How to build a project

On this page we provide some information and advice as to the general set-up of IraSME projects, and which most common mistakes to avoid.

The scheme below gives you an overview on the different stages from having a project idea to submitting an R&D proposal. You will also find some links which guide you to more detailed information.

Most Common Problems

The most common reason for projects not being eligible or not being funded is a lack of knowledge about the rules and requirements of the national / regional funding programmes and a lack of time when it comes to preparing a complete and acceptable project plan and application.

The best measures to overcome those problems are:

Contact your national / regional funding organisations at an early stage of your planning.
Some of the local agencies offer some non-binding feedback regarding the eligibility of your project idea through either personal consultation or by accepting a short project outline. We recommend approaching your local IraSME representative not later than six weeks before the call deadline – the earlier the better of course.
Take your time to plan your project and write an application! We offer two calls for proposals each year, so there is no need to rush it if your application is not quite ready yet.

If you still have questions, please contact us. You find the contact details at the bottom of each page.

Stages of building a Project

Not sure your idea fits into IraSME?

If you are not sure whether your project idea or your consortium fulfils the necessary national / regional funding criteria, we recommend you seek advice at an early stage of planning.

Contact the IraSME coordination office (bottom of the page) for general questions and your local contact person for specific questions regarding the eligibility of the idea or the consortium.

Some of the local agencies also offer the possibility to check a short overview on your planned project and give you some non-binding feedback before you submit the actual proposal.

Building a consortium

Create a project consortium that is as small as possible and as large as necessary. The set-up depends on your project goals and the applicable local funding conditions.

For most countries / regions the minimum requirement is two companies from two participating countries / regions. If a partner from Austria is involved, the consortium has to include at least three companies (research organisations do not count as companies) of which at least one has to be an SME from Austria.

Research organisations are eligible as additional partners or as subcontractors depending on the rules of the corresponding country / region.

For further information on your local funding rules, visit the Countries / Regions section on this website. If you need help in finding project partners, please check if a new Partnering Event is scheduled or see our Finding Partners page.

Who is eligible?

The eligibility criteria for companies and research organisations differ between the participating countries / regions. Please refer to the programme information and contact details of each IraSME member country or region.

In most countries, companies are eligible if they comply with the SME definition of the EU: < 250 employees (full time equivalents) and an annual turnover of < €50 million or a balance sheet of < €43 million. (EU website: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/smes/sme-fundamentals/sme-definition_en)

However, there may be exceptions. For example, Germany allows companies < 500 employees (and < 1,000 employees when cooperating with an SME), while others may accept large companies of any size.

Research organisations (universities, technical universities, Fraunhofer institutes, etc.) are sometimes eligible as partners receiving their own funding if at least one company from the same country is part of the consortium. In other programmes, e.g. in Flanders or Luxembourg, RTOs may only be eligible as subcontractors.

National / Regional Applications

We recommend you start by filling in the national / regional applications first. Make yourself familiar with your country’s/region’s specific funding rules, before starting to plan the overall project budget and completing the IraSME proposal form.

The national / regional applications are the most important part of your application. IraSME does not represent a single funding programme with its own budget. Instead, it coordinates and synchronizes several different national / regional funding programmes. So each funding agency initially decides on their own if they can approve a project based on their national applications and rules.

The joint IraSME application form serves as an overview for the funding agencies involved. It is concise and may be prepared closer to the call deadline, once everything else is ready.

Procedure

You find all the necessary documents and information in the Current Call section.

Please submit the IraSME application form (signed by all partners) and the draft cooperation agreement (not yet signed!) by e-mail to info@ira-sme.net until including the day of the call deadline.

The national applications have to be submitted at the same time according to the procedures of the corresponding agencies.

Not enough Time?

Only a few weeks left until the deadline and you are far from finished with your application? Never mind!

We offer two regular calls for proposals each year with deadlines end of March and end of September. If you miss one deadline just take your time to prepare a good application and hand it in before the next deadline.

Please be aware though that some countries/regions do not participate in EVERY call. If you want to be sure your local funding agency participates in the next call, you should contact them directly.

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