Source of Funding: Xjenza Malta

A business plan is a strategic document that outlines the financial and operational roadmap of a start-up. It acts as a blueprint for business growth, guiding entrepreneurs through critical decisions while attracting potential investors and financial institutions. A well-crafted business plan highlights revenue projections, market strategies, and operational objectives, ensuring long-term sustainability and success.

The primary goal of this plan is to demonstrate how the business will operate, generate revenue, and achieve its objectives. It provides insights into market trends, competition, and risk factors, while outlining strategies to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Key sections include:

• Executive Summary — A concise overview of the business plan.
• Company Description & Management — Business structure and leadership team.
• Market Analysis & Strategy — Industry landscape, target audience, and competitive positioning.
• Business Model & Financial Plan — Revenue streams, cost estimates, and financial projections.
• Operational & Growth Strategy — Key milestones, risk assessment, and long-term vision.

By clearly defining goals and strategies, this business plan becomes a vital tool for securing investment and driving the entity’s success in a dynamic market.

Eligibility Requirement

To apply for the Business Plan Voucher, you must already hold an approved Xjenza Malta applied research grant.

This programme is designed specifically for researchers and innovators who have successfully reached the prototype stage (TRL 5+) with Xjenza Malta’s support.

 Required Forms

Forms and declarations required for submission, as outlined in the Rules for Participation, can be found on the resource page.

Applicants must submit the following:

• • De Minimis Declaration Form

N.B.: All applicants must fill in the additional declarations form found within the application.

Submission Process

Completed application forms should be submitted electronically to voucher.xjenzamalta@gov.mt, keeping Kyle Bonnici (kyle.bonnici.4@gov.mt) in copy. Please use the subject line: “Business Plan – Voucher Submission.”

Important: It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that a confirmation of receipt is obtained.

Programme Closure Periods

The Voucher Programme will close once all funds have been allocated. Additionally, the programme will temporarily close during the following periods:

• 30 June 2025 to 31 August 2025
• 1 December 2025 to 9 January 2026

Applications submitted during these times will not be processed. If you submit an application during these periods, you may be required to resubmit after the programme reopens, incorporating any updates to the call documentation.

Contact Information

For further assistance, please contact:

Mr. Kyle Bonnici
Email: kyle.bonnici.4@gov.mt Phone: (+356) 2360 2209

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Source of Funding: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

The FCT Mobility Programme, launched by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) in Portugal, supports the international mobility of PhD researchers through medium- and long-term research stays. The programme funds research and/or fieldwork activities to strengthen international scientific cooperation.

Programme Structure

The programme offers two funding modalities:

• FCT Mobility Outgoing
  For researchers affiliated with Portuguese institutions to undertake research in foreign institutions, for 2 to 11 consecutive months.
• FCT Mobility Incoming
  For foreign researchers (including Malta-based researchers) to conduct joint scientific activities in Portugal, for 1 to 3 consecutive months.
  Applications for this stream must be submitted by the Portuguese hosting researcher.

Eligibility

Applications must be submitted by researchers who:

• Are integrated members of Portuguese Research Units, or
• Have a contractual relationship with an Associated Laboratory in Portugal.

Foreign researchers (e.g. Malta-based researchers) can participate as visiting researchers under the incoming modality, but cannot submit the application themselves. The Portuguese partner must act as the applicant.

How to Apply

• Applications are open from 7 November 2024 until 31 December 2025, 17:00 (Portugal time), or until the allocated funds are exhausted.
• Submissions must be made in English via the online application form by the Portuguese Researcher:
  FCT Mobility Application Form

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals are evaluated by international experts based on the following criteria:

Outgoing Applications:
A) Merit of the applicant researcher
B) Merit of the work plan
C) Career development impact
D) Merit of host conditions

Incoming Applications:
A) Merit of the Portuguese applicant researcher
B) Merit of the work plan
C) Career development impact
E) Merit of the visiting researcher

Final Score Formula:
FC = 0.35 A + 0.25 B + 0.15 C + 0.25 (D or E)

Evaluations occur at least every three months. Provisional results are communicated within one month of each evaluation round.

