Support program: "Ris3mur COVID-19 for reactivation business through technological innovation"
About this good practice
An important number of enterprises faced loses in revenues in 2020 as a consequence of Covid-19. This, together with the global situation of uncertainty, caused liquidity shortage and decline in R&D investment.
The purpose of this program was to reactivate businesses through innovation, by supporting technological projects to recover, maintain or increase productivity or competitiveness. Following a competitive concurrence regime, it co-financed up to 80% of the eligible costs in the case of SMEs, 60% for large companies. The maximum amount per beneficiary was 250.000 euros.
To opt for this financial support, regional SMEs and large companies had to prove that they were facing a loss of productivity or competitiveness, a lack of liquidity or other types of significant economic damage as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their activity had also to be framed in one of the areas of specialization included in the “Ris3Mur” (Research & Innovation Smart Specialization Strategy of the Region of Murcia).
The aid was co-financed up to 80% with resources from the European Regional Development Fund “ERDF” assigned to the Regional Development Agency of the Region of Murcia (“INFO”), entity that managed these funds.
Resources needed
6 million euros available (5.959.830,00 € granted)
Evidence of success
Dozens of R&D projects financed, including several eco-innovation projects related to strategic sectors (agri-food, water cycle, environment...) of the Region of Murcia.
QUANTITATIVE RESULTS (*):
• Number of beneficiary enterprises/projects: 53.
• Nº of direct jobs created: 20.
• Total subsidy granted: 5.959.830,00 €
• Total investment: 13.297.192,00 €
(*) Source: Regional Development Agency of the Region of Murcia, Transparency Website
Potential for learning or transfer
• The access to capital that can finance eco-innovation is one of the greatest challenges for eco-innovative companies, so that economic support practices must be further enhanced and accelerated. In this sense, “RIS3MUR COVID-19 for business reactivation through technological innovation” proved to be a successful program.
• It's an easy-to-implement and effective solution for Regional Development Agencies.
• This program is targeted at regional strategic sectors, so that the focus on specific industries leads to a better use of available resources. Furthermore, the development of support practices specifically addressing eco-innovative companies, or that incorporate eco-innovation within evaluation criteria, is one path to explore.
• Since the support practice is addressing a wide range of sectors, the financial support tends to be well distributed in terms of area of activity of beneficiaries and territorial subdivisions within the region.
Further information
Good practice owner
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