Innovative collaborations with Singapore in quantum technology for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

With this call for proposals we want to contribute to creating concrete research and innovation collaborations between small and medium-sized companies in Sweden and actors in Singapore with a focus on quantum technology.

The aim is to contribute to knowledge development and sustainable innovation in quantum technology by strengthening the long-term trade and investment relationship between Sweden and, one of the world's most innovative and dynamic ecosystems in Southeast Asia, Singapore.

With this the offer we strengthen Sweden's position on the global technology scene by accelerating the development of strategically important technologies and their applications, as well as promoting bilateral collaborations and knowledge exchange with actors in Singapore.

In collaborative projects, great importance will be placed on the degree to which the project is developed together with and anchored in a designated Singaporean partner. It will also be important to demonstrate that the new project constellation possesses the competence and capability required to realise the potential of the proposed project.

The coordinating actor must be either a Swedish start-up or a small or medium-sized enterprise. For enterprises, the EU's SME definition applies, where the company must have fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than 50 million EUR or a balance sheet total of less than 43 million EUR per year.

Project can be financed with a maximum of SEK 250,000 with up to 100% of the eligible costs. Projects may last 6–9 months.

Funds can be applied for by Swedish actors for activities carried out both in Sweden and Singapore.

The purpose of Innovative Collaborations with Singapore in Quantum Technology is to give Sweden a technological leap and Swedish organizations a competitive advantage through access to innovation and collaboration opportunities with one of the world's most innovative and dynamic ecosystems. Singapore is a leading country in research and development in several emerging technologies, as well as a strategically located hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia. The country possesses a unique mix of global technology companies, investors, start-ups and leading research institutions.

Both Singapore and Sweden are relatively small in terms of population, have limited domestic markets, are strong in research and development, and have a need for global talent. This makes it relevant to develop collaborations between two countries with similar conditions and, in some respects, complementary structures and capabilities.

The offer aims to strengthen Swedish SMEs on the global technology scene. It provides an opportunity to further strengthen the important trade and investment relationship between Sweden and Singapore and strengthen the conditions for long-term sustainable collaborations in research and innovation activities that contribute to global development in quantum technology.

Quantum technology refers here to: the field of science and technology that uses principles from quantum mechanics to develop new technologies for, for example, computers, sensors, communications, encryption and metrology. This includes hardware, software as well as materials.

Applications are expected to be within, for example:

• Nya QKD (Quantum Key Distribution) - solutions
• Satellite links for quantum communication
• Component technologies crucial for the scaling of quantum processors
• Quantum chips
• Algorithms
• Development of quantum sensors with applications in e.g. the biomedical sector
• Quantum computing applications in computational biology and quantum chemistry

objective of the call is to

• Contribute to long-term innovation collaborations between Swedish and Singaporean actors in quantum technology.
• Contribute to knowledge development and sustainable innovation in quantum technology.
  
• Strengthen skills development and secure skills supply in the long term.

No next steps are currently planned as a continuation of this call for proposals.

Contribute to a sustainable system transformation

Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and system transformation. To implement sustainable system transformation, we have chosen to base ourselves on the UN's global sustainability goals, defined in the 2030 Agenda. There, Vinnova prioritizes two perspectives: gender equality and climate change. All initiatives and project we finance are assessed based on how they contribute to these perspectives.

We therefore always follow up and assess this:

• If women and men participate in the project on an equal footing, receive contributions and have influence and power over the project.
• How well the project analyzes and takes a position on whether there are sex or gender aspects that are relevant to the project's problem formulation, solutions and effects.
• How well the project contributes to climate change with a focus on, for example, reduced resource needs, regarding energy and power consumption, and regarding production and operating costs.

Gender-equal innovation – what it means for those seeking funding from us

Agenda 2030 as a driver for innovation

Making scientific publications and results available

When results from research and innovation are made freely available, more people can contribute to solving societal challenges. This the call for proposals will help make results available to everyone. Therefore, all scientific publishing should be open access.

