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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, named 'STEP – Technologie cyfrowe – Innowacyjne technologie krytyczne', aims to support investment projects by businesses in Poland. Its core objective is to foster the creation or enhancement of critical technologies within the digital and broader deep technology sectors. Projects must introduce innovative, cutting-edge, or groundbreaking elements with significant economic potential to the European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss markets. This is a SECTOR-SPECIFIC grant, primarily targeting the digital technology sector. However, the funder's definition of 'critical technologies' for this call explicitly includes a wide array of 'deep tech' innovations, which encompass areas beyond traditional digital technology, such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and renewable energy. The geographic scope for project implementation is Poland, but the market impact is expected to extend across the EEA and Switzerland. This is a specific funding call within the larger 'Fundusze Europejskie dla Nowoczesnej Gospodarki' (FENG) program, designed to support the 'Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform' (STEP) initiative.

Financial Structure

The financial aspects of this grant are structured as follows:

Total Grant Budget: The total amount allocated for projects in this call is 150,000,000 PLN (Polish Złoty).
Maximum Grant Amount: The maximum grant amount your project can receive is also 150,000,000 PLN.
Minimum Eligible Costs: Your project must have a minimum value of 10,000,000 PLN in eligible costs to be considered for funding. This means smaller projects might not qualify.
Funding Rate: The grant covers up to 75% of your project's eligible costs. This percentage is based on EU state aid regulations (specifically, Art. 14, Section 14 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014).
Matching Fund Requirements: You are required to contribute a minimum of 25% of the eligible costs as your own financing. This is a mandatory own contribution.
Eligible Costs: Funding can be used for a variety of investment-related expenses, including:
- Purchase of machinery and equipment.
- Purchase of real estate.
- Acquisition of construction works and building materials.
- Acquisition of intangible assets (e.g., patents, licenses).
- Training services essential for project implementation.
- Advisory services, particularly in the area of innovation, but also general advisory services. These costs must fall under specific types of public aid, such as regional investment aid, aid for SME innovation or advisory services, training aid, environmental protection aid (including emission reduction), energy efficiency aid, renewable energy promotion, resource management, circular economy transition, or de minimis aid.
Financial Reporting: While not explicitly detailed, standard financial reporting and audit requirements will apply, especially given the EU funding source. You will need to submit financial statements confirming your enterprise's status and financial health.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this grant, your business must meet the following hard criteria:

Organization Type: You must be an enterprise, which includes:
- Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MŚP), as defined by Annex I of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014. This typically covers businesses with up to 250 employees and specific turnover/balance sheet limits.
- Large Enterprises (other than MŚP), also as defined by Annex I of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014.
Geographic Location: Your business must be operating within the territory of the Republic of Poland.
Control Requirement: Your business must be controlled by a state or an entity from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
- 'Control' means possessing a majority of ownership rights or voting rights (directly or indirectly), or the right to appoint/remove most decision-making body members (e.g., board, supervisory board), or exercising decisive influence over the applicant's activities (e.g., through a management agreement or profit disposition). This can be held individually or jointly with another entity, even if they act independently.
Exclusion Criteria: Your business will be disqualified if it:
- Is an 'enterprise in difficulty' as defined by EU regulations (Art. 2, Point 18 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014).
- Has an outstanding obligation to return state aid deemed unlawful and incompatible with the internal market by the European Commission.
- Is excluded from receiving funding based on other regulations, particularly those related to restrictive measures concerning Russia's aggression against Ukraine (e.g., sanctions lists, prohibitions on support for certain activities).
- Has significant arrears in public dues or social/health insurance contributions.
- Has violated material terms of previous agreements with PARP.

