E-Service

Development voucher

Open Target group: small and medium-sized enterprises whose development ideas need advanced professional know-how from specialists in order to be implemented.

The development voucher is essentially a supporting measure for preliminary research. The results of the development voucher should enable the entrepreneur to gain comprehensive knowledge on whether their development idea has the potential necessary for continuing the development process in other stages.


As the development voucher usually only makes it possible to conduct a certain part of a development project (e.g. a patent study, laboratory testing), then other important aspects of product, service or technology development activities (such as the current state of the field, the technological feasibility of the project etc.) may, unfortunately, remain insufficiently studied. You are the perfect candidate for the development voucher grant of EAS if your company could use comprehensive expert advice from specialists in their field in order to implement changes.

Maximum grant 20,000 EUR

 
The maximum grant percentage from the entire cost is 70%

Own contribution is at least 30%

Total budget

6 million euros (financed by the European Regional Development Fund)

Goal

Terms and Conditions

  • Before applying, it is advisable to get acquainted with the terms and conditions of awarding innovation and development voucher grants; you can find the info here.  Translation.
  • The development voucher is offered to applicants who have previously not received this grant.
  • If the entrepreneur has previously received the innovation voucher grant, then that project should be completed before applying for the development voucher. These two grants cannot be applied for at the same time.
  • Even though the development voucher is aimed at a broad range of SMEs, it does not apply to fields of activities that have been listed in section subsection 1 (6) of the measure regulation.
  • The applicant may have not received de minimis aid (along with the support sought within this measure), which would exceed 200,000 euros.
  • The applicant should have made payments in the required sum of reimbursements.
  • The applicant cannot be in financial difficulties.
  • NB! The entrepreneur’s planned development should be related to a developed product, service or technology. The development voucher measure does not enable the creation of a business model, making amendments or additions to it, neither does it apply to marketing activities.
  • The applicant can select a suitable engineering service provider who meets the established selection criteria.

Each applicant who has received a grant from European Regional Development Fund must inform the public about receiving the grant, using the logo of the European Regional Development Fund and the EAS. Please refer to the guideline and logos.

 

  • The applicant can select a suitable consultation service provider from Estonia who meets the established selection criteria.

Activities that are supported

  • In accordance with the conditions of the measure, outsourcing innovation related services is allowed in the following fields of activity:
    • consulting regarding product or service development;
    • consulting regarding production or technology;
    • conducting product tests and industrial experiments;
    • carrying out feasibility and cost-benefit research;
    • legal protection consultation, tests and registration regarding patents, utility models or industrial design;
    • consulting regarding metrology, standardisation and certification;
    • development and implementation of technological solutions.
  • The staff expenditure of a development employee on the condition that the development employee will work on the project for the company at least 20 hours per week and at a 0.5 workload. The maximum share of eligible expenditure from the entire eligible sum of the grant can be up to 50%. The position of the development employee must be located in Estonia; this employee should have a higher education degree and at least 5-years of working experience in the corresponding field within the last 10 years.
  • The cost of materials needed for the implementation of activities on the condition that the maximum share of eligible expenditure from the entire eligible sum of the grant can be up to 20%.

 

Application

The innovation voucher applications can be submitted via the EAS e-service on an ongoing basis.


Information and support centre, info@eas.ee

Evaluation

The applications are evaluated by an EAS client manager who can bring aboard independent experts, if necessary. Processing time for an application (including evaluation) is up to 20 days.

Reporting

Both the interim and final report should be submitted via the EAS e-service.

An interim report has to be submitted only when the implementation period of the project exceeds 12 months.

 

  • Defining the problem

    The entrepreneur should define their product, service or technology development obstacle, question or issue that needs a solution, in relation to which they need expert advice, technology or material tests, studies in intellectual property databases etc.

  • Finding cooperation partners

    The entrepreneur will find suitable cooperation partners, who have been listed in subsections 4 (5-6) of the measure regulation and on the EAS website. Continuing collaboration with the cooperation partners of the innovation voucher project is preferred.

  • Compiling a project plan

    A suitable project plan will be developed with cooperation partners in order to implement activities (instruction). Then the cooperation partner will compile a price quote that has to be submitted to EAS along with the project plan when applying for the development voucher. The price quote should include a clear description of the activities of the services bought and unit prices, so that it would be understood how the given price quote came to be.

    NB! Three independent price quotes have to be submitted if the price of the purchased service exceeds 5,000 euros. If the applicant of the grant is unable to submit three independent price quotes, they should add a corresponding explanation to their application. When purchasing the consultation and research services of a consultation company concerning the development voucher, the terms of reference along with comparable price quotes for all purchase transactions have to be provided, regardless of their cost.

  • Application

    After receiving price quote(s) and determining specific activities of the project, it is necessary to fill a short application form and submit it via the EAS e-service. A project plan has to be submitted along with the application.

  • Evaluation

    The evaluation criteria of the development voucher application and their percentages of the total grade are the following:

    • problem statement, goal, action plan and cost-effectiveness of the project (50% of the total grade), as well as involvement with the growth areas of smart specialisation,
    • project team (30% of the total grade),
    • project impact in terms of meeting the goals of the measure (20% of the total grade).

  • Execution of the project

    The entrepreneur and their cooperation partners will conduct the project in accordance with the agreed conditions. If a cooperation partner requires an advance payment, then the entrepreneur is responsible for paying it initially (as is the case for all other state-funded grants).

  • Final report and disbursement

    After the completion of the project, the entrepreneur shall submit a final report on the work that has been done to the EAS, as well as other necessary documents. If everything got done in accordance to the initial agreement EAS will reimburse the innovation voucher to the entrepreneur in full.

    After the end of the project, a final report of the project has to be submitted along with the following documents:

    • list of expenses,
    • a free form description of the activities carried out during the project,
    • technical specifications of the results of the project in free form or the completed result,
    • the applicant’s current balance sheet and their income statement for the current financial year as of the last completed quarter.
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