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Acceleration of Civil-Military Innovations

Are you an actor with the ability to contribute to accelerating the development of dual-use technologies that have the potential to solve defense-related challenges? This call for proposals is a joint effort by Vinnova and the Armed Forces within the framework of the Innovation Program for Civil-Military Synergies. The goal of the call for proposals is to promote the development of dual-use technologies that have the potential to help address defense-related issues in aim to strengthen both military capability development and Swedish companies´ competitiveness and opportunities to operate on the international market.

This web page has been machine translated. If there are any uncertainties, please refer to the Swedish text.

The offer in brief

What can you apply for?

Participation in accelerator programs and the development of dual-use technologies that have potential to contribute to breakthrough solutions to defense-related challenges.

Who can apply?

The call for proposals is primarily aimed at Swedish startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

How much can you apply for?

Companies can apply for a maximum of SEK 1.3 million in funding, of which SEK 250,000 must be set aside for participation in an accelerator program for civil-military synergies. Project may last for nine months starting in November at the earliest.

Important dates

  • Call text for the offer

    Tip: To create a PDF with all the information about the offer click Ctrl+P and select PDF to save the content.

    • This call for proposals is part of the Innovation Program for Civil-Military Synergies, which is a joint effort from Vinnova and the Armed Forces. The call for proposals is primarily aimed at Swedish startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which can contribute to accelerating the development of dual-use technologies that have potential to solve defense-related challenges.

      Companies can apply for a maximum of SEK 1.3 million in funding, of which SEK 250,000 must be set aside for participation in an accelerator program for civil-military synergies. Project may last for a maximum of nine months, starting in November at the earliest.

    • Innovative cutting-edge technology is of central importance in a security situation characterized by instability and unpredictability. Civil actors have, by virtue of their innovative capacity, an important role to play in order to solve military and security-related challenges in a pioneering way.

      The goal of the call for proposals is to promote the development of dual-use technologies that have potential to help address defense-related issues. The purpose is to strengthen both military capability development and Swedish companies' competitiveness and opportunities to operate on the international market.

      Government assignment for civil-military synergies

      The call for proposals is a joint effort by Vinnova and the Swedish Armed Forces and is financed by the Swedish Armed Forces within the framework of a government assignment for civil-military synergies. The purpose is, among other things, to create increased conditions for cross-sector cooperation with the intention that ground-breaking technology, developed for the civilian area, will be utilized to an increased extent through innovations in the defense area.

      Read more about the government mission for Civil-Military Synergies

      Read more about strategic direction for Defense Innovation

      The call's focus areas

      Civilian developed technology and applications with military relevance, and vice versa, can be said to have dual uses or be dual-use. Through this the call for proposals we are looking for civilian-oriented technology that has potential to develop towards military solutions.

      For this call for proposals received applications must address at least one of the following focus areas:

      • New technologies that help improve surveillance and situational awareness on land, at sea, in the air, under the surface, in space, and in the information and cyber domains, including critical infrastructure. Examples can be new sensor types, materials that provide developed sensor capabilities, sensor data fusion where data from different sources are combined, functional monitoring and different types of drone capabilities.
      • New technologies for secure, resilient and robust solutions for communication, information management, AI and computer networks.
      • Development of AR, VR and XR for, among other things, simulation and training.
      • Additive manufacturing that can increase efficiency and flexibility in maintenance, repair and adaptability as well as technology for improved logistics in general.
      • Space-based systems for positioning, navigation and time keeping are potentially sensitive to interference and both increased immunity to interference and alternative solutions are of interest.
      • Health monitoring and medical treatment as well as new solutions for detection and action against chemical or biological substances.

      Sustainability and gender equality

      Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and community development, therefore there is also a focus on sustainability and gender equality.

      Our work to contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030

      Equal innovation - what it means for you who seek funding from us

      Scientific publications and results

      Project results must be made as freely available as possible to everyone, and scientific publication should take place with open access.