The offer is aimed at constellations consisting of Swedish actors who have established an international collaboration with actors in Singapore. We welcome both specialists in quantum technology and actors with a defined need or application of solutions in quantum technology.

Funds can be applied for by Swedish actors for activities carried out in Sweden but also in Singapore. In the innovation project, great importance is placed on the extent to which the project is developed together with and anchored in a designated Singaporean partner. It will also be important to show that the new project constellation possesses the competence and ability required to realise the potential. The project must include at least one actor in Sweden and one actor in Singapore who intend to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The Singaporean the actors confirm their participation and commitment to the project through declarations of intent which are attached to proposal.

The coordinating participant must be based in Sweden and be a small company (SME). The Swedish constellation may consist of several parties where an academic party may receive a smaller part of the grant and then as non-city support, i.e. at 100% of its actual costs.

Applicant must have the knowledge and strategic ambitions to successfully establish collaboration with a partner in Singapore, and implement an innovation project.

Foreign actors without a registered branch or establishment in Sweden can be included as project partners, but cannot receive funding from Vinnova.

Funds can be applied for by Swedish actors for activities carried out both in Sweden and in Singapore that relate to research, innovation, testing or demonstration projects where bilateral cooperation is in focus.

Funding can be applied for for activities that are part of research and innovation projects with a focus that meets aim of the call according to section 2 of this call text. Activities should be included within the definition of a feasibility study: Evaluation and analysis of the potential of a project that aims to support the decision-making process by objectively and rationally revealing the project's strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and risks, as well as identifying the resources required to implement it, and finally the prospects for the project to be a success.

This refers to studies for project involving basic research, industrial research or experimental development where a project idea is developed together with a Singaporean partner.

Examples of activities for which funding can be applied for

• Investigation of technical and design conditions.
• Research or critical analysis, which aims to acquire new knowledge and new skills to develop new products, processes or services.
• Development of prototypes or demonstration versions of products or services. This may also include pilot work, testing and validation.
  Validation means that verified ideas are tested against potential customers or users and that the commercial potential in different markets is assessed.
• Research and development of production methods.
• The creation of components that form parts of complex systems.
• Planning and conducting studies or tests to verify an innovation. Verification means demonstrating the commercializable property or function of the idea, often called "proof of concept". Verifying the idea also means clarifying ownership and intangible assets so that continued work on the idea provides the opportunity to commercialize results produced.
• Investigation of market conditions, such as identifying customers, customer needs, possible partners and competitors.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is subject to state aid rules. The rules govern what types 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 licensed from a third party. Costs for consulting services from third parties may not exceed 20 percent of a project party's budget.
• Other direct costs: For example, materials, supplies and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are not incurred as a direct result 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. Universities, university colleges and certain research organizations and government agencies have higher maximum limits depending on the type of activities.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

For a cost to be eligible, it must be:

• necessary for the activities in the project
• recorded correctly and separately from the organization's other costs.

An organization may also not claim 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 state aid rules also govern how much of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organization. We therefore differentiate between how much funding the project can receive, and how much each participant can receive.

How much funding can the project receive?

In this call for proposals project can apply for up to 250,000 SEK for a 6–9 month project.

The preliminary total budget for the call for proposals is 1.5 million SEK.

How much funding can a participant receive?

How much funding each participant can receive depends mainly on:

• what activities the party will carry out in the project
• party size and activities.

Support for companies

In this the call for proposals we provide support for industrial research, experimental development and feasibility studies.

• Industrial research can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services. For a full definition, see Funding grounds and levels for funding.
• Experimental development can be simply described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge to develop new or improved products, processes or services. For a full definition, see Funding bases and levels for funding.
• Feasibility studies can be simply described as an evaluation and analysis of: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks in an upcoming research and development project, what resources are required to carry out the project and how likely it is that the project will succeed.

