- What is the Business Investments in Research & Development (BIRD)?
Answer: The BIRD will offer matching grants for joint R&D sub-projects from SMEs, and joint R&D sub-projects between SMEs and PROs. The BIRD will finance matching-grants for sub-projects to (i) support later stages of research commercialization, (ii) R&D for SMEs, and (iii) early stages of knowledge-based startups.
Proposals can be of a multi- or interdisciplinary nature, crossing the boundaries between different fields of research, including pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions. The total available budget for the BIRD matching grant program is US $10 million.
BIRD pursues the following objectives:
1) Build and strengthen systemic partnerships between industry, research institutes, and universities for technology development and transfer to address systemic problems in manufacturing sectors.
2) Stimulate SME’s investment activity in R&D and private research organizations of high-quality R&D.
3) Contribute to collective efforts to develop new technologies in areas of national importance.
4) Cooperate with leading international research centers and global businesses.
- Who can apply for a grant?
Answer: Chief Technology Officer of the sub-project. CTO must be a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan and can participate in only 1 commercialization project supported by BIRD with at least 50% of time commitment.
- Grant amount to per project?
Answer: up to US $ 600,000 per project.
- Project implementation period?
Answer: up to 24 months on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
- Co-financing is mandatory, what is the minimum percentage of the grant amount?
Answer: obligatory, not less than 25% of the matching grant amount (in cash only).
- Co-financing sources?
Answer: industrial partner, financial partner, or own funds.
- How many people will have a project?
Anwer: not more than 12 people (including CTO, deputy CTO, and BDM).
- How long the Proposal selection process?
Answer: up to 8 months including submission of proposals (60 working days), formal compliance (up to 8 working days), external technological evaluation by the International Evaluation Platform (up to 50 working days), commercial evaluation, and shortlisting of proposals by the IEB (20 working days), pitching session and signing protocol of winners by the IEB that lead to the obligatory participation in the acceleration program for winners and signing of a Grant Agreement (20 working days).
The Matching Grant recipient must be a startup company created in RUZ in the form of a limited liability company and established after the matching grant is awarded or an SME company registered in RUZ. The CTO of the project must be included in the founders of the Matching Grant recipient.
Co-financing money must be allocated to the bank account of the Matching Grant recipient before each tranche of the Matching Grant money. All taxes must be covered by co-funding.
The Matching Grant recipient must have registered rights for an IP that is planned to be used during the implementation of the sub-project. The upcoming research discovery results (IP) during the implementation of the sub-project must be registered to the Matching Grant recipient.
Compliance with the fiduciary requirements and procurement procedures of the World Bank is obligatory. Monitoring of the implementation of the sub-projects is conducted through technical reporting (twice a year) and financial control after each withdrawal of the Matching Grant amount, as well as semi-annual visits of the IEB.
- Which language is a proposal language?
Answer: the English version is mandatory. Uzbek or Russian versions can be also submitted together with the English version.
- From which website applicants will apply to project?
Answer: https://wbgrants.uz/
- What are the grants funding criteria?
Answer: Selection is based on two core principles: (i) technological readiness, and (ii) commercial potential of the proposal.
Technological criteria
- Research excellence and degree of novelty
- Feasibility of planned activities
- Readiness of the proposed solution
- Assessment of technical and product-scaling risks and mitigations
Commercial criteria
- Market Opportunity for the proposed solution
- Qualifications of the team
- Product and Competitive analysis and IP
- Assessment of project budget
- From which industry and/or field proposals are accepted?
Answer: Proposals can be of a multi- or interdisciplinary nature, crossing the boundaries between different fields of research, including pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions. The BIRD intends to promote broad outreach and participation, encouraging applications related to any field of industry.
As a result of completing the implementation of a BIRD sub-project, the sub-projects are expected to achieve the following results stated below:
- Development of an Industrial prototype of the proposed product and/or technology
- Provision of field trials of the proposed product and/or technology
- Small-scale industrial production and/or licensing agreement with an industrial partner
- Preparation of technical documentation for the proposed products and/or technology (according to National Standards)
- Provide patent search for determination of intellectual property (IP) strategy
- Filing a patent application on national and/or international levels (as needed)
- Business plan and other materials (presentation, financial model, teaser/project resume, internal corporate documentation) on the proposed product/technology for further development
- Commercialization of the product or service within the scope of the sub-project, such as sales and/or licensing deals and/or attracted investments, amounting to a minimum of 10% of the matching grant amount.
- What are the requirements for BIRD applicants?
Answer: The BIRD applicant is the Chief Technology Officer of the proposal. The BIRD applicant must have a Co-financing Partner (CP) who provides co-financing for the sub-project in the amount of not less than 25% of the Matching Grant amount. The co-financing can be in the following forms: as a direct investment in share capital (private equity), as a convertible loan to the matching grant recipient, as a non-refundable provision (grant), as a stock option purchase agreement, or a combination thereof. NB! A loan to the company must not be guaranteed by the material assets obtained with the matching grant funding. For example, equipment purchased with the matching grant funding can’t be used as collateral for the loan re-payment. Detailed requirements for BIRD applicants are set out in the 2.2 section (Requirements for BIRD applicants).
- What are the requirements for BIRD Grantee?
Answer: The GR can be a newly established startup company created in RUZ in the form of a limited liability company specifically for the purpose of the sub-project or existing for-profit company, resident of the RUZ. The existing for-profit company GR must be classified as a micro, small, or medium enterprise according to national legislation and must not be bankrupt or insolvent, in the process of liquidation, declared bankrupt by a court decision, whose property has been seized, and/or whose economic activity has been suspended.
The founders of the GR must include the CTO and may include other team members. NB! The role of a CEO of the GR can be performed by either the CTO or BDM or a representative of the co-financing partner.
A majority (more than 50%) of equity of the GR must be directly owned and controlled by one of the following:
1) One or more individuals who are citizens or permanent resident aliens of the RUZ;
2) For‐profit business entities (each of which is directly owned and controlled by individuals who are citizens or permanent resident aliens of the RUZ);
3) A combination of (1) and (2) above.
Detailed requirements for BIRD Grantee are set out in section 2.3 (Requirements for BIRD Grantee).
- What are the requirements for the remuneration of staff?
Answer: CTO and DCTO remuneration must not exceed US$3000 per month, including taxes, fees, and other mandatory payments to the budget, and be pro-rated in case of part-time and/or parallel employment;
Remuneration of BDM shall not exceed US$2500 per month, including taxes, fees, and other mandatory payments to the budget, and be pro-rated in case of part-time and/or parallel employment;
Remuneration of other team members shall not exceed US$1500 per month, including taxes, fees, and other mandatory payments to the budget, and be pro-rated in case of part-time and/or parallel employment.