    • The call for proposals is primarily aimed at Swedish startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which can offer innovative solutions with dual use to be able to meet defence-related challenges.

      The offer is primarily aimed at actors with limited experience in defense and security, who can therefore benefit from an accelerator program.

      A maximum of 15 companies will be granted funding.

    • Granted project will have the opportunity for six months to develop or adapt their ideas and technical solutions. This must be done within the framework of an accelerator program. The program will consist of tailored business and skills-enhancing activities to navigate and meet the needs of the military market.

      The accelerator program will prepare the companies for further development and demonstration of their technical solution, development of transition strategies, as well as work with investors and end users to identify potential routes to business in the military sector.

      Eligibility requirements for the accelerator program

      The selected accelerator program must be inspired by NATO's acceleration program DIANA (Nato Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic). An example of such a programme is the accelerator program organized by the incubator LEAD. DIANA's accelerator program is designed to equip companies with the skills and knowledge required for to navigate a world of dual-use technology-intensive innovation.

      Read more about DIANAs Acceleratorprogram

      The applicant companies must increase the physical and digital participation that the program sets eligibility requirements on.

      Travel costs incurred for physical participation at the accelerator are in addition to the maximum amount that can be applied for in the call for proposals. Granted project will therefore have to submit a supplementary budget for these travel costs in connection with the start of the project.

      The program must include the opportunity to develop within, among other things:

      • Dual-use: Gain insight into the complexities and interrelationships between commercial and defense-related markets to establish a robust dual-use business model.
      • Mentorship: Collaborate with experienced actors such as buyers, operational users and industry leaders.
      • Customer and Market Exploitation: Increased knowledge of methods for researching new markets, working with end users and customers to understand their needs, and identifying strategic opportunities in both commercial and defense markets.
      • Technology Development: Gain access to national test environments to iterate and validate technologies.
      • Investor engagement: Develop elaborate concise presentations - so-called pitch decks. Learn financing strategies and negotiation techniques, and build relationships with credible investors.
      • Risk and Protection Mitigation: Understand the importance of protecting intellectual property rights, cyber security and physical solutions to protect innovations and minimize risk.
      • Events and Networking: Attend in-person events, workshops and local meetups to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and synergies between startups, industry partners and end users.
    • Our funding is covered by rules on government support. The rules govern both what kind of costs and what proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined for each organization individually. We therefore distinguish how much funding the project can receive, and how much each participating participant can receive.

      How much funding can the project get?

      The call for proposals includes government support of a maximum of SEK 1.3 million per granted company, of which SEK 250,000 must be set aside for participation in an accelerator program for civil-military synergies. Costs for participation in the accelerator program must be included as consulting costs in the application's budget.

      In addition to this amount, granted project can also receive travel grants for costs incurred in connection with physical participation in the accelerator program.

      How much funding can a participant receive?

      How much funding each participating participant can receive mainly depends on:

      • which activities the party will carry out in the project
      • party size and activities

      In this the call for proposals support is given to start-up companies (Article 22), support of minor importance (De minimis support) or support to industrial research and experimental development (Article 25).

      Support for start-ups

      We can finance up to 100 percent of the company's costs.

      By start-up company is meant a company like:

      • has fewer than 50 employees
      • is not listed on the stock exchange
      • no profit distributed yet
      • was registered, started its activities or became liable to pay tax less than five years ago
      • has not taken over another company's activities, acquired or formed through a merger – for exceptions, see Support bases and support levels for funding

      We grant funding in accordance with Article 22 of the European Commission's General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER).

      De minimis support ( support of minor importance)

      In this the call for proposals we can also provide support of minor importance, also called de minimis support. We can finance up to 100 percent of a project party's costs.

      An organization can receive a maximum of 300,000 euros over a three-year period in this form of support, regardless of funder and project. This means that if the same organization received support of less importance in other project from other funders, it affects how big the support can be in this the call for proposals.

      To be granted this support, you need to submit a certificate of de-minimum support when you submit proposal.