Application Process

Applying for this grant involves an online submission process with specific deadlines and required documentation: Key Dates and Deadlines

Contest Announcement: July 24, 2025
Application Submission Start: July 31, 2025, at 00:00 (midnight)
Application Submission End: October 2, 2025, at 16:00 (4:00 PM Warsaw time, CEST/UTC+2). This is a strict deadline; applications received even a minute late will not be considered. The deadline may be shortened (with 7 days' notice and minimum 40 days total application window) or extended.
Evaluation Period: Expected to be a maximum of 100 days from the application deadline if up to 60 applications are submitted. This period will be longer if more applications are received (additional 20 days for every full/started block of 60 applications).
- Stage I evaluation is expected to take 40 days.
- Results of Stage I are approved within 5 days.
- Results of Stage II are approved within 7 days.

Application Procedure

Preparation: Familiarize yourself with the contest's objectives, scope, and evaluation rules ('Regulamin wyboru projektów' and 'Kryteria wyboru projektów').
Document Gathering: Prepare all necessary documents, including the application form and its required attachments. A detailed list of required documents is available in the 'Dokumenty' section of the grant website.
Online Submission: Applications must be submitted exclusively via the Lokalny System Informatyczny (LSI), an online platform accessible on the PARP website (https://lsi.parp.gov.pl).
Application Content: Fill out the application form strictly according to the 'Instrukcja wypełniania wniosku o dofinansowanie'. Ensure your application clearly addresses all selection criteria for proper evaluation.
Language: The application must be in Polish. Any documents originally in a foreign language must be translated into Polish by a certified translator.
Confirmation: After successful submission, you will receive an automatic confirmation from LSI with a unique number and timestamp. Once confirmed, you cannot make any further changes to your application, except if requested by the funder for clarification or correction during the evaluation process.

Post-Submission and Award

Communication: Primary communication with PARP will be electronic via LSI and the email addresses you provide. You are responsible for keeping your contact information updated and monitoring your application status in LSI.
Corrections/Clarifications: During evaluation, PARP may request you to clarify or correct your application (e.g., factual errors, missing information). You will have a specific timeframe (e.g., 7 days for Stage I, 7-5 days for Stage II) to respond via LSI.
Contract Signing: If your project is selected for funding, you will be invited to sign a funding agreement. This usually requires submitting additional documents (e.g., financial reports, permits) and ensuring that the individuals representing your company have a qualified electronic signature with a sufficient transaction limit for the grant amount. The contract signing process is expected to take up to 30 days after document verification.
Post-Award Requirements: You will be required to designate a project manager and submit a request for their authorization. Further reporting and compliance obligations will be detailed in the funding agreement.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications for this grant will undergo a competitive two-stage evaluation process by the Project Evaluation Committee (KOP). The primary focus of evaluation will be on how well your project aligns with the grant's objectives and its potential impact. General Evaluation Principles

Projects are assessed against specific selection criteria (Załącznik nr 3 do RWP - 'Kryteria wyboru projektów').
Evaluation takes into account information provided in your application, responses to any requests for clarification, and for the second stage, details from public registers and your presentation during the panel meeting.
The evaluation aims for consensus among experts; if not achieved, a vote will decide.

Stage I Evaluation

Focus: Assessment against Stage I selection criteria.
Process: Conducted by three industry experts. No direct participation from the applicant in the panel meeting. You may be asked to clarify or correct your application. Failure to do so within the specified 7-day period will result in evaluation based on the last submitted version.
Outcome: Projects either qualify for Stage II or receive a negative assessment.

Stage II Evaluation

Focus: Assessment against Stage II selection criteria, including a detailed review of project assumptions and planned results.
Process: Involves a panel meeting (videoconference) with your representatives. You'll present your project (up to 15 minutes) and engage in a discussion with the panel. The panel consists of three industry experts and one financial expert.
- You may be called upon to supplement or correct your application after the panel meeting (within 7 days).
- Further minor corrections (e.g., reallocating up to 20% of eligible costs to ineligible, adjusting indicators, minor formal changes) might be requested (within 5 days).
Key Consideration: Your project's financial model and your ability to finance the project (including own contribution) will be thoroughly assessed.
Selection: Projects are chosen based on meeting all mandatory criteria and the availability of funding. If multiple projects receive the same score, tie-breaking criteria will be applied to determine the final ranking.

