In July 2019, Innosuisse had its best month since its inception with 92 applications for innovation project funding, and the signs are good that this trend will continue. Also heading for a record is the number of applications for start-up coaching.
The number of applications for Innosuisse’s innovation project funding has been increasing since May of this year. At the end of July, 337 applications had been submitted, of which 92 alone were made in the holiday month of July. The figure exceeds the number of applications submitted to the CTI in its last fiscal year of 2017 at this point. It should also be noted that there is a tendency towards larger requests with a higher average subsidy. Most applications come from the fields of engineering and life sciences, but ICT, social sciences and business management are also showing a pleasing development.
It is already certain that 2019 will be a better year in terms of subsidies for innovation projects than the previous year. By the end of July, grants of CHF 60 million had been made, reaching three-quarters of the total awards made in 2018. “It appears that the uncertainty among applicants about the change from CTI to Innosuisse is slowly diminishing and interest in project funding is rising again,” says the news on Innosuisse’s website. The measures taken by Innosuisse are also likely to have made a contribution. Annalise Eggimann, director of Innosuisse, is confident: “Despite the holiday season, business in innovation project funding has clearly picked up. This gives hope for a good second half of the year, particularly as we have been able to demonstrate that we are in a position to make a decision on applications within a reasonable period.”
An interview with Tom Russi, the new Head of Project and Programme Funding Division at Innosuisse (in German and French) can be found on the Innosuisse website.
Start-up coaching in demand
The development is also very positive for the other funding instruments: the signs are good that the top result for start-up coaching in 2018 will be significantly exceeded. By the end of July, 263 applications had been submitted, which is more than three quarters of the total number of applications received in 2018. “Obviously, the science-based start-ups appreciate that the new system allows them to be responsible for the selection of accredited coaches,” the Innosuisse website states.
(Press release/sk)
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