Deadline Date: March 12, 2026
TÜBİTAK has announced the first call of 2026 for the SME Research and development Start-Up Support Program to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to engage in systematic research and development activities.
The primary objectives and focus areas of this call are supporting project-based research, technology development, and innovation activities, encouraging R&D-oriented innovation, contributing to the establishment and expansion of an R&D and innovation culture, increasing competitiveness in national and international markets, gaining the competence to perform systematic R&D and innovation projects either individually or through partnerships, increasing localization in required technology fields, and ensuring the effective use of public resources in line with national goals. The program supports R&D and innovation projects across all sectors focused on new product design, improving existing products, or developing new production techniques and technologies that enhance quality or reduce costs. Special priority is given to projects aligned with the TÜBİTAK 2024-2025 R&D and Innovation Topics, particularly those addressing disaster technologies and the 12th Development Plan’s priority technology areas.
The evaluation process involves a preliminary check followed by a referee review, where projects must score above a 60-point threshold to be considered. Projects may be rejected without full evaluation if the R&D is already completed, if the firm does not contribute to the R&D work, if the proposal is investment-oriented rather than research-oriented, or if the project team lacks a staff member with at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
Additional points can be earned based on the commercialization performance of past TÜBİTAK projects or by addressing specific priority research areas. The call also allows for a revision process for projects that show strong innovative content but failed to reflect it sufficiently in their initial application.
Participating organizations must complete a base-level registration before submitting their project proposals via the PRODİS system. There is a submission limit of two project proposals per firm for this call period, which also includes any concurrent applications made to the 1501 Industrial R&D Support Program.
For more information, visit TÜBİTAK.
