Author: Paulina Czarnecka

Polish National Centre for Research and Development launched the third edition of their BRIdge Alfa program. Within this program, private investors can obtain funding that will later be invested in small enterprises, especially in research and development projects. The budget of this edition of BRIdge Alfa reached an astounding sum of 1 billion PLN.

The program aims to support innovative R&D projects at early stages of their development, especially during the preseed phase. It’s not a surprise that private investors are often reluctant to finance projects at this stage. The funding offered by NCBR (so-called proof of concept funding) decreases risks, allowing researchers to work on their projects with a constant financial support for a period of up to 5 years. Neither NCBR nor participating investors claim rights to the companies or patents obtained by the project team.

SDS Optic was granted from PARP Go to Brand programme for inPROBE promotion actions on foreign markets. Main aim of this grant is supporting promotion and internationalization inPROBE project.

Each of the Go To Brand payee has a promotion funding programme which indicates specific events (usually trade shows) at non-EU markets, where companies may promote their products. Individual promotional activities are thus linked with the national strategy of building repute and prestige of the Polish economy brand abroad.

The Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) is involved in the implementation of national and international programmes financed from the EU structural funds, state budget and multiannual programmes of the European Commission. As a key authority responsible for creating a business-friendly environment in Poland, PARP contributes to the creation and effective implementation of the state policy related to enterprise, innovation and staff adaptability. Pursuant to the principle “Think Small First”, in all its activities the Agency puts a particular emphasis on the needs of the SME sector.

The Programme intends to face challenges of ageing society, the higher incidence of chronic diseases and in the end, to deal with the issue of rising medical service costs.

The key objective of the Programme is to achieve a significant progress in the treatment of civilization diseases and regenerative medicine on the basis of results achieved from research and development activities conducted in the following areas:

1. Cardiology and cardiac surgery
2. Oncology
3. Neurology and senses
4. Regenerative medicine

The Programme is to stimulate the innovation and competitiveness of Polish economy, particularly in biotechnology, biomedical engineering areas, by means of projects oriented to development and implementation of new methods used in the areas of: prevention, diagnosis, medical treatment and rehabilitation.  

Moreover, STRATEGMED will strengthen the international competitive position of Poland in the following areas: research and development activities in the scientific fields related to STRATEGMED, involvement of dynamic international teams of young researches and finally, know-how and new technologies transfer to the Polish economy.