      You can find a link to the form for a certificate of minor support on this page

      We grant funding in accordance with the EU Commission's regulation (2023/2831) on support of minor importance.

      Research and development

      Industrial research can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis in order to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services. For full definition, see Support bases and support levels for funding

      Experimental development can be simply described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge to produce new or improved products, processes or services. For full definition, see Support bases and support levels for funding

      What percentage of the costs we can finance - that is, the maximum level of support - depends on the size of the organization and the type of activity.

      Maximum aid intensity for company

      Industrial research

      • Small business: 70%
      • Medium-sized company: 60%
      • Large company: 50%

      Industrial research
      If the project includes actual collaboration or dissemination of results, or fulfills another bonus basis*

      • Small business: 80%
      • Medium-sized company: 75%
      • Large company: 65%

      Experimental Development

      • Small business: 45%
      • Medium-sized company: 35%
      • Large company: 25%

      Experimental Development
      If the project includes actual collaboration or dissemination of results, or fulfills another bonus basis*

      • Small business: 60%
      • Medium-sized company: 50%
      • Large company: 40%

      *Actual collaboration means a certain level of collaboration between small and large companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organizations and companies.

      Dissemination of results means extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.

      For full information on these bonus bases, see Support bases and support levels for funding

      What costs can we finance?

      Our funding may only go to certain types of costs. These are called eligible costs.

      In this the call for proposals these types of costs are eligible:

      • Personnel costs: Salaries, social security contributions and other personnel costs
      • Equipment, land and buildings: Instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises
      • Consulting and licensing costs: Consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under license from an external actor
      • Other direct costs: For example materials, stock items and travel necessary to carry out the project
      • Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are not incurred as an immediate consequence of but can be related to the project, for example regular premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may constitute a maximum of 30 percent of personnel costs

      For more detailed information on which costs we can finance, see our instruction on eligible costs

      What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

      For a cost to be eligible for support, it must be necessary for the activities of the project. Project costs must also be properly accounted for and reported separately from the organization's other costs. An organization may also not take up someone else's costs as its own.

      For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our instruction on eligible costs

    • In order for us to take a position on and assess your proposal it must meet certain basic requirements - so-called formal eligibility requirements. If these eligibility requirements are not met, our evaluator will not handle your proposal.

      • applicant must be a legal person
      • the coordinator must be an actor with activities in Sweden
      • proposal must be written in Swedish or English
      • the project must not have started before proposal is submitted
      • CV attachment according to template. See section 9. CVs are required for project manager and for key personnel from the applicant project party.
    • Vinnova and the Swedish Armed Forces jointly agree on which project will proceed to a decision on funding in order to fulfill the goals in the government mandate, where the Swedish Armed Forces assesses the projects' military utility potential. Proposal must be in line with the call's aim and objective. A factor for the program is to have a relevant spread of technology areas, which is why Vinnova and the Armed Forces reserve the right to apply portfolio thinking.

      What do we assess?

      Applications received will be assessed according to the criteria below.

      Potential
      • How well proposal responds to the call's focus areas.
      • How well proposal describes the project's potential to utilize cutting-edge technology in the field of defence.
      • How well proposal argues for the project's potential to strengthen the company's competitiveness on both the civilian and military markets.
      • How well the project is judged to contribute to gender equality and sustainability with regard to Sweden's security, competitiveness and resilience.
      Actors
      • The project team's competence, credibility and ability to implement the project in accordance with the call's aim and objective.
      • How well proposal describes the team's commitment, credibility and assurance of the competencies required to complete the project
      • How well proposal describes the team's qualifications to be part of a Swedish accelerator program for civil-military synergies
      • The project team's ambition and conditions to contribute to strengthening the company's company's potential to reach both a civilian and military market.
      Feasibility
      • To what extent proposal shows that the project's budget, plan and approach are credible and relevant in relation to the project's objective and implementation
      • How well risks are described and managed in the project implementation plan.

      How do we judge?

