1. Finding a way or making one

2. Labor’s headquarter is in Rome Labor

3. Finding a way or making one

4. Labor’s headquarter is in Rome

5. Finding a way or making one Private research company founded in 1998. Electronics and Automation: with a mechanical workshop for prototypes manufacturing

6. Finding a way or making one Private research company founded in 1998. Chemical and Industrial Processes Lab: which deals with synthesis and characterisation of nanoparticles and industrial scale-up

7. Finding a way or making one Private research company founded in 1998. Innovation Management and Marketing

8. Finding a way or making one SME Instruments: how it works Strategic positioning R&D driven projects Horizon 2020 SME instrument Target: Business innovation motivated SMEs Eurostars 2 Target: R&D intensive SME Horizon 2020 Collaborative Research Target: R&D topics Market opportunity driven projects

9. Finding a way or making one SME Instruments: expected technology readiness level TRL 1 – basic principles observed and reported TRL 2 – technology concept and/or application formulated TRL 3 – Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic proof of concept ​ TRL 4 – Technology validated in laboratory environment ​ TRL 5 – Technology validated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies) ​ TRL 6 – Technology demonstrated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies) ​ TRL 7 – System prototype demonstration in operational environment ​ TRL 8 – System complete and qualified through test and demonstration ​ TRL 9 – Actual system proven in operational environment

10. Finding a way or making one SME Instruments: how it works 0,5 to 2,5 M€

11. Finding a way or making one Phase 1: concept and feasibility analysis Input: Idea/Concept in "Business Plan I" (~ 10 pages) Main Activities: Feasibility of concept Risk assessment IP regime Partner search Design study Pilot application Output: elaborated "Business plan II" Lump sum: 50.000 € ~ 6 months Phase 2: Close to market activities Input: "Business plan II" + "Description of activities under Phase2" (~ 30 pp.) Main Activities: Development Prototyping Testing Piloting Miniaturisation Scaling-up Market replication Output: investor-ready "Business plan III" Output based payments: 1 to 2.5 M€ EU funding ~ 12 to 24 months No direct funding Phase 3: Commercialisation Input: "Business plan III" + Opportunities: 'Quality label' for successful Phase 1 & 2 Easier access to private finance Support via networking, training, coaching, information, addressing i.a. IP management, knowledge sharing, dissemination SME window in the EU financial facilities (debt facility and equity facility)

12. Finding a way or making one Evaluation criteria Excellence Impact Quality and efficiency of the implementation

13. Finding a way or making one Who can apply? Only a single for-profit SME or a consortium of for-profit SMEs can apply for funding under the SME instrument. Other partners like research providers or larger companies can be involved as third parties, in general in a subcontracting relationship. Is it possible for a start-up (without balance sheet) to apply? Start-ups are not excluded but the SME instrument is not meant as a company creation vehicle/instrument but rather supports the growth of the companies with interesting, innovative ideas bearing European or global potential. To which extent can research and development activities be supported? The core of the work to be supported by this scheme concerns innovation activities and envisaging a TRL 6 and higher (or similar for non-technological innovations). However, some parts of the activities conducted may include some research and development.

14. Finding a way or making one How much is the co-financing rate? co-financing rate is 70% + overhead costs: flat rate 25% How does the lump sum funding relate to the 70% co-financing rule? The lump sum for phase 1 has been established by the Commission on the basis of objective statistical means. The total eligible cost for a phase 1 project has been fixed at EUR 71,249. Applying the co-financing rate of 70%, the amount of the grant is established at EUR 50,000. Is there an advance payment of grant money? Yes. For Phase 1, there will be an advance payment of 40% of the lump sum of EUR 50,000. The guarantee fund will however retain 5% of the total amount of the grant.

15. Finding a way or making one How we work: our business model is based on a Technology Push/Market pull paradigm. Each year we gather among European Research Centres a hundred of potential high impact technologies and business ideas with the aim of building a potential innovation portfolio for new product or services. Technology Portfolio: 100 innovative technologies each year Technology scouting

16. Finding a way or making one Preliminary selection based on business analysis Selection of business partners How we work: Once the portfolio is built, a preliminary evaluation and selection of the technologies/business ideas is performed on the basis of the success probability to obtain a grant.

17. Finding a way or making one Enterpreneurs Project Proposal Researchers €0 Project Consortium THE MOUSE How we work: Once the business ideas have been selected, we gather all the textual contributions from the companies in order to build a business model on the product concept. In the final stage we take care of the proposal wording. At this stage the services are free for the proponent company.

18. Finding a way or making one Project proposal THE MOUSE The SMEs Instrument: how it works Once the proposal is complete, we take care of its submission to the EC on behalf of the proponent company for the access to Phase 1.

19. Finding a way or making one Proponent SME €50K The SMEs Instrument: how it works If the proposal is elected for funding, the next stage is the phase 1: the EC finances the consortium with a lump sum o about 50 thousand Euro in order to prepare a feasibility study mainly focused on the cost benefit analysis and the business plan.

20. Phase1: Cost/Benefit Analysis Finding a way or making one Proponent SME €50K The SMEs Instrument: how it works The Business Plan and the Cost Benefit Analysis is the main task of the phase 1 which lasts about 6 months. In collaboration with companies involved in the project, we develop the final Report of the phase1.

21. Finding a way or making one The SMEs Instrument: how it works Once the Report is ready and supervised by the Consortium, we submit the file to the EC’s evaluators.

22. Finding a way or making one Project Consortium (even a single SME) 0,5 - 2,5M€ The SMEs Instrument: how it works If the Report convinces the EC’s evaluators that the product or the service could be a good innovative business, the Consortium gains the access to the phase 2 with a budget in the range of 0.5 to 2.5 Million Euro.

23. Finding a way or making one Phase 2: R&D project 8% Management 10% R&D 72% Demonstration 10% Dissemination SMEs & Subcontractors The SMEs Instrument: how it works Budget distribution

24. Finding a way or making one Phase 2: R&D project Reports SMEs Prototypes The SMEs Instrument: how it works

25. Finding a way or making one Company/s Engineering & Marketing Venture Capital The SMEs Instrument: how it works The last stage is the phase 3 in which the participant companies get in touch with the private equity funds for the commercialisation phase of the product.

26. Finding a way or making one For any further question: Alessandro Rufo a.rufo@labor-roma.it Skype: alessandro.rufo.labor Mob. +39 349 75 97 260