Strengthened Swedish aviation technology research and innovation - NFFP8: Call for proposals 3

Aviation engineering research (NFFP) is a government assignment that started in 1994. In May 2023, the eighth stage began. The main aim of the program is to, through increased cooperation, research, innovation and dissemination of information, strengthen the Swedish aviation industry's competitiveness and create better conditions in the field of aeronautics. Funding is done jointly by Vinnova and the Armed Forces, with aim of promoting civil-military synergies within the Swedish innovation system.

Government assignment to strengthen aeronautical research, development and innovation

Inom NFFP is now offering actors the opportunity to apply for funding for collaborative projects that can contribute to strengthening Swedish aeronautical research and innovation. The call for proposals finances collaborative projects with clear research elements that contribute to the program's main aim. The projects will strengthen Swedish aeronautical research, development and innovation in the following six focus areas:

• Model-based flight system development in all phases of development
• Comprehensive ability and system technology incl. system evaluation
• Aviation technology and vehicle systems
• Propulsion, power generation, energy management and integration
• Intelligent systems, autonomous systems, AI and sensors
• Integrated structure, material and production technology

The actor constellation must consist of at least two parties and project must be carried out in active collaboration between companies in the aviation industry and one or more universities or research institutes. Both large and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to participate.

A project can receive a maximum of 50 percent of the costs in funding. Co-financing must come from participating companies. Exceptions to this can be made in the event that collaboration takes place only between SMEs and universities or research institutes. Then the total grant can amount to more than 50 percent of the project's costs, depending on which basis for support applies. Read more in section 5.

Project can last for a maximum of three years during the period 2025-2028. The call's budget includes approximately SEK 35 million.

Aeronautical research, development and innovation are crucial to strengthening Sweden's defense capabilities and contributing to a competitive aviation sector, technology development in society in the wider sense and sustainable growth.

Today and in the decades to come, the aviation sector is facing very big challenges. In addition, as a result of changes in our environment, next-generation military aircraft systems require completely different capabilities than before.

The fifth joint Nationella Strategiska Forsknings- and Innovation Agenda (NRIA) for Sweden's combined aviation technology actors identifies three mega-challenges; climate change, deteriorating security situation and geopolitics as well as accelerated technological development and its new applications.

Read more about the challenges and the concept of aviation technology in NRIA Flyg 2024

The call for proposals has a focus on aerospace technology and the overall aim is to contribute to:

• aeronautical research, development and innovation
• build-up and further development of aeronautical focus areas where more competence is needed
• to strengthen competence development and secure national competence supply in the long term
• to strengthen the competitiveness of the Swedish aviation industry
• positioning of Swedish actors in international contexts
• new or deepened existing collaborations for increased cooperation and competence transfer between actors
• to contribute to ACARE's objective of a climate-neutral air transport system in 2050, or
• contribute to Swedish defense capability and the need for new technology to meet future threats

Read more about ACARE's objective of a climate-neutral air transport system 2050

In addition to this, the projects are expected to promote sustainable growth and community development in line with the Agenda 2030 goals.

Agenda 2030 as a driving force for innovation
Equal innovation - what it means for you who seek funding from us

Make scientific publications and results available

When results from research and innovation are made freely available, more people can contribute to solving societal challenges. Project results must therefore be made as freely available as possible to everyone and scientific publication must take place with open access.

The call for proposals is aimed at actors who can contribute to the call's overall aim, see section 2.

The actor constellation must consist of at least two parties and project must be carried out in active collaboration between companies in the aviation industry and one or more research institutes or universities. Both large and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to participate.

User guidance on the definition of SME companies can be found here

Only actors with a branch or place of business in Sweden can receive funding.

Against the background of the purpose of ensuring the ability to provide national skills and employability, and in the event that a security check is necessary, each participant is responsible for the security check of the project's personnel.

NFFP contributes to collaborations that connect companies in the aviation industry, academia and research institutes, something that is of great importance for Sweden to be at the forefront of the aeronautical field. The applicant themselves are expected to argue for the chosen focus area and its development needs.

The call for proposals finances aeronautical project in the following focus areas:

• Model-based flight system development in all phases of development
• Comprehensive ability and system technology incl. system evaluation
• Aviation technology and vehicle systems
• Propulsion, power generation, energy management and integration
• Intelligent systems, autonomous systems, AI and sensors
• Integrated structure, material and production technology

The call for proposals does not finance project that lack a clear aeronautical focus.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is covered by rules on state aid. The rules govern what kinds of costs we can finance. 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. Costs for consulting services may not constitute a maximum of 20 percent of a project party's budget.
• 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 Instructions for eligible costs
For more information on state aid, see Rules for funding

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

For a cost to be eligible, it must be necessary for the activities of the project. The cost must be actual and can be substantiated, which means that it must have been incurred and be properly accounted for by the project party and be reported separately from the organization's other costs. It must not be appreciated. This means, for example, that costs for a participant 's salary can only be taken up when they are real salary costs in the organization's accounting. 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 Instructions for eligible costs

The rules on state aid also govern what proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organization. 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?

A project can receive a maximum of 50 percent in funding and must therefore be co-financed with at least the same amount as the grant. Co-financing must come from participating companies. Exceptions to this can be made in the event that collaboration takes place only between SMEs and universities or research institutes. Then the total contribution can amount to more than 50 percent, depending on which basis for support applies.

Project can last for a maximum of three years, starting in May 2025 and ending no later than 30 June 2028.

The call's budget includes approximately SEK 35 million.

