EU funding for local clusters supporting game developers in 2017

developer Creative Europe, Funding, Horizon 2020, News

EU funding for local clusters supporting game developers in 2017

 

2.1. Grants 

2.1.1 Creative Europe

  • Creative Europe Media funding for training: Funding guidelines are subject to change. This summary is made based on the 2016 call.
    • To who: An organisation from EU or from its neighbor regions (including Iceland and Norway) facilitating
      • the acquisition and improvement of skills and competences of audiovisual professionals and
      • the development of networks including the use of digital technologies to ensure the adaptation to market development, testing new approaches to audience development and testing of new business models.
    • For what:
      • The funding is targeted for the development of a comprehensive range of training measures promoting the acquisition and improvement of skills and competences by audiovisual professionals, knowledge sharing and networking initiatives, including the integration of digital technologies. In particular, activities should aim at
        • a) facilitating the learning and acquisition of new skills and expertise; knowledge sharing from peers and senior professionals, and best practices dissemination among participating professionals, OR
        • b) enabling access to European and international professional markets, developing new business models and strengthening international businesses and cooperation in the audiovisual sector.
      • How it works:
        • Activities may take the form of workshops and/or on-line coaching sessions and dissemination tools by using proven or testing innovative learning, teaching and coaching methods using the latest digital technologies. The focus should be on the improvement of skills and competence adapted to the evolving marketplace and including best practice dissemination.
      • Budget:
        • How much funding is available: 30 000€ – 300 000€
        • Funding rate:
          • European actions: 60% of the total eligible costs of the action
          • International actions: 80% of the total eligible costs of the action
        • Prefinancing rate: 70%
      • Deadline: Tbc
      • For more information visit: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/creative-europe/actions/media/creative-europe-media-training_en
  • Creative Europe Media funding for access to markets:
    • To who: An organisation from EU or from its neighbor regions (including Iceland and Norway) facilitating
      • European and international co-productions including video games, television series and cross media;
      • access to professional audiovisual trade events and markets and the use of online business tools;
      • circulation of European works, including shorts, in Europe and worldwide on all platforms in all formats.
    • For what: Only those applications corresponding to at least one of the 3 Actions described below will be considered as eligible:
      • Action 1. Access to (physical) markets for European professionals
        • Actions aiming at improving the conditions governing access for European professionals, projects and works to professional audiovisual markets such as co-production and financing initiatives and events and/or trade event and markets for finished works. Attention will be given to short films, video games, cross media and television series.
        • Financial support cannot be requested to cover attendance at the eligible activities above mentioned (co-production and financing initiatives, industry events and markets for finished works).
      • Action 2. Online tools intended for the professionals
        • Creation and development of a database and/or a network of databases of European programmes and/or professionals of the audiovisual industry, intended for professionals.
        • Creation and development of innovative online tools for the European A/V industry using the latest digital technologies and targeted at professionals.
      • Action 3. Common European promotional activities
        • The implementation of business to business common promotional activities, organised by pan European networks or organisations representing at least 15 MEDIA countries, aimed at facilitating the distribution and circulation of European audiovisual and/or cinematographic works and the networking of European professionals.
        • The setting up and launch of business to business promotional initiatives and platforms, aiming at creating innovative ways and/or using new business models, to distribute/release European audiovisual works. The activities should encourage the networking and exchange of information and good practices between professionals. These activities shall be organised and coordinated by a grouping composed of at least 3 different entities from 3 different MEDIA sub-programme countries.
      • How:
        • Only actions intended primarily to the professionals with a demonstrated impact for the promotion and circulation of European audiovisual works and professionals will be considered.
        • Applicants will have to clearly explain, detail and demonstrate the various mechanisms put in place to enable a greater geographic representation of the audiovisual works and professionals participating in the activity/ies
      • Budget:
        • How much funding is available: 30 000€ – 400 000€
        • What is the funding rate:
          • European actions: 60% of the total eligible costs of the action
          • International actions: 80% of the total eligible costs of the action
        • Prefinancing rate: 50%
        • How long the project should be: 12 months

 

