19 July Applications open for the Katapult program
Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia has published a public call for participation in the Katapult accelerator program, intended for innovative companies in the early stages of product development and market conquest (Ideation), as well as companies with proven market traction with the aim of accelerating growth and gaining additional financial resources (Scale-up).
The Katapult program offers intensive three-month mentoring and financial support in the form of grants from 20 thousand euros (for the Ideation category of companies) to 50 thousand euros (for the Scale-up category of companies). In addition to financial support, program participants have the opportunity to collaborate with local and international mentors to improve business and acquire knowledge and skills to attract private investment.
Additionally, financial support of up to 300,000 euros in grants is available to startup teams that secure a qualified investment within 9 months of the end of acceleration.
The Fund will consider financing startups from all fields of science and technology and from any industrial sector. Still, the primary focus, in accordance with the Smart Specialization Strategy, will be on four priority domains:
- Food for the future;
- ICT;
- Machines and production processes of the future;
- Creative industries.
Applications for the program will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Team;
- Product/technology;
- Business model;
- Market;
- Capital raising potential.
Micro and small enterprises not older than six years at the time of application submission in majority private ownership, which have an income of fewer than 8 million euros in one of the previous two years, can apply for participation in the program.
Applications should be submitted through the portal, and additional information about the program can be found at the link: http://www.inovacionifond.rs/cir/program/program-katapult/javni-poziv
Applications are open until September 15 at 3 p.m.!