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As the schedule of OP Technology and Applications for Competitiveness calls has been updated again, it is an ideal time for another overview of current and upcoming grant opportunities for entrepreneurs. At the end of this year and the beginning of the new one, a rather diverse range of subsidy calls will open, which will aim not only at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, but also large ones.
In the October overview, you will find subsidies mainly in the field of research, development and innovation from OP TAK. But we have also included the photovoltaic sector, where the National Development Bank (NDB) has opened a new financing facility for the installation of small-scale PV on company buildings and sheds. Until the end of the year, the RES+ call from the Modernisation Fund for the installation of self-consumption photovoltaic power plants will still be open.
Next February, another subsidy call, Innovation for small, medium and large companies (up to 499 employees), will open to increase the technical and utility values of products, technologies (product innovation) and services and to increase the efficiency of production processes and service provision (process innovation). The grant can fund technology, software and data, intellectual property rights and product certifications.
The establishment or development of industrial research, development and innovation centres can be funded through the current Potential call. Specifically, small, medium-sized and large companies (up to 3 000 employees) can benefit from support for the acquisition of technology, equipment and other facilities necessary for research and development activities. The call is specifically focused on Deep Tech, which are technologies that present significant scientific or technical challenges requiring prolonged research, development and increased investment. Deep Tech technologies include advanced materials, aerospace, artificial intelligence and robotics.
At the beginning of next year, two Applications calls will open to companies, which will make it possible to finance the implementation of research and development activities. In the Application II call it will be possible to obtain support for the implementation of experimental development of digital solutions. In the case of the Application III call, subsidies will go to industrial research and experimental development projects that aim to increase the level of technological readiness of advanced technological solutions and demonstrate highly innovative processes, products and services. So again, this will be in the Deep Tech area.
The Digital Enterprise subsidy call is currently open, thanks to which small and medium-sized companies can obtain subsidies for investment or acquisition of new services or non-production technologies in the field of information and communication technologies. Specifically, this may include, for example, digital transformation projects, in-house connectivity or the creation of a digital twin. An even more narrowly focused Digital Enterprise – Cybersecurity call will probably be launched at the end of the year.
Do you want to install a new photovoltaic power plant in your company? You can use the current call of the RES+ programme – Photovoltaic power plants 10 kW-5 MW with self-consumption. Projects of stand-alone PV plants with one transfer point to the distribution grid or transmission system can be supported. Along with the support provided for the installation of PV plants, battery storage systems for the electricity produced and systems for the production of hydrogen by electrolysis of water can also be supported.
The installation of a photovoltaic power plant can also be financed using the new financial instrument of the National Development Bank. Companies outside Prague, regardless of size, can receive a subsidy of up to CZK 3 million in combination with a soft loan for the purchase of PV plants with an output from 1 kWp to 50 kWp on the business premises, including sheds. For the first time in a long time, this is a programme that enables the implementation of small-scale PV plants that do not require a building permit. In addition, the investment in a new PV plant can be supplemented by electricity storage. In this case, the rate of support can be as high as 50%.