2.1.2 Horizon2020

  • ICT-32-2017: Startup Europe for Growth and Innovation Radar
    • To who: (A) Organisations interested in reinforcing ICT ecosystems for high growth tech startups by interconnecting and creating new synergies between 3-4 different Startup hubs across Europe per project. Activities should focus on scaling-up of companies by connecting, across different entrepreneurial ecosystems. Furthermore, the organisations should facilitate financing and improving the liquidity for European investments in fast growing ICT startups, increasing their chances for a successful exit.
    • How much funding is available: EUR 1,5 million EU contribution
    • Other key requirements:
      • At least three legal entities. Each of the three must be established in a different EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country.
      • All three legal entities must be independent of each other.
    • Deadline: 25 April 2017 17:00:00
    • For more information visit: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/ict-32-2017.html
  • CO-CREATION-01-2017: Education and skills: empowering Europe’s young innovators
    • To who: IA, The organisations interested in developing new models, to investigate and to test new mechanisms that the young generation is engaging in, for addressing societal challenges coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit as well as effective ways and mechanisms for collecting and promoting innovative ideas from the young people. Particular attention should be paid to gender issues.
    • How much funding is available: EUR 2,5 million EU contribution
    • Other key requirements:
      • At least three legal entities. Each of the three must be established in a different EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country.
      • All three legal entities must be independent of each other.
    • Deadline: 02 February 2017 17:00:00
    • For more information visit: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/co-creation-01-2017.html  

Other interesting draft calls

 

2.1.3 Interreg

  • To who: Private non-profit bodies:
    • (a) they do not have an industrial or commercial character;
    • (b) they have a legal personality; and
    • (c) they are not financed, for the most part, by the state, regional or local authorities, or other bodies governed by public law; or are not subject to management supervision by those bodies; or not having an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law.
  • Fro what:
    • In support of the first operational objective of facilitating ongoing EU-wide policy learning and the capitalisation of good practices, ‘policy learning platforms’ are created for different thematic policy fields.
    • The programme supports and funds interregional cooperation projects undertaken by relevant partnerships of regional players. Their purpose is to foster the exchange of experience and sharing of practices as well as the preparation of action plans for integrating and deploying good practices within regional policies, especially Investment for Growth and Jobs and, where relevant, European Territorial Cooperation.
    • The priority areas of the funding program include among other:
      • Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation by
        • enhancing research and innovation (R&I) infrastructure and capacities to develop R&I excellence and promoting centres of competence, in particular those of European interest.
        • promoting business investment in R&I, developing links and synergies between enterprises, research and development centres and the higher education sector
      • Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy that delivers social and territorial cohesion by supporting the capacity of SMEs to engage in growth in regional, national and international markets, and in innovation processes.
    • How:
      • Typical activities:
        • Phase one (1-3 years): interregional site visits, interregional thematic seminars / workshops, interregional peer-reviews, interregional staff exchanges, joint thematic surveys / studies / analysis, meetings with the stakeholder group (compulsory), participation in the policy learning platform activities (compulsory) and joint development of action plans (compulsory)
        • Phase 2 (2 years)
          • Partners should continue learning from each other during the implementation phase of the action plans. They can exchange and build on the success achieved or on the difficulties encountered.
          • Certain measures of the action plan in one region may require the expertise of another region. In particular, when the measure relates to the transfer of a particular experience developed in one region, the ‘importing’ region may need the advice of the ‘exporting’ region on the best way to adapt the experience to its own context.
        • Budget:
          • Typical budget: between 1 and 2 million euros
            • About 50% Staff costs
            • 15% Flatrate, Office and administrative expenditure
            • Travel and accommodation costs
            • Less than 50% External expertise and services costs
            • EUR 5,000 – EUR 7,000 per project for Equipment expenditure
          • Financing rates:
            • 85% Public bodies and bodies governed by public law from all 28 EU partner states
            • 75% Private non-profit bodies from all 28 EU partner states
            • 50% Norwegian funding, Public bodies, bodies governed by public law and private non-profit bodies from
          • For more information: http://www.interregeurope.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Call_related_documents/Interreg_Europe_Programme_manual.pdf


 2.2. Equity and loans 

2.2.1 Equity

  • EIB equity instruments
    • ESIF
      • To who: SMEs.
      • How does it work: Financial Instruments (FIs) transform EU resources under the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) into financial products such as loans, guarantees, equity and other risk-bearing mechanisms. These are then used to support economically viable projects which promote EU policy objectives.
      • For more information, please visit: http://www.eib.org/products/blending/esif/index.htm

2.2.2 Loans

  • EFSI loan instruments
    • Project Loans
      • To who: National administrations or local authorities, public–private partnerships/Special purpose vehicles (including for project finance)
      • How it works:
        • EIB lends to individual projects for which total investment cost exceeds EUR 25m.
        • The loans can cover up to 50% of the total cost.
      • For more information, please visit: http://www.eib.org/products/sheets/project-loans-features.htm
    • Loans to finance R&D