Calls for proposals for 'Access to Risk Finance'
Under 'Access to Risk Finance', Horizon 2020 will help companies and other types of organisation engaged in research and innovation (R&I) to gain easier access, via financial instruments, to loans, guarantees, counter-guarantees and hybrid, mezzanine and equity finance. The priority for 2014-2015 is, above all, to continue and build on activities that have proved their worth in supporting R&I in 2007-2013: the Risk-Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF) and the Risk-Sharing Instrument for SMEs (RSI) in the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), together with GIF-1, the early-stage part of the High-Growth & Innovative SMEs Facility in the Competitiveness & Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). Horizon 2020's financial instrument facilities will operate in conjunction with those of COSME, the successor to CIP. The coming two years will also see a significant participation by Horizon 2020 in the proposed SME Finance Initiative; the launch of a pilot facility supporting the technology transfer process; and a new focus on improving access to risk finance by larger midcap firms. In addition, firms of all sizes, together with other types of organisation, will be able to get advice on how to make themselves more attractive to banks and potential investors. And to help prepare for new developments, studies will look into how best to encourage more business angel and crowd-funding investments in R&I; into the potential for pan-European venture capital (VC) funds-of-funds; and at the possibilities for an EU prizes scheme.To see the official call announcements, please consult: Capacity-Building in Technology Transfer Boosting the Investment-Readiness of SMEs and Small Midcaps