Enterprise Estonia launched a round of applications on Saturday for the main grant scheme of the Estonian-Norwegian cooperation program “Green ICT,” the total budget of which is €18.8 million.
In the framework of the cooperation program, companies will be able to receive support for such activities as digitization of industry, information and communication technology-based product development as well as the development of health technology solutions. Joint projects between Estonian and Norwegian businesses will be preferred, Enterprise Estonia said.
Minister of Foreign Trade and IT Kaimar Karu said that the program has an important role to play in strengthening innovation-related cooperation between Estonia and Norway.
“When it comes to this program, it is also important that support is given to Estonian companies’ innovative ICT projects and solutions for the digitization of industrial enterprises, which will increase the sustainable use of resources, increase their productivity as well as increase their added value and competitiveness,” Karu said in a press release.
Norwegian Embassy Charge d’Affaires Ole Overaas said that Norway has high expectations for business projects’ measurable environmental outcomes.
“It is important for both Norway and Estonia to achieve economic growth that does not come at the expense of a clean living environment,” Overaas said. “In that respect, environmentally friendly technologies are likely to provide the most sustainable future solution.”
According to Enterprise Estonia board member Sigrid Harjo, there is great interest from companies in the program.
“Over 100 companies participated in the information day held in January,” Harjo said. “There is particular interest in innovative industrial solutions and product development in areas such as health technologies and energy efficiency.”
Applications will be accepted at Enterprise Estonia’s e-service portal from February 1 through March 31. Support can be applied for by companies registered in Estonia, and welcome as partners are Norwegian companies as well as sectoral networks such as clusters, universities and associations.
Grants will range in size from €200,000-700,000 per project, with the maximum grant for health technology increased to €1.25 million.
The Green ICT program is funded from the 2014-2021 assets of Norway’s financial mechanisms.
