Test & demo for Small and Mediumsized enterprises 2026

In this call for proposals we offer small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) funding to test and demonstrate innovative solutions in relevant test and demonstration environments.

The projects must verify their solution in realistic environments before market introduction. This can include, for example, functionality, performance, security or usability. The call for proposals can be applied for by small and medium-sized companies for testing and verification in test and demonstration environments.

The support is provided under Article 28(2)(c) of the EU Commission Regulation No 651/2014 (the General Block Exemption Regulation, GBER) for costs of innovation support services, including services provided by research institutes and organisations. In this the call for proposals, these services concern the testing and demonstration of innovative solutions by SMEs.

The call for proposals will make it possible for more technically advanced and groundbreaking solutions to reach the market faster.

By removing testing and verification-related barriers, we want to reduce technical and commercial risk for SMEs, strengthen their credibility with customers and investors, and facilitate commercialization and international expansion.

The call for proposals will also increase the utilization of existing research and testing infrastructure, support more efficient use of test beds, and promote stronger competitiveness and resilience in Swedish business.

The call for proposals is aimed at small and medium-sized companies that develop innovative solutions and have a clear need to test and demonstrate these before introducing them to the market.

The company shall be the project coordinator and beneficiary.

Test and demonstration environments, such as research institutes, universities or other relevant actors, are hired by SMEs based on their needs for testing and verification.

We finance project where SMEs carry out testing and/or demonstration of their own solutions in selected test and demonstration environments.

The projects should clearly describe what is to be tested, how the tests are to be carried out and what verifiable results the applicant company expects to achieve.

The focus of the applied project should be on generating results that support continued development, risk reduction and commercialization of the applicant company's solution.

Some examples of activities that are eligible for supportare planning, adaptations of the company's solution, implementation and evaluation. This is based on costs for the purchase of innovation support services for testing and/or demonstration of an innovative solution from the applicant company.

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:

Costs for SMEs to purchase innovation support services, provided by research institutes and organisations, for testing and demonstrating the company's solutions.

The innovation support services that the company can seek support for in this call for proposals can be:

• Provision of laboratories, quality marking, testing, experimentation and certification
• Other related services: This includes services provided by research institutes and organisations for knowledge dissemination, research infrastructure and testing and experimentation infrastructure or innovation clusters. This is to develop more efficient products, processes or services. This also includes the implementation of innovative technologies and innovative solutions. This also includes digital technologies and digital solutions.

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

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

In order for your costs to be eligible for support, the following applies:

They must be factual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.

They must be booked correctly and under a separate project code in the accounting. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or your own funds intended for other project.

You may not claim someone else's expenses as your own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exclusions apply, see our general terms and conditions.

state aid rules govern how much of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation.

How much funding can the project receive?

Vinnova's funding can amount to a maximum of 1 million SEK per project, and can amount to a maximum of 70 percent of the project's total eligible costs, provided that the total amount does not exceed 220,000 euros over a three-year period. This is stated in art. 28.4 of the GBER.

In order for an SME to be granted this support, a certificate of innovation support needs to be submitted with proposal. Template modellforsakran smf

The project's own funding shall relate to the eligible costs according to Article 28.2 c. Other costs may be included in the project, but they are then separate and are not counted as co-financing of the eligible cost.

How much funding can a participating organisation receive?

Descriptions in the following sections about what support we can provide are simplified. For full details, see funding bases and levels

.

In this the call for proposals we provide innovation support to small and medium-sized enterprises.

By innovation support we mean support for innovation-supporting services. We can finance up to 70 percent of these costs.

Which companies are considered small or medium-sized (SMEs)?

To assess the size of a company, we apply the EU definition of small and medium-sized enterprises. The definition is based on the number of employees, annual turnover and balance sheet total.

If the company is part of a group, data for the entire group must be included. If the company owns or is owned by other companies to the extent of 25–50 percent, this data must be taken into account.

For help in determining whether a company is an SME, see:

This is how the EU defines small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's size and type of activity determine how much of the costs we can finance. This is called the maximum level of support. In this the call for proposals Vinnova's funding to applicant SMEs can amount to a maximum of 70 percent of the project's total eligible costs, provided that the total amount does not exceed EUR 220,000 over a three-year period.

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject proposal without further assessment.

Eligibility requirements on participants

The applicant organisation must be a legal entity. Natural persons or sole proprietorships cannot participate. Foreign legal entities can also participate. However, foreign actors who receive funding from us must have a branch or establishment in Sweden, and the costs must be incurred at the branch or establishment.

Only one participant shall participate in the project. This includes the coordinating party.

The project partner/coordinator must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project may apply for a maximum of SEK 1,000,000.
• The project must start no earlier than 2026-11-10, start no later than 2026-11-24 and end no later than 2027-12-15.
• The project must not have started before you have submitted your proposal.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal must follow the instructions under the heading "How to apply".
• Proposal must contain all requested attachments.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements will proceed to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how much potential your idea has, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

We also look at how well your project integrates gender equality, both in how your project team is composed and how you implement the project. By integrating sex and gender perspectives, more inclusive and relevant solutions are developed. This strengthens both the innovation capacity and the project's results.

Gender equality as a tool for innovative social development

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at three main criteria:

• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project.

• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving the desired results.

Potential

• How much potential the project proposal has to achieve the call's objective and aim.
• That the solution to be tested is innovative.
• That the solution is mature enough for testing and/or demonstration.
• That the test and demo environment is well suited for testing the innovative solution.
• That the requested use of the test and demo environment brings the solution closer to market and utilization.
• How well the project proposal contributes to increased gender equality by integrating perspectives on sex and gender.

Actors

• How well the composition, participation, competence and ability of the actor constellation contribute to project objectives and implementation.
• How well the project manager and other key people are assessed to be able to lead and implement the project.
• How well the financial contribution, participation, power and influence are distributed equally between women and men in the project team.

Feasibility

• How well the project plan and budget are assessed to be able to realize a solution in accordance with the project proposal.
• How credible the project plan's risk analysis and action plan for these risks are.
• How well the gender distribution in the project team and perspectives on sex and gender have been integrated into the project plan.
• How good the conditions are for the project's results to be taken forward and used after the end of the project.

How do we assess?

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

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. 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.

How does it affect an organization's financial status?

Before we decide on funding we also make a comprehensive 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 our assessment we check this:

• Organisations that are granted funding for payroll costs must be registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such registration does not exist when we make a decision, you must be able to show that a notification has been made. We do not approve retroactive registration.
• Organisations must not be insolvent, or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring. They must also not have any significant unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• Limited liability companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.

We can also ask small and medium-sized companies to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to carry out the project.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. Since applications are assessed competitively, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

In the decision we state how large a proportion of the costs we will cover for each organisation.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

What happens if you are granted funding?

If we grant your proposal, you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms include, among other things:

• That you will sign a special document 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 during the project period.
• How the results will be used

See our general terms and conditions

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

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be liable for repayment.

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 to 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 supplement if we ask you to.

Who can read your proposal?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and the 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 certain types of information confidential if disclosure could be expected to cause financial harm to the individual. This applies to information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

General documents and confidentiality