Funding transnational collaborative research projects for the benefit of Walloon companies (SME) involved in international partnerships (with the possible support of approved research centres) – IRA SME

The sponsor is a Walloon SME

in a potential partnership with a CRa.

The support consists of granting subsidies/recoverable advances funded by the administration. This amounts to 60–80% for SMEs and 75% for approved research centres.

The budget includes:

1. cost of research staff;
2. operation costs;
3. cost of acquiring and depreciation of research equipment;
4. fixed management costs;
5. costs related to any potential sub-contracting;
6. mission costs.

The agreement will last for two years.

Candidates with projects are invited to declare their interest in submitting an application by contacting the administration, which will organise an orientation meeting, where applicable. The Walloon component of the projects must then submit via the ONTIME platform, in strict compliance with the deadlines stated in the call. At the same time, the project’s international coordinator submits an international proposal via the IRA-SME platform.

A proposal is eligible if the following elements are all answered in the affirmative::

• The sponsor is a Walloon SME.
• The research is conducted with at least one industrial operator in another IRA-SME programme partner country.
• The application is submitted via the ONTIME platform before the deadline and an international proposal is submitted at the same time by the international project coordinator via the programme’s international platform.
• The research cannot have already received public funding.

Assessment criteria and project selection

Projects are assessed in accordance with the legal basis defined below. Each of the criteria defined in the decree has its own maximum score:

• Article 38: The innovative nature of the project (rating/20)
• Article 45/46: Excellence and experience (rating/10)
• Articles 39 and 45/46: The quality, feasibility and relevance of the project (rating/20)
• Article 40 – 43/1: The promotion of innovation (rating/40)
• Article 41: The contribution to sustainable development (rating/10)