Financing to companies almost doubled compared to Horizon 2020 in the same period
In just two years, Portuguese entities have already raised 500 Million Euros (M€) in Horizon Europe (HE) to finance the projects in which they participate. In the previous European R&D funding framework programme, Horizon 2020 (H2020), it took four years for the national entities to achieve this target. In the first two years of HE, there were 7,662 participations of Portuguese entities in 4,797 Cin the first two years of the HE, there Were 7,662 Participations of Portuguese Entities in 4,797 Applications, which Corresponds to 10% of the total Applications submitted to the framework Programme by all countries eligible for this European Funding.andidaturas, which corresponds to 10% of the total applications submitted to the program-framework for all countries eligible for this European funding.
According to António Grilo, president of the National Innovation Agency (ANI), “comparing the first two years of the two framework programmes, a change in the profile of the entities that participate is evident. If, on the one hand, higher education institutions maintain efficiency in raising funding, the amount allocated to the business sector has almost doubled”.
“This participation brings visibility and prestige to the entities involved and also has the potential to open new business opportunities in different geographies. It also allows alignment with European strategies and policies and contributes to the development of new regulations in strategic sectors for Europe”, stresses António Grilo.
As part of its activities in promoting the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the ANI is one of the agencies of the PERIN network, which brings together the various entities that in Portugal, are responsible for promoting and enhancing national participation in the research and innovation activities of Horizonte Europa.
SMEs increase participation by 110.8%
Higher education institutions have already raised 138 M€, 68.3% more than in the same period of H2020.110.8% These entities obtained 28% of the total captured by Portugal (the same percentage as in the first two years of H2020). The research centers continue to have a significant expression, having raised, so far, a funding of 180 M€.
Portuguese companies obtained funding of 125 M€, 82% more than in the first two years of H2020. Large companies maintained their participation in volume of financing, while financing for SMEs is now more expressive in HE (€ 78M compared to € 37M in the previous homologous period).
There is also a slight increase of 2% in the participation of other entities, such as municipalities, non-governmental organizations, among others.
Among the projects financed are the following:
- Under the Teaming sub-programme (Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence), with funding of around €15M per project, for a total of €45M for Portugal, the Portuguese entities lead 3 of the 13 funded projects:
- IMM-CARE – Boosting Clinical Research for the benefit of Society, coordinated by the Institute of Molecular Medicine João Lobo Antunes (IMM)
- NISMSB – Nova School Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Coordinated by the New University of Lisbon,
- Project responsibility of the University of Coimbra.
Another project coordinated by a Portuguese entity, (INESC TEC), is TRIDENT – Technology based Impact Assessment tool for Sustainable, Transparent Deep Sea Mining Exploration and exploitation with 15 M€ and 27 partners, six of which national entities.
The projects with the largest volume of funding in which Portugal participates are: GN5-1 – GÉANT Project, funded with 46 M€ and participation of the Foundation for Science and Technology; and IAM4RAIL – Holistic and Integrated Asset Management for Europe’s RAIL System, financed with 55 M€ with the participation of SIEMENS MOBILITY.
Greater Lisbon with 40% of total funding. North increases participation
The Lisbon region continues to be the one with the largest volume of funding raised (26.3% more than in H2020), although more moderately in the current framework programme, going from a representation of 54% of the total value in H2020 to 40% in HE. The North region increased substantially the participation, from 23% to 34% of financing, which increased 145.6% compared to the first two years of H2020. In the Center, despite the 1% decrease in participation, there was a near doubling of funding. Also the relative increase in participation is significant in the Algarve and Alentejo that went from 2% to 4%.
