Project Description

National Test Beds Network

Recovery and Resilience Plan

The National Network of Test Beds grant aims to boost innovation and competitiveness. This incentive provides the necessary infrastructure for experimentation and demonstration of new technologies, products and services in real environments. The initiative seeks to facilitate collaboration between companies, research centers and academic institutions, promoting the development of strategic sectors and their modernization.

Download the Infosheet

Support Status

Preliminary Stage

Financing

Up to 42.000€

Territory

Mainland Portugal
Madeira
Azores

Eligible Entities

SMEs
Startups

National Test Beds Network

Recovery and Resilience Plan

The National Network of Test Beds grant aims to boost innovation and competitiveness. This incentive provides the necessary infrastructure for experimentation and demonstration of new technologies, products and services in real environments. The initiative seeks to facilitate collaboration between companies, research centers and academic institutions, promoting the development of strategic sectors and their modernization.

Download the Infosheet

Support Status

Preliminary Stage

Financing

Up to 42.000€

Territory

Mainland Portugal
Madeira
Azores

Eligible Entities

SMEs
Startups

Incentive Conditions

  • The “National Network of Test Beds” measure aims to create a national network of Test Beds through infrastructures that intend to create the necessary conditions for companies to develop and test new products and services and accelerate the digital transition process, either via a space and physical equipment with a strong digital component or a virtual/digital simulator.

  • Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira.

  • The funding to be granted is calculated under Article 27 of the GBER, based on the application of a rate of 50% on the expenses considered eligible, and the aid intensity may be increased by:
    • a) 15 % for Test Bedssituated in assisted areas fulfilling the conditions of Article 107(3)(a) of the Treaty or by,
    • b) 5 % for Test Beds located in assisted areas that fulfil the conditions of Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty, and
    • c) 25% on condition that the corresponding amount is passed on as a benefit to the adhering SMEs and Startups through the provision of services below a market price scale, thus defining the amount of aid to be considered.
  • Increase referred to in point (c):
    • a) SME innovation aid, Article 28 of the GBER, not exceeding EUR 200,000 per enterprise over a period of 3 financial years, or, Page 12 of 22
    • b) De Minimis aid, Commission Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013, of 18 December, with a maximum limit of 200,000 euros over 3 financial years per single company, for situations not covered by the previous sub-paragraph.

  • The maximum amount of funding to be granted to each Test Bed results from the combination of the following maximum value brackets depending on the number of pilot products:

  • SMEs and startups.
  • Be part of one of the following Test Bed categories:
    • Test Bed Leader those that are operated by companies with innovation practices. For this category each Test Bed will have to develop at least 40 pilot products.
    • Test Bed Excellence – those characterized by their high capacity for experimentation and testing, having to develop at least 60 pilot products.
    • Test Bed Excellence Europe – the Test Bed Excellence may apply to the European network of Test and Experimentation Facilities (TEF), integrating a
    • European consortium, and may have access to additional funding in order to increase the scale of Test Bed performance to the European level, supported by the Programa Europa Digital (PED), under specific terms to be defined by this program.

  • The following types of expenditure are eligible under this Notice:
    • a) Investment expenses in tangible and intangible assets, namely:
      • i. Acquisition of equipment and acquisition of software, essential for the operation of the Test Bed;
      • ii. Development of digital platforms;
      • iii. Acquisition of patents.
    • b) Operating costs related to the Test Bed operation:
      • i. Human resource costs necessary for the operation of the Test Bed including the costs for its capacity building;
      • ii. Acquisition of technical and specialized services necessary for the creation and operation of the Test Beds;
      • iii. Travel and accommodation costs necessary for the Test Bed operation; iv. Costs with registration and maintenance of patents;
      • v. Indirect costs.
    • Note: The indirect costs foreseen as general costs in number 8 of article 27 of the GBER are calculated on the basis of simplified costs, based on the application of a fixed rate of 25% of the direct eligible operating costs, excluding direct eligible costs related to subcontracting, financial support to third parties and unit costs or fixed amounts.

  • SMEs and startups.

Incentive Conditions

The “National Network of Test Beds” measure aims to create a national network of Test Beds through infrastructures that intend to create the necessary conditions for companies to develop and test new products and services and accelerate the digital transition process, either via a space and physical equipment with a strong digital component or a virtual/digital simulator.

Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira.

The funding to be granted is calculated under Article 27 of the GBER, based on the application of a rate of 50% on the expenses considered eligible, and the aid intensity may be increased by:
a) 15 % for Test Bedssituated in assisted areas fulfilling the conditions of Article 107(3)(a) of the Treaty or by,
b) 5 % for Test Beds located in assisted areas that fulfil the conditions of Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty, and
c) 25% on condition that the corresponding amount is passed on as a benefit to the adhering SMEs and Startups through the provision of services below a market price scale, thus defining the amount of aid to be considered.
Increase referred to in point (c):
a) SME innovation aid, Article 28 of the GBER, not exceeding EUR 200,000 per enterprise over a period of 3 financial years, or, Page 12 of 22
b) De Minimis aid, Commission Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013, of 18 December, with a maximum limit of 200,000 euros over 3 financial years per single company, for situations not covered by the previous sub-paragraph.

The maximum amount of funding to be granted to each Test Bed results from the combination of the following maximum value brackets depending on the number of pilot products:

SMEs and startups.
Be part of one of the following Test Bed categories:
Test Bed Leader those that are operated by companies with innovation practices. For this category each Test Bed will have to develop at least 40 pilot products.
Test Bed Excellence – those characterized by their high capacity for experimentation and testing, having to develop at least 60 pilot products.
Test Bed Excellence Europe – the Test Bed Excellence may apply to the European network of Test and Experimentation Facilities (TEF), integrating a
European consortium, and may have access to additional funding in order to increase the scale of Test Bed performance to the European level, supported by the Programa Europa Digital (PED), under specific terms to be defined by this program.

The following types of expenditure are eligible under this Notice:
a) Investment expenses in tangible and intangible assets, namely:
i. Acquisition of equipment and acquisition of software, essential for the operation of the Test Bed;
ii. Development of digital platforms;
iii. Acquisition of patents.
b) Operating costs related to the Test Bed operation:
i. Human resource costs necessary for the operation of the Test Bed including the costs for its capacity building;
ii. Acquisition of technical and specialized services necessary for the creation and operation of the Test Beds;
iii. Travel and accommodation costs necessary for the Test Bed operation; iv. Costs with registration and maintenance of patents;
v. Indirect costs.
Note: The indirect costs foreseen as general costs in number 8 of article 27 of the GBER are calculated on the basis of simplified costs, based on the application of a fixed rate of 25% of the direct eligible operating costs, excluding direct eligible costs related to subcontracting, financial support to third parties and unit costs or fixed amounts.

SMEs and startups.

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