This Call for Applications aims to stimulate business investment of an innovative nature, promoting a change in the specialization profile of the Portuguese economy and strengthening its external competitiveness, through differentiation, diversification and innovation.

Operations that contribute to improving the productive capacities of SMEs and to the development of innovative, digital and sustainable solutions, particularly based on R&D results and the increase in qualified employment, corresponding to an initial investment, related to the following types of action, are eligible for support:

1. The creation of a new establishment;
2. Increasing the capacity of an existing establishment;
3. The diversification of an establishment's production to products not previously produced in the establishment;
4. The fundamental alteration of the overall production process of an existing establishment.

The operations to be supported must aim at the production of new goods and services, or significant improvements in current production, through the transfer and application of knowledge. The operations may, alternatively or complementary, also aim at the adoption of new, or significantly improved, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, organizational or marketing processes or methods.

The financing rate for eligible operations is obtained from the sum of the following amounts, up to a maximum limit of 40% (in the case of operations located in the NUTS III Alto Alentejo and Beiras and Serra da Estrela sub-regions, this maximum limit is 50% for medium-sized companies and 60% for micro and small companies).

Within the scope of this Call for Tenders, the following costs are eligible, provided they are directly related to the development of the operation:

1. Tangible assets, including the acquisition of machinery and equipment, costs directly attributable to placing them in the location and conditions necessary for their operation, as well as the acquisition of computer equipment, including the software necessary for their operation;
2. Intangible assets, including technology transfer through the acquisition of national and international patent rights, licenses, technical knowledge not protected by patent, and standard software or software developed specifically for a specific purpose;
3. Other investment expenditure, including expenditure on the intervention of certified accountants or statutory auditors in validating expenditure on payment requests; engineering services; studies, diagnostics, audits; studies or reports in the context of aligning the operation with the “Do No Significant Harm” Principle; marketing plans; architectural and engineering projects and services.

In the case of operations in the tourism and industry sectors (whose sectoral scope is covered by CAE), and in duly justified cases within the scope of the innovative activity incorporated in the operation, the construction of buildings, renovation works and other constructions may also be eligible.

In the case of operations in the tourism sector, in duly justified cases within the scope of the exercise of the respective tourism activity, vehicles that constitute the tourism activity itself to be developed may be eligible, provided that they are directly related to the exercise of that activity and are not powered by fossil fuels.

Operations eligible for support must present a minimum total eligible expenditure of 300,000 euros and a total eligible expenditure, measured on the basis of the data presented in the application, of less than 25 million euros.

The application period will run in a 1st phase until 16/09/2024 and in a 2nd phase until 30/12/2024.

Know more here