Support for Business Development Projects of Deep Technology Startups (Estonia)

Deep technology startups can grow the creation and export of higher value-added products, services, and technologies through new business development knowledge and skills.

Funding Information

• Total grant amount: € 250,000
• Maximum grant amount: € 50,000.

Eligible Activities

• Support can be applied for the following activities:
  • testing the international market suitability of a product, service or technology and requesting initial feedback from potential customers in this regard;
  • testing the demand for a product and service concept or conducting initial research among potential customers
  • test marketing in the target market
  • preparation of an internationalization strategy
  • international growth financing analysis
  • developing management, good practice and organization to support international growth and implementing the necessary sustainability principles
  • looking for an international investor
  • performing intellectual property rights and patent analysis
  • services to ensure compliance with regulations aimed at the internationalization of a product, service or technology

Eligibility Criteria

• Micro and small enterprises that have been operating for up to 5 years and are registered in the Estonian Commercial Register can apply for support.
• The applicant is a deep technology start-up – an entrepreneur developing a technology that is characterized by a time-consuming and capital-intensive development process and greater uncertainty or business risk due to the validity or applicability of the technology.
• The main technology areas that are considered deep technologies are high-tech materials and production systems, artificial intelligence, biotechnologies, autonomous vehicles, robotics, photonics, microelectronics and nanotechnologies, quantum computing, medical and neurotechnologies, space technologies
• The applicant’s team has 2 full-time positions filled.

Application Requirements

• The application is completed and submitted in the Structural Funds e-​support environment.
• Prepare the application documents in advance:
  • Sample application form ( file for preliminary review, application form to be completed and submitted in the e-​support environment)
  • Project description, activity and schedule preparation guide
  • Activity plan and budget form
  • Group member scheme (if the applicant belongs to a group and the group’s details are not displayed in the commercial register)
  • Sample power of attorney ( if the signatory to the application is not the person authorized to represent the applicant)
• The following must also be added to the application:
  • Employment register (TÖR) extract for employees
  • Current year’s balance sheet and income statement as of the last completed quarter
  • Annual report or financial statements prior to the application (if the deadline for submitting the annual report has arrived, the report must have been submitted to the Commercial Register)
  • Consolidated financial indicators of the group (number of employees, balance sheet and income statement) must be submitted if the company belongs to a group and belonging to the group cannot be identified based on the commercial register data.

For more information, visit EIS.