Open Call: Innovative Projects from Tourism SME Start-Ups under ST3ER Project Accelerator

ST3ER is an impactful, multi-faceted programme focusing on encouraging innovation within tourism SME start-ups to help boost their resilience and foster sustainability, while simultaneously supporting the achievement of European twin transition goals.

ST3ER will provide access, through this accelerator programme, to finance, mentoring, training and learning opportunities, business support resources to successful applicants, as well as new connections and co-creation opportunities with other relevant stakeholders.

Objectives

• The main objectives of the ST3ER Project are to facilitate tourism SMEs in the partner countries/ administrative regions in green and digital transition, in building capacity, in development/scaling up, in fostering innovative solutions for sustainable tourism (new business models, innovative services, heightened resilience) and in promoting best practice exchanges, knowledge sharing and transfer.

Categories

• ST3ER now invites innovative digital and data-driven projects, led by ambitious experiential tourism oriented SME start-ups driven by small teams of between 2 and 10 people in the partner countries/administrative regions under the following category:
  • Individual SME Start-Up Innovation Projects with a support of a maximum €30,000 grant. Specifically aimed at tourism-oriented SME start-ups driven by small teams of between 2 and 10 people that have been operating for less than 7 years. These start-ups must have scaling ambition, potential for rapid growth and global ambition with focus on innovative responses to the challenges of digital transition.
• Individual Innovation Projects must implement a minimum of one digital or data-driven practice:
  • Digital practices
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Augmented and Virtual Reality
  • Big Data and Data Analytics
  • Blockchain
  • Cloud Computing
  • Internet of Things
  • Other digital practices related to tourism
• The innovative project needs to go a step further than simply buying digital or data-driven products off the shelf. Any products, software, tools, equipment and/or technological solutions proposed for funding within an SME start-up’s proposal needs to be central to the application of the proposed project and must be essential in facilitating the innovative growth of the SME start-up through the project, rather than simply applying tried and tested more generic measures.

Funding Information

• Budget for this Call 2: €480,000
• The ST3ER financial support will cover the full cost of up to a maximum of €30,000 per selected project of implementation of the innovative project – SME start-ups will not be required to provide co-funding up to the budget indicated in Section 2.1. Own funds must be used if the budget exceeds €30,000. Financial support will be disbursed to the successful SME start-ups in the form of a lump sum, provided in stages as follows:
  • 40% prepayment;
  • 60% final payment at end of project upon full implementation of the Innovation Project.
• The final payment will be made on foot of satisfactory technical progress reviews and evaluations. A technical report and a financial report will be needed at each stage, and the necessary templates will be made available before the signature of the Grant Agreement.
• Financial support will be disbursed to the applying SME start-up, which in turn must pay the mentors/experts. Expenses related to the participation at the mandatory physical event (which can be chosen from several physical events including an international forum in Denmark) and modules must be paid from the grant received.

Other Supports and Requirements

• As part of the financial grant awards detailed above, the following accelerator supports will be provided to SME start-ups selected under this call over a six month period:
  • Mentoring: engaging in a bespoke 30-hour programme of 1:1 advice in agreed areas of expertise over the 6 months duration of their project implementation will be a mandatory requirement. SME start-ups will select their mentor(s) from a pool which has been established specifically for the ST3ER programme. In some cases, more than one mentor may be chosen by the SME start-up, depending on the specific support required. The SME will be responsible for paying their mentor(s) for their services from the grant support.
  • Selected SME start-ups will be required to participate in at least 5 out of 6 knowledge/capacity building modules which will be provided, free of charge and online, by the ST3ER Project over a six month period.
  • SME start-ups will be encouraged to participate in all events organised by the ST3ER consortium, such as deep dives, cross-sectoral huddles, bootcamps and forums
  • SME start-ups must attend at least one physical, on-site ST3ER event (in Denmark or other locations to be advised) within the duration of their Innovation Project, bringing added opportunities for engagement between SME start-ups, e.g. exchange of best practices.
  • SME start-ups selected will be required to become a member of the ST3ER online community bringing further opportunities for information exchange and collaboration with partners across the regions.
  • The Innovation Project will run in parallel with the Accelerator Programme over the same six month period.

Eligible Costs

• The costs incurred on the Innovation Project must fall within the eligible categories as set out below. This financial support must be used to purchase goods and services that will contribute in an instrumental way to the development of the approved innovative digital project. It cannot be used simply to purchase stand alone, off-the-shelf products or solutions. The grant must be used to engage in innovative solutions that will stimulate business growth and resilience concerning the digital and data driven transition.
  • Cost Category
    • Travel and subsistence
    • Mentoring services
    • Consultancy services
    • Advertising, promotion, and communication
    • Equipment or software
    • Tools and/or Technology Solutions

Geographic Focus

• Applicant SME start-ups must be operating in Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, Denmark or Ireland. Applicant Irish SME start-ups must be operating in the in the Gaeltacht region of Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Meath, Mayo or Waterford or in West/North West of Ireland including areas outside the Gaeltacht in Mayo, Donegal and Galway as well as Sligo, Leitrim, and Roscommon

Eligibility Criteria

• For their application to be considered valid, an applicant must comply with the following requirements:
  • Qualify as a tourism Small or Medium Enterprise/SME.
  • Natural persons are not eligible to participate except in the case of sole traders, where the trading entity does not have legal personality separate from that of the individual.
  • Sole traders must have a minimum of two team members and a maximum of 10 to be eligible.
  • Start-up must be driven by a small team of a minimum of two people and a maximum of 10 people.
  • Be registered in one of the following countries:
    • Denmark
    • Ireland
    • Portugal
    • Slovenia
    • Spain
  • And submit proof of registration at the corresponding national/regional chamber of commerce, company tax authority, companies registration office, or equivalent.
  • Provide proof of full compliance with national tax and social security obligations for the company.
  • Agree with the processing of their personal data in accordance with Údarás na Gaeltachta’s privacy policy, and to share personal data with the ST3ER Project consortium and EISMEA.
  • Have appropriate working knowledge of English.
  • Demonstrate that they are operating in the tourism sector, under one of the NACE codes listed here, or other as appropriate
  • Propose an innovative project, complying with the requirements set out in section 2, which will take 6 months to complete.
  • Agree to use the financial support provided only for the implementation of the proposed project.
  • Agree to comply with the reporting requirements of the ST3ER Project.

For more information, visit ST3ER.