The policy measure aims at an increased R&D and innovation capabilities of SMEs by fostering collaboration with public research institutions and RTOs, improving knowledge transfer and by strengthening quality and relevance of public R&D.

The Innovation Voucher has been introduced to inspire SMEs to utilise the opportunities and potential of knowledge institutions. At the same time, the Innovation Voucher Scheme is expected to enhance the awareness at knowledge institutions of the need for knowledge and thus secure the quality and societal relevance of public research.

The scheme is open for projects within all scientific fields and the administrative structure of the scheme is designed in a manner to reduce bureaucratic measures as much as possible for the project participants. The Council of Technology and Innovation is responsible for the scheme and has decided that state co-funding is channelled directly from the Danish Agency of Science, Technology and Innovation to the research or technological partners of the projects, relieving the SME from the burden of invoicing its project partner.

Source: The Innovation Voucher Scheme (October 2011)

The policy measure aims at improving collaboration between public research institutions and RTOs and SMEs and fostering the R&D intensity and innovation capabilities of Danish SMEs. It will contribute to achieving the 3% target as has been formulated in the Globalisation strategy.

Highest priority addressed by this policy measure is strengthening R&D collaboration between SMEs and public research institutions and RTOs.

The policy measure is implemented by the Danish Council for Technology and Innovation. There is a limit of €2m for the project portfolio that can be funded by the Danish Council for Technology and Innovation. The SME gives 50% of the total funding and the research institution at least 25%.

A project shall start latest six months after receiving the award of the project from the agency. The participating research organisations and companies have to submit annually a financial report.

There exist two different tracks:

1. a basic voucher for a research-based business development project with a governmental co-funding level of 40%, but max. €14,000. Main focus in the basic voucher is the successful transfer of knowledge from research to SME, in order to place the SME and its activities in a position ahead of its market;
2. an extended voucher with characteristics similar to a larger scale R&D collaboration project with a state co-funding level of 25%, but max. €67,000. Main focus of the extended voucher is finding new solutions to current problems. It is a prerequisite for the extended voucher projects that the participating knowledge institution itself carries out research on the field in question.

The management of the measure is rather flat. The measure is organised after the principle 'first come, first served'. The proposal has to be sent to the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation. It has to include an agreement between the research organisation and the SME, a project description, an agreement on the dissemination of research results and IPR ownership, a budget and a declaration from the research institution. The research institution is responsible for the proposed research description and the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation is responsible for evaluating the proposal and for the final decision.

The participating research organisations and companies have to submit an annual financial report.

Following selection criteria are applied:

• the SME has to be a private enterprise;
• the SME must have existed at least one year;
• the project must not have received other public funding;
• the company must be an SME with max. 250 employees;
• the annual turnover of the SME should be max. €50m;
• the SME should not have received public support over the last three years more than €0.13m (de minimum);
• for the basic voucher the SME should not have bought knowledge service for more than €6,718 over the last three years.

Project proposals may include also foreign research institutions if the level is assessed to be at least at the same level as equivalent Danish research institutions.

Project proposals may include also foreign research institutions if the level is assessed to be at least at the same level as equivalent Danish research institutions.

There are no fixed calls for proposals. Project proposals will be evaluated continously after the principle 'first come, first served'.

The General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) applies.

These budgets include also about 50% co-funding by the firms and at least 25% co-funding by the public research organisation.

A mid-term evaluation was conducted in 2009. The Evaluation Report concluded that the scheme generally worked as intended. The participating companies applied knowledge, which strengthens their research and development activities and provided them with an appropriate interaction with knowledge institutions. Knowledge institutions collaborated with new types of firms. Overall, the evaluation highlighted that the voucher projects created added value for both companies and knowledge institutions.

In 2008 the programme received six proposals, three of them received funding.

In 2009 the programme received 17 proposals, 13 received funding.

The mid-term evaluation highlighted that the programme contributed to a better interaction between SMEs and public research organisations.

The vouchers have mainly supported the development of new products or processes in SMEs. It is likely that most of the projects would not have been initiated on the same level, although the government grant for the development project does not go to the SME but to the university or GTS institute participating in the project.

In Spring 2012 the scheme opened for new applications. In September 2012 new guidelines were published.

Lov om Teknologi og Innovation nr. 419 af 6. juni 2002

The Danish Council for Technology and Innovation (Rådet for Teknologi og Innovation)

The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (Styrelsen for Forskning og Innovation)

The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education (Ministeriet for Forskning, Innovation og Videregående Uddannelser)

Karina Lisberg