Innovation support

Support can be provided for the development of product and service innovations that are assessed to have a market and growth potential. The efforts should be at an early stage, before the product or service is launched on the market.

• The support is aimed at both new and existing companies that want to grow by developing innovations in the form of completely new products, services or processes.
• Support is only given to development or companies that are deemed capable of contributing to sustainable growth in Norrbotten County.
• Applicant companies must have their headquarters in the county.
• The innovation must be new or significantly improved and verified in writing by an independent party via a news review or market review. This is a mandatory appendix, which must be attached to the application for support at the time of application. If the company needs help in producing such an appendix, please contact Almi.

When you seek support from us, you must be able to demonstrate that you have active sustainability work.

You can do this with the help of Almi Nord and the Sustainability Dialogue - a meeting where you as an entrepreneur have a dialogue with an advisor from Almi to inspire you and your company for continued development/next steps in sustainability.

If you have already participated in the Sustainability Dialogue, you need to submit documentation showing this in your application.

Here you can read more about The sustainability dialogue with Almi and leave your contact details

The maximum support is SEK 1,2 million for an individual innovation project or a maximum of 40 percent of approved costs. However, the investment period may not be longer than what is expected to be implemented during a twelve-month period from the date the application is submitted. If the project is expected to last longer than twelve months, it is possible to submit another application when the first stage is complete.

Support can therefore be granted more than once as long as it concerns the development of a confirmed innovation and the maximum amount of SEK 1,2 million has not been reached.

• Design and/or registration of design protection, trademark protection, patent protection or similar.
• Preliminary studies for, for example, investigations, analyses and tests.
• Development and production of prototypes.
• Intellectual property rights costs for reviewing and registering patents and other rights that have industrial property rights protection.
• Experimental development of commercially viable conditions and testing of products.
• Experimental production provided that it is not used for commercial purposes.
• Approved support for salary costs can amount to a maximum of SEK 250 per hour and may be a maximum of 50 percent of the total approved support. The cost must be verifiable and consist of actual salary paid. To ensure sustainable growth in the county, it is a requirement that support for salary costs may only apply to employees who are registered in the population register in Norrbotten.

• The investment cannot be started before the application has been submitted to Region Norrbotten. If the company wishes to start the investment before Region Norrbotten has made a decision, it does so at its own risk. 
• Applications that lack mandatory attachments and other necessary information will be subject to rejection.
• Necessary permits linked to the investment must be completed before the investment begins.
• Support is not granted for operating costs.
• The support is always paid in arrears.
• The remaining financing must be in the form of equity from the company, private investors, a bank or non-public financing. Various forms of loans from public financiers can also be a form of financing. The financing must be verifiable and attached to the application for support. 
• Salaries and other employment benefits at the applicant company must be at least equivalent to what follows the applicable collective agreement.
• Quotes must always be attached according to the instructions in the application.

Applications that lack mandatory attachments and other necessary information will be subject to rejection.

In order to process your application, we need the following attachments:

A list of mandatory attachments can also be found in My application

You apply digitally via the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth's e-service My Application.
Direct link to the application for innovation support

Here you can read more about how to apply for support and payments

When preparing, presenting and deciding on applications for regional business support, a balanced assessment is made based on four selection criteria, all of which are permeated by sustainability and take their starting point in sustainable regional development.

Regulations

Related to regional business support are regulations that set the framework for the legal scope of the support. The national regulations are central when preparing cases concerning regional business support.

• Regulation (2022:1467) on state aid for regional investments
• Regulation (2022:1468) on state aid for regional promotion of enterprises

Through both of these regulations, support, subject to the availability of funds, may be provided with the aim of promoting sustainable growth and increased competitiveness in companies and thereby sustainable regional growth.

Regional business aid may only be granted to activities that are assessed as being able to achieve profitability and sustainable employment and operate on market terms and may be granted primarily to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in accordance with EU definition of SME.

Control document

The second selection criterion is an assessment of whether the support falls within the framework of applicable steering documents. Decisions on support levels and area delimitations are also governing. The overall strategy is the Norrbotten Strategy 2040, which identifies four priority areas of intervention. In order for a company to be granted support, a connection to one of the four priority areas with associated goals and paths forward is required. 

Priority areas of intervention are:

• A life full of possibilities
• A learning and attractive county
• Innovative and competitive
• A closer look at Norrbotten

The assessment will also take into account the Smart Specialization Strategy for Norrbotten and other regional plans, programs and strategies.

Purpose, effects and context

The third selection criterion is about assessing the purpose, context and effects of the investment and whether it contributes to sustainable development.

The application focuses primarily on the needs the company sees. It is the company's responsibility to describe the challenges and needs the company faces, as well as the investments and efforts that need to be made. It is also the company's responsibility to describe the effects the efforts/investment are expected to have in the short and long term.

The region's decision-making space

The fourth selection criterion is an assessment of whether the region's decision-making space is such that the intervention/investment can be granted. If it is assessed that funds cannot be granted or that there are other sources of funding that are more relevant, the case is rejected.

The application for payment is made via the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Development's e-service. My application
You must log in in the same way as when you made the application.

When applying for payment, an interim or final report must be attached showing how the project has progressed.

Here you can read more about how to apply for support and payment

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