The 23 projects will receive a total of HRK 161 million in grants, while their combined value is HRK 276 million. Grants are awarded through the operational programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020 from the European Regional Development Fund and are intended for development of new products and services, technologies and business processes by increasing private investment in research and development and strengthening the corporate capacity for research, development and innovation.
Horvat said that the initial allocation was HRK 770 million, but thanks to good cooperation with the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, an additional HRK 219.5 million was ensured.
"We will complete the evaluation over the next three months and sign grant agreements worth HRK 1 billion for specific, targeted investment in research and development," Horvat told a press conference.
He said that the HRK 1 billion would generate about HRK 2 billion worth of investment in research, development, innovation and products with high added value.
Horvat said that in the last two years projects like these had reached 1.1% of GDP which is invested in research and development, "which is about 100% more than at the start of our term in office."
Our ambitious goal is to reach the EU average of 2.5% of GDP of investment in research and development by the end of 2023, Horvat said.
He said he expected that the IRI 3 tender would be launched before the end of this year as part of the new financial perspective 2021-2027.