Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme?
- Why is the Programme needed?
- Who is involved?
- What is the Programme trying to achieve?
- How much money was available?
- Who manages the Programme?
- What is a small and medium sized enterprise or business (an SME)?
- What is N+2 and does it apply to the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme?
What is the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme?
The Programme invested European Funds in leading edge pilot projects to test new approaches to stimulate innovation and improve Scotland’s innovation performance.
Why is the Programme needed?
Many of the ideas, inventions and new technologies that start life in Scotland end up being developed, manufactured or marketed abroad. The Programme is needed to stimulate and support a small number of highly significant pilot projects to have a major impact on the performance of the Scottish innovation support system.
Who is involved?
The Programme involves all sectors of the Scottish economy, in particular organisations that have a direct impact on the structures involved in delivering support to small and medium sized businesses. Project applications by sponsor organisations were subjected to a full and formal process of evaluation before a decision was made. Further information on the decision making process is available on request.
What is the Programme trying to achieve?
The Programme forms an important part of the EU’s key strategy of stimulating innovation in businesses. It concentrates on supporting innovative pilot projects in four key themes known as Action Lines. Further information on these Action Lines can be found here.
How much money is available?
The Programme is a total investment of £4 million, 50% of which is provided by the European Commission under the European Regional Development Fund.
Who manages the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme?
SEP Ltd is the Programme Management Executive responsible for managing European Structural Funds Programmes in Western Scotland. SEP Ltd has been awarded the contract to manage the Scotland-wide Innovative Actions Programme.
What is a small and medium sized enterprise or business (an SME)?
An SME is an enterprise which employs less than 250 people; has an annual turnover of less than €50m and/or balance sheet assets of less than €43m; and has no more than 25% of its capital or voting rights owned by a larger firm or public body.
What is N+2 and does it apply to the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme?
Programmes have annual budget allocations (N) and ‘N+2’ requires each annual allocation to be declared as spent within 2 calendar years (N+2). As the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme is a two year Programme, the N+2 annual expenditure target does not apply.
|