Funding Details

• Maximum funding per mobility: €27,027
• Total programme budget: €5,000,000 (funded under Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan - RRP)
• Funding rate: 100% of eligible costs
• Disbursed as a single payment at the start of the mobility
• At least 185 mobilities are expected to be supported

Further Information

Questions about the programme can be directed to fct.mobility@fct.pt and more information can be found on the website: FCT Mobility Call - FCT

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Source of Funding: European Cooperation in Science & Technology (COST)

A COST Action is an interdisciplinary research network that brings researchers and innovators together to investigate a topic for four years. Open to all science and technology fields, including new and emerging ones, COST Actions are also bottom-up meaning you can propose a network based on your own interests or ideas.

The funding a COST Action receives covers the expenses of networking activities and can be used to fund events, Short-Term Scientific Missions, Training Schools, communication activities, and virtual networking tools. A COST Action has an estimate budget of €125,000 in its first year and €150,000 per year for the other three years.

Participants are invited to submit a proposals that contributes to the scientific, technological, economic, cultural or societal knowledge advancement and development of Europe. Multi- and interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged.

The Open Call Action proposal submission, evaluation, selection and approval (SESA) procedure is fully science and technology-driven and will ensure a simple, transparent and competitive proposal evaluation and selection process, reflecting the bottom-up, open and inclusive principles of COST.

Visit the below link to read further.

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Visit the below link to view the 19 funding opportunities under Cascade Funding, an instrument by the European Commission. 

Please note that these calls have different deadlines within the month of May 2025.

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Visit the below link to view the 22 funding opportunities under Cascade Funding, an instrument by the European Commission. 

Please note that these calls have different deadlines within the month of April 2025.

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Source of Funding: Xjenza Malta and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)

Xjenza Malta and the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) have launched the 2025 Joint Call for Research Proposals under the SPIRE Programme. This initiative aims to strengthen research collaborations between Malta-based and CNR researchers by providing seed grants for small-scale projects that pave the way for larger future research efforts.

The SPIRE: Seed Grants for International Research Programme enhances Malta’s international research collaboration by facilitating joint calls with international partners. Through multi-annual calls, SPIRE supports projects that foster research partnerships, promote knowledge exchange, and serve as a foundation for larger-scale initiatives.

Funding & Project Details for the Xjenza Malta-CNR Joint Call

• Funding: Up to €6,000 for the Malta-based consortium (at least one Malta-based partner). The financial contribution to Malta-based entities shall be 100% of the eligible costs incurred.
• Project Duration: 24 months (1 January 2026 – 31 December 2027)
• Application Deadline: 29th May 2025, 12:00 PM CET
• Technology Readiness Levels (TRL): 1–7

Thematic Areas

Proposals must align with at least one of the following focus areas:

• Marine and Maritime
• Digital Technologies
• Health
• Sustainable Use of Resources
• Smart Manufacturing
• Aerospace, Aviation, and Space
• Cultural Heritage

Who Can Apply?

Each consortium must include:

• At least one eligible Malta-based entity
• At least one CNR researcher

Projects should be balanced in terms of workload and funding distribution between the two partners.

Download the guidelines on eligibility and application forms from the below link.

Online Information Session

Xjenza Malta will be hosting an online information session on 27 March from 10:00 to 11:00 AM CET to introduce the SPIRE Programme and the Xjenza Malta – CNR 2025 Joint Call for Research Proposals. This session will cover key details about the call, eligibility criteria, and the application process. Interested participants can register here.

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Visit the below link to view the 21 funding opportunities under Cascade Funding, an instrument by the European Commission. 

Please note that these calls have different deadlines within the month of March 2025.

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Source of Funding: Xjenza Malta

The Intellectual Property Registration (IPR) Voucher provides inventors with essential financial support and guidance to protect their creations against potential infringement. Innovators can apply for national protection through the Malta Industrial Property Registration system. At a European level, the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) offers broader protection across EU Member States, while international registration through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is also available for globally safeguarding Maltese IP rights.

Types of Intellectual Property Rights

There are five main types of intellectual property rights:

1. Trademarks – Unique graphics that distinguish products or services.
2. Copyrights – Automatically granted protection for original works upon creation.
3. Industrial Designs – Protects the aesthetic design aspects of an object, requiring novelty.
4. Trade Secrets – Protects commercially valuable, confidential information under strict conditions.
5. Patents – Exclusive rights for innovative products or processes, granting 20 years of protection from the application date.

IP Registration Process

The IPR Voucher supports a streamlined registration process, which typically takes one to three years from the initial application. During this time, the service provider will:

• Update the IP Check report, recommending specific IP rights to pursue based on an initial 4-week review period.
• Collaborate on timelines for each stage of the process.
• Support the beneficiary through every phase, from updating the IP Check report to patent publication.