The size of the organization and type of activity determines how large a proportion of the costs we can finance, i.e. the maximum level of support.

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 will be rejected immediately.

Eligibility requirements on organizational form of project parties

• All project partners must be legal entities. Natural persons or individual companies cannot participate as project partners.
• 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 the coordinating party in the project.
• The project may not begin before proposal is submitted.
• Costs for consulting services from outside parties may constitute a maximum of 20 percent of a project party's budget.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Vinnova would like proposal to be written in English as we are using international evaluator for this call for proposals. Applications written in Swedish will undergo automatic machine translation.
• Proposal must follow the instructions given in section 9.
• Proposal must contain attachments with project description, CV, Certificate of de minimis support (if used) and letter of intent from Singaporean actor.
• For mandatory templates, attached by Vinnova, headings and other formats in each template must be followed.

In addition to the above formal eligibility requirements for assessing proposal, we can only grant project where all of these eligibility requirements are met:

• Funding is not granted to organizations that are insolvent or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring, or that have unpaid debts or payment notices with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• If the organization is a limited liability company, half or more of the share capital may not be used up.
• We take credit checks on all applicant who are not public actors, and funding is not granted to organizations with the lowest credit rating of C.
• An organization applying for funding for personnel costs must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency by the time the grant decision is made.

What do we assess?

The project proposal must be in line with the call's aim. Applications will be assessed based on the main criteria potential, actors and implementation.

Potential

• How well the project contributes to knowledge development and sustainable innovation in quantum technology.
• The innovative height and potential impact of the solution.
• In what way and to what extent does the project generate value and innovation collaboration for both the Swedish actor and potential partners in Singapore.
• The project's potential to build long-term innovation collaborations with actors in Singapore.
• How well climate and gender equality aspects have been integrated into the project.

Actors

• The project constellation's competence and ability to create long-term relationships with Singaporean actors.
• The project constellation's competence and ability to contribute to strengthening Swedish competitiveness in quantum technology.
• How well the competencies required for the project to be successful are described
• How well the project team is composed in terms of gender distribution. As well as how well power and influence are distributed between women and men in the project team.

Feasibility

• To what extent the project's schedule and budget are realistic, credible and appropriate.
• To what extent are the project's activities appropriate for creating long-term and in-depth collaborations with actors in Singapore.
• To what extent are the project's activities appropriate for creating the conditions for the development of the intended innovation in quantum technology.
• How good the conditions are for the project's results to be taken forward and used after the end of the project.
• The extent to which a realistic risk assessment has been made for the project.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

Applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are specially appointed by us based on their expertise in internationalisation and quantum technology. Each proposal is assessed by at least three evaluator.

Once the evaluators have reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommend which applications should be granted.

We also assess financial status

Before deciding on funding, we also conduct a comprehensive assessment of the organizational and financial status of those receiving funding. We use information we obtain 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, undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring, nor must they have unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• Limited liability companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.
• If requested, SMEs must be able to demonstrate that they have the financial means to implement the project according to their budget in proposal. They cannot use public funding or their own funds intended for other project to cover project costs in this call for proposals.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. In the decision, we state how much funding each party in the project will be granted. Our decision cannot be appealed.

What happens 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 the following:

• That you will sign a special document, participant's approval, in which you approve your participation and commit to carrying 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 multiple 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 it is a good idea to get this in place 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.

We may also decide to add supplementary special conditions for individual project. In such cases, they will be stated in the decision.

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you do not follow our term, you may be required to repay the amount. This also applies if you have been granted funding incorrectly or for an amount that is too high.

When the call for proposals closes, your proposal will be registered as. We will then send an email confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, as well as the project manager and the signatory. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours of the call for proposals closing, please contact us.

Once the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. You can only make additions if we ask you to.

Who can read your proposal?

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

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if requested. However, we keep confidential information that we believe could cause financial harm to the individual if disclosed. This could include information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

How we handle public documents and confidentiality