• The purpose of the voucher is to encourage micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in international projects through applications to the European Innovation Council (EIC) calls for proposals within the Horizon Europe programme. The voucher enables companies to co-finance the costs of preparing high-quality project proposals with the help of qualified external contractors.

• The objective of the voucher is to enable SMEs to better prepare for and have a greater chance of success in the demanding international EIC calls for proposals, which represent an important opportunity to finance high value-added development and innovation projects.

• Companies that have already applied to the EIC calls for proposals under the Horizon Europe programme, which include the following subprogrammes, are eligible for co-financing:
  • EIC Pathfinder Open and EIC Pathfinder Challenges,
  • EIC Transition Open,
  • EIC Accelerator Open and EIC Accelerator Challenges,
  • EIC STEP Scale-up.

• The application must be submitted to a call open from 29 October 2024 to 31 December 2027 inclusive.
• The company must achieve at least the minimum threshold of points determined for each call in the international evaluation.
• The voucher application must include an official Evaluation Summary Report (ESR) as proof of assessment.
• Companies that have been invited to an interview under the EIC Accelerator Open, EIC Accelerator Challenges or EIC STEP Scale-up subprogrammes can obtain additional funding. To do so, they must submit an additional application to the SPS.

• 60% co-financing of eligible costs
• Minimum subsidy: EUR 500.00
• Maximum amount of subsidy for each set of activities for subprogrammes:

1. EIC Pathfinder Open & EIC Pathfinder Challenges:
   1. in the case of a consortium partner EUR 2,000.00,
   2. in the case of a leading partner in the consortium EUR 3,000.00.
2. EIC Transition Open:
   1. first stage:
      • in the case of a consortium partner EUR 2,000.00,
      • in the case of a leading partner in the consortium or as an independent applicant EUR 3,000.00.
   2. second stage – invitation to interview:
      • in the case of a consortium partner EUR 1,500.00,
      • in the case of a leading partner in the consortium or as an independent applicant EUR 2,000.00.
3. EIC Accelerator Open & EIC Accelerator Challenges as an independent applicant:
   1. Short proposal EUR 2,000.00.
   2. Full proposal EUR 5,000.00.
   3. Invitation to interview EUR 3,000.00.
4. EIC STEP Scale-up as an independent applicant:
   1. Invitation to interview EUR 4,000.00.
   2. Or, for all subprogrammes/sets of activities together, a maximum of EUR 9,999.99.

• EUR 0.2 million for the period 2025–2028

micro, small and medium-sized enterprises based in the Republic of Slovenia, which, as legal or natural persons, are engaged in economic activity and are organised as companies or self-employed individuals or cooperatives

• costs of an external contractor who assisted the beneficiary in preparing the project proposal for the call within the European Innovation Council (EIC) subprogrammes within the Horizon Europe programme,
• travel costs: costs of a return air ticket (only in the case of an invitation to an interview – EIC Accelerator Open & EIC Accelerator Challenges, EIC STEP Scale-up),
• accommodation costs: only the costs of one night or one night with breakfast are eligible (only in the case of an invitation to an interview – EIC Accelerator Open & EIC Accelerator Challenges, EIC STEP Scale-up).

The costs of training, travel and material costs of the external contractor incurred in the preparation of the project proposal are not eligible costs.

VAT is not an eligible cost.

• SMEs can claim costs incurred in the period from the publication of the public call until 30 9. 2028.
• SMEs can obtain funds several times during the period for this public call.
• SMEs submit a separate application for each project proposal.

Activities that will be carried out and paid for within the eligibility period specified in the co-financing contract will be eligible for co-financing. The beneficiary must carry out all activities before submitting the payment request.

• The project must be consistent with the purpose and subject of the public call
• The SME must state the external contractor in the application
• When selecting an external contractor, the SME must act economically and obtain the service at market price
• The selected external contractor cannot be an applicant under this public call, and the applicant cannot be an external contractor to other applicants

• The application is submitted electronically via the ePortal of the Fund.
• The deadline for submitting applications is 31 March 2028 or until funds are exhausted

Publication of the public call in the Official Gazette l. RS no. 56/2025 of 25. 7. 2025:

• Public call
• Call documentation
• Sample contract
• Programme areas
• Special conditions

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