fund on a trust basis and through financial intermediaries as previously in MAP.

The number of actions will be proposed in support of these objectives. These will be complemented by horizontal actions, such as dissemination and evaluation, in support of the whole programme. The duration of the programme is from 2006 to 2010.

 

European Business Angels Network (EBAN)

www.eban.org

The EBAN Yellow Knowledge Book

Beneficiary: unquoted SMEs

EBAN, the European Business Angel Network, was established by the European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA) with the support of the European Commission in 1999. It is a non-profit association which has the purpose of:
Encouraging the exchange of experience among business angels networks and encouraging "best practice"
Promoting recognition of business angels networks
Contributing to working out and carrying out local, regional and national programs of assistance to the creation and development of a positive environment for business angels activities

The membership of the Association is varied and coherently composed of:
National federations of BANs
Networks with a national coverage
Regional networks
Local networks
Non-European networks with an interest to keep a link with the European Business angel scene
Other interested entities having a direct involvement in promoting informal investment in Europe

 

Department of Trade and Industry

http://www.dti.gov.uk/technologyprogramme/

Granting Fund

UK Technology Programme: bridging the gap with US

Beneficiary: Enterprises

The Technology Programme is the combination of business support products and information that the DTI are offering business in response to the Technology Strategy. The Technology Strategy Board, comprising mainly experienced business leaders, will identify the new and emerging technologies critical to the growth of the UK economy into which government funding and activities can be directed.

The Government's ten-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework, published in July 2004, reaffirmed the commitment to support businesses investing in new and emerging technologies;

Over the period 2005-2008, £320 million is available to businesses in the form of grants to support research and development in the technology areas identified by the Technology Strategy Board.