New special program for SMEs with green mission projects

August 23. 2022

In August 2022, Innovation Fund Denmark will open a new special program called Missionsbooster, where SMEs can apply for funds for projects that can contribute to realizing the four politically designated, green missions. The Industrial Researcher program also opens for green mission projects in August. Guidelines for both programs have now been published.

Small and medium-sized businesses - including startups - can apply funding for projects that contribute to the fulfillment of the politically designated green missions via the new special program from 16 August to 16 December, Mission booster.

The four missions are:

1. Capture and storage or use of CO2
2. Green fuels for transport and industry (Power-to-X)
3. Climate- and environment-friendly agriculture and food production
4. Circular economy with a focus on plastics and textiles

- With the Missionsbooster we offer a very attractive program targeted at the country's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to use knowledge from a knowledge institution to build the company's future, green solutions. Innovation Fund Denmark will finance up to 70 percent of the project costs, thus the companies' risks are significantly reduced. The program creates favorable conditions for companies to enter into a collaboration with a university or a GTS institute on industrial research – and the program, thus finances activities at an earlier stage than in a traditional Innobooster project, explains Ole Sinkjær, deputy director of Innovation Fund Denmark .

- SMEs are the backbone of Danish business life. We hope that Missionsbooster can help pave the way for more SMEs, through the use of new knowledge from knowledge institutions, to throw themselves into the development of the green solutions of the future and therefore contribute to fulfilling the four green missions.

Cooperation with university or GTS institute

A Missionbooster project must contribute in an innovative way by developing the innovative foundation for the SME company's future green solutions.

In this connection, it may be necessary to supply the company with the latest knowledge, and it is therefore a requirement that, among other things, a collaboration is entered into with a Danish university or GTS institute. There may also be a need for further involvement of other relevant knowledge institutions or private knowledge companies. It could also be that you'll need to hire a new employee with special skills or want to collaborate with a relevant cluster organization to realize the project.

The applications are processed just like classic Innobooster applications with ongoing decision.

Distinctive features of the Missionbooster compared to the classic Innobooster are:

that the projects must meet the EU's definition of "Industrial research", and grants can only be given under the EU's block exemption regulation
that there is participation from a Danish university or GTS institute
it will be possible to apply for up to 70% in support of the direct costs of the project
that subsidies are given in the range of DKK 1.5 million to DKK 5 million
that the project period is 6 to 24 months.

DKK 295 million is distributed among several programmes

In 2022, the parties in the danish government, Folketinget, have added DKK 295 million to the pool of funds to fulfill the four green missions.

The extra funds are to support strategic and challenge-driven research and innovation within the four mission areas, and thus contribute to meeting Denmark's climate target of a 70 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and CO2 neutrality in 2050

The funds are disbursed via the Innovation Fund's programmes. Approximately 2/3 of the DKK 295 million is allocated to Grand Solutions, while the last third is distributed between Missionsbooster, the Industrial Researcher program and the international programs in Innovation Fund Denmark.

Industrial Researcher mission funds:

The mission funds can be applied for via the Industrial Researcher program for Business Ph.D. and Business postdoctoral projects in the public and private sector respectively.

See the concrete calls here:

Important dates:

Opens for applications: 7 August
Application deadline: 13 September at 12.00

Read guidelines for Industrial Postdoc

Read guidelines for Business Ph.D.

Grand Solutions mission funds

The Innovation Fund's investments within the "Realization of the four green missions" must contribute to creating knowledge and technology that can ensure the implementation of the green transition towards a more sustainable society.

Read the notice text here: Grand Solutions: Realization of the four green missions

Important dates:

Opened for applications on 12 May
Application deadline: 16 August at 12.00
January 2023: Response to application
2nd quarter 2023: Project start

Read guidelines for the call here