Reimbursements will be issued by Xjenza Malta upon submission of payment receipts.

Financial Support for Novel Technologies

The Voucher provides financial support for novel technologies that have reached the prototype stage (TRL 5+) with a Xjenza Malta-approved research grant. This ensures inventors can protect their intellectual property rights and safeguard their inventions from potential infringement.

Information Session and Application Details

An online information session with more details on the IPR Voucher will be held on:

• Date: Tuesday, 25th February 2025
• Registration: Click here to register.

Submission Process: Application forms can be sent electronically to voucher.xjenzamalta@gov.mt, keeping Kyle Bonnici (kyle.bonnici.4@gov.mt) in copy. Use the subject line: “Intellectual Property Registration – Voucher Submission.”

Note: It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure confirmation of receipt is provided.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact:

• Mr. Kyle Bonnici
  • Email: kyle.bonnici.4@gov.mt
  • Phone: (+356) 2360 2209

Visit the below link to download application forms and guidelines.

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Visit the below link to view the 25 funding opportunities on Cascade Funding portal, an instrument by the European Commission. 

Please note that these calls have different deadlines within the month of February 2025.

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Source of Funding: Funds and Programmes Division (FPD), Office of the Prime Minster, European Funds, Equality, Reforms and Social Dialogue (OPM – EES)

The Innovation Fund is the EU’s flagship climate policy initiative that focuses on supporting energy and industrial projects that contribute to Europe’s transition to climate neutrality. It aims to bring to the market solutions to decarbonise European industry and support its transition to climate neutrality while fostering its competitiveness.

The Innovation Fund focuses on highly innovative* technologies and flagship projects within Europe that can bring about significant emission reductions. The projects need to be sufficiently mature in terms of planning, business model and financial and legal structure.

The Innovation Fund is open to public and private legal entities. In general projects must be located in EU Member States or EEA countries (i.e. Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein).

*The Innovation Fund aims to support projects that go beyond incremental innovation. There are varying degrees of innovation ranging from breakthrough (such as completely new technologies, processes, business models, products or services which are likely to lead to significant change that transforms entire markets or industries or creates new ones) to intermediate (such as new or considerably changed technologies or processes or business models for the production or delivery of existing or new products or services).

Further details about what constitutes ‘innovation’ under this Fund can be found in Annex 1 of the call text: "Innovation Fund call 2024 Net Zero Technologies"

Calls for Proposals
On December 3, 2024, the European Commission launched two funding calls under the Innovation Fund:

• IF24 Call: €2.4 billion allocated for Net-Zero technologies.
• IF24 Battery: €1 billion allocated for electric vehicle battery cell manufacturing.
• Eligible categories:
  1. Energy intensive industries
  2. Carbon capture and utilisation
  3. Carbon capture and storage
  4. Renewable energy and battery storage

Eligible entities: Public and private legal entities

Geographical Location: EU Member State or EEA countries

The deadline for submission of Innovation Fund applications is April 24, 2025.

Orientation Dialogues for Applicants
To support potential applicants, the European Commission’s DG CLIMA and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) are offering one-to-one and high-level orientation dialogue sessions in the first half of February 2025.

The orientation dialogues will be 25-minute sessions offering high-level guidance on the Innovation Fund. These sessions will focus on helping applicants understand the framework of the fund, discuss potential project outlines, and address general queries related to the call for proposals.

Project specific questions must be avoided and will not be answered during the orientation dialogue. Such questions can only be answered via the official helpdesk. This is important to ensure equal treatment of all applicants.

Please note that the orientation dialogues cannot pre-judge the outcome of the official evaluation procedure.

The Funds and Programmes Division (FPD), Office of the Prime Minster, European Funds, Equality, Reforms and Social Dialogue (OPM – EES), is inviting expressions of interest from organisations wishing to participate in the orientation dialogues.

Interested applicants are required to complete and submit a detailed questionnaire outlining their project. Access the questionnaire, and submissions must be made by February 5, 2025.

Interest in participation in orientation dialogues is assessed according to eligibility and level of maturity of project proposals. While only eligible and sufficiently advanced projects will be considered for participation in the orientation dialogues, early-stage projects are still encouraged to apply. These projects will receive tailored guidance from the FPD or SEM on alternative funding opportunities.

Interested applicants will be notified of the result by COB February 7, 2025.

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