The Polish Agency for Enterprise Development announced the SMART program - from February 21, 2023 to October 31, 2023, divided into rounds and co-financing for:

• implementation of research and development projects (previous "Fast track")

• implementation of innovations (construction / expansion of production halls, purchase of fixed assets),

• R&D infrastructure, 

• internationalization, 

• environmental protection and energy efficiency, 

• digitization, 

• training and improving competences.

Applicants themselves decide about the modules they apply for. The first round ends on April 12, 2023, with a funding amount of PLN 5.1 billion. This is 5 times more funds than the allocation planned for the next round, and 25% of the entire SMART allocation until 2027.

What is SMART?

The scope of support under the SMART priority is the path of the seven modules indicated below, enabling the implementation of comprehensive projects. The entrepreneur will submit one application for funding and select from the catalog those modules that best fit the company's needs. However, SMEs must include in their application a module on conducting research and development work or implementing an innovation resulting from completed R&D activities. The rest of them are optional. The applicant may apply, among others: for financing the entire research process, including industrial research and development work, creation of a prototype and testing it with the involvement of end users. The modules may be interconnected and concern activities that enable the implementation of an innovative project as part of the subsequent stages of its development or cover a scope that fits into the modules, but concerns different, independent and unrelated projects resulting from the company's overall development strategy.