What They're Looking For (Based on Grant Objectives)

Innovation: Projects must bring an 'innovative,' 'state-of-the-art,' or 'breakthrough' element. This implies a strong focus on novel solutions and technological advancement.
Economic Potential: Projects must demonstrate 'significant economic potential' for the internal market (EEA and Switzerland). This means your project's impact should extend beyond your current business activities and generate positive external effects, such as economic growth, increased EU exports, or new job creation within EU territory.
Sector Alignment: Strong alignment with the critical technologies listed in the appendix, particularly those in digital and the broader deep tech categories (advanced semiconductors, AI, quantum tech, advanced connectivity, detection, robotics, and other 'deep tech' innovations like genomics, biotechnology, clean energy, and advanced materials).
Project Quality: Clarity and completeness of the application, feasibility of the proposed investment, and the team's qualifications and capacity to execute the project.

Compliance & Special Requirements

This grant has several crucial compliance, regulatory, and special requirements that applicants must adhere to: Regulatory Compliance

EU and National Laws: Projects must comply with a broad range of EU regulations and Polish national laws. Key EU regulations include those governing common provisions for EU funds (2021/1060), regional development funds (2021/1058), state aid rules (651/2014), de minimis aid (2023/2831), the STEP initiative (2024/795), critical entities' resilience (2022/2557), critical raw materials (2024/1252), digital decade policy (2022/2481), and net-zero industry (2024/1735).
Specific Polish Legislation: Compliance with the Polish Public Finance Act, Public Aid Act, Electronic Delivery Act, and various regulations concerning PARP's financial assistance within FENG, as well as specific guidelines for eligibility, project selection, and equality principles.
Environmental Compliance: Your project's compliance with environmental protection policy will be assessed (via an 'Analysis of project compliance with environmental protection policy' form).
Ethical Standards: While not explicitly detailed as a separate section, compliance with general ethical standards is expected given the nature of public funding and EU regulations.

Control and Ownership Requirements

Control by EEA/Switzerland Entity: A critical and non-negotiable requirement is that the applicant business must be controlled by a state or an entity (a legal person or natural person with citizenship) from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
- 'Control' implies a majority of ownership or voting rights, the ability to appoint/remove decision-makers, or significant influence over the applicant's activities. This aims to ensure that beneficiaries are aligned with European strategic interests.

Exclusions and Prohibitions

Sanctions and Restrictions: Funding cannot be provided to entities or for activities that are subject to sanctions or prohibitions related to international restrictive measures, particularly concerning Russia's aggression against Ukraine. This includes any direct or indirect support for activities, trade, or investments with sanctioned entities or in sanctioned territories.
Financial Standing: Applicants must demonstrate good financial standing, including no arrears on public dues (taxes) or social and health insurance contributions.
No 'Enterprise in Difficulty': Businesses classified as 'enterprises in difficulty' under EU state aid rules are ineligible.

Special Considerations

Equality Principles: The grant adheres to guidelines on equality principles ('Wytyczne dotyczące realizacji zasad równościowych w ramach funduszy unijnych na lata 2021-2027'). However, it explicitly states that the mechanism of 'reasonable adjustments' (MRU) will not be applied within this call.
Strategic Alignment: Projects are expected to align with the broader goals of the STEP initiative, focusing on strategic technologies for Europe's competitiveness and resilience.
Deep Technology Scope: While the grant is categorized under 'digital technologies', the eligible 'critical technologies' list explicitly includes a broad range of 'deep tech' areas. This means your project could be in areas such as advanced materials, biotechnology (genomics, cell therapies), renewable energy (photovoltaics, wind, geothermal), and resource management (recycling, circular economy) and still be considered relevant under this grant's interpretation of 'digital/critical technologies'. This is a key unique aspect – don't limit your thinking to just software or traditional IT if your project involves these other deep tech fields that leverage advanced science or engineering.

Grant Details