      Proposal is assessed in competition with other received applications for the call for proposals according to the following process:

      1. Proposal are made in Vinnova's e-services
      2. All applications that meet the formal requirements are assessed by specially appointed evaluator with relevant skills.
      3. Vinnova and the Armed Forces will jointly agree on which project will proceed to a decision on funding in order to fulfill the goals in the government's mandate.
      4. Vinnova makes a formal decision on which project are granted funding
      5. A factor for the program is to have a relevant spread of technology areas, which is why Vinnova and the Armed Forces reserve the right to apply portfolio thinking.
      6. Decision is notified applicant.
    • When we have assessed all applications, we will send a decision in which we either grant or reject your proposal. In the decision, we state how much funding each party in the project is granted. Our decision cannot be appealed.

      What if you are granted funding?

      If we grant your proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms and conditions include this:

      • That you must sign a special document in which you agree to carry out the project
      • That you must report your costs and results to us regularly during the project
      • How the results will be used, and how any scientific publication will take place.

      See our general terms and conditions and get help understanding and fulfilling them

      We can also decide to add supplementary special conditions for individual project. In that case, they appear in the decision.

      Can you have to pay back funding?

      If you do not follow our term you may be liable for a refund. This also applies if you have been granted funding incorrectly or with an amount that is too high.

    • To apply for funding you fill in a proposal in our e-service. Proposal contains questions about the project, other project parties and budget.

      You also attach these attachments to proposal:

      This is how the application process works

      Start proposal in good time

      Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. Filling out templates can take several days, as it is based on analyzes you will be doing. Therefore, start in good time. You can start filling in information and continue at a later time. When proposal is ready, you mark it as done.

      You can unlock proposal and make changes at any time, right up until the last application date. If you unlock proposal, you must then mark it as ready for it to be registered when the call for proposals closes.

    • When your proposal has been registered, we send a confirmation to the person responsible for the user account as well as to the project manager and the signatory.

      If you submit a proposal on the same day as the call for proposals closes, it may take a few hours before you receive a confirmation. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours after the call for proposals closes, please contact us.

      When the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. Then you can only supplement if we ask for it.

      Who can read your proposal?

      Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if they are requested.

      However, we keep confidential information that we believe could mean financial damage if disclosed, for example information about the business, inventions or research results.

      This is how we handle public documents and confidentiality

    How to apply

    To apply for funding, you need to log in and complete an application form in our eServices portal. The application form contains questions about your project, the participants taking part in the project and your budget. 

    Templates and attachments for your application

    Plesae download the templates you need to attach to your application such as a CV or project description. Below you can also find any attachments with useful information for your application.

    Please allow enough time

    Please keep in mind that it takes time to complete an application. Filling in the templates can take several days, since they're based on analyses you need to do. Therefore, start the application well in advance. You can start filling in your details, then save and continue at a later time.

    When you've completed your application, please mark it as done ("klar"). You can unlock and make changes to your application at any time until the call closes. If you unlock your application, you must mark it as done ("klarmarkera") if you want the application registered when the call closes. 

    This happens when the call for proposals is closed

    When your proposal has been registered, we email a confirmation to the person responsible for the user account as well as to the project manager and the signatory. This may take a few hours after the call for proposals closes. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours after the call for proposals closes, please contact us.

    When the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change or fill in any new information. Then you can only supplement your proposal if we ask for it.

    Who can read your proposal?

    Applications submitted to us become public documents. But we do not disclose information about the business, inventions or research results if it can be assumed that someone will suffer financial damage if the information is shown.

    This means that we must hand over the documents if someone requests them. But we keep confidential the information that we judge could mean financial damage if it is disclosed.

    This is how we handle public documents and confidentiality

    Any questions?

    If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

    Alma Jacobson

    Utlysningsansvarig / Handläggare

    + 46 8 473 32 30

    Josefin van der Meer

    Handläggare

    + 46 8 473 32 64

    Åsa Finth

    Assistent/Administrativa frågor

    + 46 8 473 31 04

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