We invite all innovative entrepreneurs, development teams and individuals to apply for participation in the program Accelerator Opportunity. This program provides a unique opportunity to develop and improve business ideas through structured mentoring, counselling and accelerator resource utilisation programme.
About the program
Opportunity Accelerator, which along with us make STEP RI i Development Center of Lika-Senj County, part of it the HAMAG - BICRO Initiative It is carried out in three phases: pre-acceleration, acceleration and post-acceleration.
The program is designed to support innovative companies, teams and individuals u development of their products and services and enable their successful business in the market.
Pre-acceleration
Pre-acceleration phase lasts 3 months and includes the following: services up to a maximum value of €4,000:
- Use of space with all overhead costs
- Initial assessment of the state of the project with the development of a personalized acceleration plan
- Consulting services by business and technology mentors
- Access to accelerator equipment and machinery
- Participation in workshops and trainings and preparation for the final presentation
After the completion of the pre-acceleration phase, participants will present their projects to an evaluation panel composed of five independent foreign experts. The presentation will be held in English. In case the applicant is a start-up (up to 5 years of age), the applicant can access the acceleration programme if the jury determines that the project is successful and has a product/service at TRL 5-8. Applicants in teams and individuals (natural persons), in addition to the above conditions, must set up a business or craft before joining the acceleration programme.
Important: Only participants who successfully complete the pre-acceleration phase will have the possibility to apply for the acceleration and post-acceleration phase.
Acceleration and post-acceleration
Acceleration lasts 9 months It is intended exclusively for companies with products and services in the TRL 5-8 phase resulting from the pre-acceleration programme.
The programme includes the following: services equivalent to a maximum of €17,000:
- Use of space with all overhead costs
- Consulting services by business and technology mentors
- Creating a business plan with a marketing strategy
- Access to accelerator equipment and machinery
- Connecting with investors and business partners
Users of the acceleration program have the opportunity to:
- Participations on additional restricted calls up to €25,000, intended financing of operating costs not covered by the programme (e.g. purchase of equipment and instruments, staff salary costs, patenting, certification and testing costs…)
- Applications to Business internationalisation vouchers companies, which includes activities of participation of the company in international events, exhibitions, fairs, workshops, conferences, and includes travel expenses, overnight expenses, registration fees, etc.
The post-acceleration program lasts 12 months and includes further project development support through the use of business premises with all overhead costs, continuous advisory support and participation in events with the aim of connecting and accessing investors. The services listed are in the equivalent of a maximum of €6,000.
Eligible applicants
You can apply for a newly created companies (up to 5 years of age), Development teams i individuals who develop innovative products, services and technologies which are currently in stages TRL 5-8.
Source of funding and de minimis aid
The acceleration programme is implemented under the measure “Strengthening acceleration activity” and is funded by the 2021 National Recovery and Resilience Plan. 20-2026
The service provided to the undertaking by the accelerator-operator of the programme for the pre-acceleration, acceleration and post-acceleration phases constitutes de minimis aid pursuant to Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 of 113 December 2023 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union on de minimis aid, i.e. in accordance with the Rules on the granting of de minimis aid (de minimis) HAMAG-BICRO as of 7 March 2024.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted by filling in Form 1 which is an integral part the Public Call published by HAMAG BICRO.
Applicants in the application select those accelerators with which they want to cooperate, ranking them according to their preferences and priorities. If there is no space in the selected accelerator, the application is redirected to the next one, in order.
Deadline for submission of applications
Applications are open until 7 August 2024 of the year.
