FAQs

1. Who is eligible for support?

To be eligible for support you must be a Public Research Organisation (University, Research Institute or similar), located in one of the EU Member States(*) and with an existing EU PIC (Participant Identification Code) to prove that you have previously been the beneficiary of EU funds for R&D.

(*)UK PROs need to be aware that the terms of BRExit may affect their eligibility. Please consult the application form for more details.

2. What is an EU PIC?

An EU PIC is a 9-digit number serving as a unique identifier for organisations (legal entities) participating in EU funding programmes. A search tool for organisations and their PICs is available here.

3. Why do I need to have a PIC to be eligible for support?

Eligible organisations should be past or ongoing beneficiaries of research funding from the European Commission. Your PIC code will be used to check that your organisation is eligible for support.

4. Can I apply for support with a research project that was not funded by the EU?

Yes. If your PRO has a PIC you can apply for IP services support for ongoing or completed research projects including those funded by non-EU funds e.g. by national research programs.

5. How do I apply?

You will need to register on the IP Booster website with your email address and your PRO’s PIC Code. You can find your organisation’s PIC code here. Then, fill out the application form at this link and upload it to the website here

6. Can I apply more than once?

Yes. You can apply multiple times. However, the support that can be allocated to an organisation’s PIC number must not exceed €25 000.

7. Can I apply with a group of projects?

Yes. If you have a ‘bundle’ of research results or IP that you are trying to commercialise then you can apply as if they were a single ‘project’. Please fill out the appropriate part of the application form.

8. What are the main criteria for selection?

Projects are assessed based on a number of criteria including:

  • Strength of the technology and market
  • Complexity of the ownership situation
  • Stage of development (TRL)
  • Commitment of the research team and PRO support for commercialisation
  • Need and potential benefit from IP Services

9. How will I know the outcome of my application?

The applicant will receive a notification from the consortium leader to the email given on the application form.

10. If I am not successful can I apply again with an improved application?

Yes. Projects that exceeded the threshold for consideration but that could not be funded in a given round will automatically be taken forward to the following round. Applicants will be notified in due time and can decide if they want to make a fresh application to improve their chances of success. Applications that did not reach the threshold will be notified and advised regarding reapplication. Projects that failed due to lack of eligibility or an extremely low rating will be notified and offered feedback.

11. How many applicants will be funded in each call?

There is no fixed number of applicants that can be funded in each call. However, the total number of organisations funded will be around 100 and it is anticipated that this will be distributed over 3 years until 2021.

12. How frequent are the calls?

Calls will be permanently open and applications assessed in batches every 6 months. Check the website for the date of the next assessment.

13. When does the service end?

The service will end in December 2021. The last call will be 6 months before the end of the project provided funding remains for allocation.

14. How rapidly will I know if I have been funded?

You can expect feedback on your application within 4-6 weeks of the published assessment date.

15. Who take the final decision on funding?

The European Commission will confirm the final list of successful applications. Decisions are made based in part on the recommendation of the assessors.

16. Can I indicate which services I want to receive?

You can use the application form to indicate your preferred service package. However, the assessors may suggest a slightly different package for you depending on your project and the overall value of services requested by your PRO.

17. If we want more than €25 000 of services then can our PRO subsidise some?

Yes. A PRO cannot receive more than €25 000 of total support but you can subsidise some services to spread the support over a larger number of projects.

18. I have a question that has not been answered above. Where can I get more information?

For more information contact: ipbooster@meta-group.com