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 we provide support for industrial research and experimental development (Article 25), support for start-up companies (Article 22), as well as support of minor importance (De minimis support).

Organizations that carry out non-economic activities can be granted funding that does not constitute state aid when they participate in their non-economic activities. Such funding can be provided with up to 100 percent of the organization's eligible costs and is granted with support of section 5 of the Support Order.

Each participant is responsible for ensuring that the received funding does not exceed the aid intensity that is permitted according to the rules for state aid in the current support basis.

Research and development – Article 25

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.

Bonus grounds

If the project is covered by one of these bonus bases, we can finance a higher percentage of the costs according to the table:

• Actual cooperation: Some level of cooperation between small and large companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organizations and companies
• Dissemination of results: Extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.
• Other bonus basis

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

We grant funding in accordance with Article 25 of the European Commission's General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER).

Support for start-up companies - Article 22

A start-up company can receive funding of up to 100 percent of the company's project costs.

Start-up means a company which:

• 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

For the complete definition of an innovative start-up company, 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 has 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 will find a link to the form for a certificate of minor support on this page
We grant funding in accordance with the EU Commission Regulation (2023/2831) on support of minor importance.

Not state aid

In this the call for proposals we also provide support to organizations that do not conduct economic activities. This means that they do not offer a service or product in a market. This usually includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other organizations.

We can finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs.

How do you determine whether an organization carries out economic activities?
An organization that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be conducting economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how the organization is financed, whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business takes. For example, if it is a limited company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

If you are unsure whether an organization in your project carries out financial activities, contact call manager. However, the organization itself is responsible for assessing whether it carries out economic activities.

In order for us to take a position on and assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirements. If the requirements are not met, proposal is rejected immediately.

Eligibility requirements on organizational form of project partners

• All project parties must be legal entities. We do not grant funding to individual companies.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and conduct activities in Sweden.

Eligibility requirements for the project

• The project manager must be employed by one of the project parties.
• The project may not start before proposal is submitted.
• The project must consist of at least two parties. At least one of these must be a company in the aviation industry and at least one must be a university or research institute.
• A participant may not have costs for external consultants that exceed 20 percent of the project party's budget.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal must follow the instructions given in section 9.
• Proposal must contain all requested attachments.

What do we assess?

Potential (weighted 50 percent)

• The project's potential to contribute to the call's overall objectives.
• The quality and relevance of the project based on the chosen focus area.
• The project's level of research and innovation in an international comparison.
• The project's potential to disseminate or utilize the results.

Actors (weighted 20 percent)

• To what extent the project group has access to relevant competence within the chosen focus area to be able to contribute to the overall aims of the call.
• The composition of the project group, competence and ability to carry out the project and achieve the project goals.
• To what extent relevant actors are involved in terms of commitment, time and participation to realize the project's potential.
• How well the project team is composed with regard to gender distribution, including the distribution of power and influence between women and men.

Feasibility (weighted 30 percent)

• How realistic and reliable schedule and budget are judged to be in relation to the project's content.
• How clearly and appropriately the project's content is described based on the choice of method, approach, strategic analysis and risk analysis.
• The participation and relevance of the specified project parties in the project's various work packages and activities.
• How well equality aspects have been integrated into the project 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. Vinnova carries out a formality review of received applications, see section 6.
3. Applications that meet the formal requirements are assessed by specially appointed evaluator with relevant skills. All evaluator are formally appointed by Vinnova. The experts assess the quality and relevance of the applications based on the call's assessment criteria and give an overall recommendation for funding or rejection.
4. Vinnova and the Swedish Armed Forces jointly agree on which project will proceed to a decision on funding. A factor in fulfilling the call's aim and objective is to have a spread between the call's focus areas. Vinnova and the Armed Forces therefore reserve the right to apply a portfolio strategy in the selection of applications for grant.
5. Vinnova takes a formal decision on refusal or grant, based on the assessors' combined recommendation and after consultation with the Swedish Armed Forces.
6. Decision is notified to applicant.

We also assess financial status

Before we decide on funding, we also make an overall assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding. We use information we receive from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet.

In order for us to grant funding, this applies:

• Organizations seeking funding for personnel costs must be registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency.
• Organizations must not be insolvent, undergo liquidation or corporate restructuring. They must also not have unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Agency.
• Joint stock companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.

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 approve your participation and undertake to carry out the project
• That you report how things are going, your costs and achieved results to us regularly during the project period
• If you are several parties, you must agree on your mutual rights and obligations in the project in an agreement. It can take time to get a project agreement in place, so please start this before the project starts.
• How the results will be used and how scientific publication will take place.

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

You also need to follow the special conditions that apply to this the call for proposals:

• In information about the project and in every publication of project results, it must be stated that the work was carried out with support from Vinnova and the Swedish Armed Forces within Aviation engineering research (NFFP). In English, Vinnova is rendered with the name Sweden's Innovation Agency and the Armed Forces with Swedish Armed Forces. Publication means, for example, publication, regardless of medium, and oral presentations.
• The project must be represented at the seminars or program conferences that Vinnova will organize during the project period. Costs for participation in such a seminar or program conference are an eligible cost.

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.

When the call for proposals closes, proposal will be registered. Then we send an e-mail confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, the project manager and the company signatory. 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?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and the external evaluator participating in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under confidentiality.

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 to the individual if disclosed. This may, for example, be information about business and operating conditions, inventions or research results.

This is how we handle public documents and confidentiality

Please note that Vinnova cannot receive information classified as security protection and that such information must therefore not be included in proposal.