The main objective of the Program for Collaborative Grants For Innovation is to encourage micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to actively and meaningfully collaborate with research and development (R&D) institutions and/or other MSMEs in commercially focused innovative projects with the goal of creating new or improved market-oriented products, services, technologies and processes.  

Amount of Funding

The Fund shall award a grant in the amount up to EUR 100,000 per project approved, which can cover up to 80% of total project costs for micro and small enterprises, and up to 70% of total project costs for medium-sized enterprises.   

The Applicant is obliged to provide the remaining amount of funds from their own sources. 

Eligibility criteria

The Call is open to consortium consisting of MSME established as legal entity with headquarters in Montenegro as Lead Applicant and licensed R&D institution established in Montenegro and/or MSME established as a legal entity with headquarters in Montenegro as Lead Co-Applicant. 

In order to sign the Grant Agreement and ultimately receive funding from the Fund, the Lead Applicant must be registered in the Register of Innovation Activities (www.inovacije.gov.me). The Lead Applicant doesn’t have to be registered in this Register at the time of project submission. The same condition applies to MSME as Lead-Co-Applicant.  

The consortium Lead Co-Applicant can be licensed R&D institution in the Register² of the Ministry of Science and Technological Development, and/or a MSME in accordance with the current Montenegrin Company Law, obliged to fulfil the same requirements as Lead Applicant. 

The consortium can include other entities in the form of Co-Applicants. Eligible Co-Applicants are MSME and/or R&D organizations, acting as a formal part of the consortium, but not acting as the Lead Applicant/Lead Co-Applicant.

International partner institutions may be engaged in the consortium but cannot declare costs and cannot become formal recipients of funding under this public Call.

Ceteris paribus, priority in the evaluation process shall be given to those consortia which include R&D institutions as Lead Co-Applicant or Co-Applicant. 

Content of the Project Application

Project applications shall contain the following documentation: 

1. Applicant Statement (in Montenegrin language); 
2. Project Presentation (in English, in free format based on instructions given in the template); 
3. Business plan (in English); 
4. Project budget (in English); 
5. Financial Forecast (in English);  
6. Project Summary (in English); 
7. CVs of the project team key personnel including references relevant for the project (maximum 5, free format, in English);  
8. Lead Applicant’s positive financial statement reports in the last two financial years, except for start-ups established since 01.01.2021, required to provide an interim positive financial report and final (if applicable). In case the Lead Co-applicant is MSME, the same documentation is required.  

Submission of the Application

In order to apply for this Call, the Applicants should use the Fund’s portal.

All the documents needed can be downloaded from the section Documentation.

Priority domains for funding

The Call is harmonized with the strategic priorities established by the Smart Specialization Strategy (2019-2024): 

• Sustainable agriculture and food value chain;  
• Energy and sustainable environment;  
• Sustainable and health tourism; and 
• Information and communication technologies as a horizontal priority. 

At least 70% of Fund’s available funding for this Call will be allocated for Applications in the abovementioned priority domains of Smart Specialization Strategy of Montenegro, subject to availability of good quality projects. 

Duration of Innovative Projects
Estimated timeline

• Call for proposals opening:  28 June 2022
• Deadline for submission: 27 September 2022
• Final Decision on financing and Announcement of results: until 30 November 2022
• Contracting negotiations: until 15 December 2022
• Project Implementation Start: January 2023

The implementation period of the proposed projects is up to 24 months. Selected projects should start in January 2023. 

Contact: cgi@fondzainovacije.me