Commercialisation Project
Do you believe that your research results may have commercial potential? The Research Council has schemes that can provide grants for the commercialisation of publicly funded research.
About Commercialisation Projects
Who is eligible to apply: Technology Transfer Offices (TTO), approved research organisations and start-ups originating in an approved research organisation.
Two project types: You can apply for project funding for a Qualification Project or a Proof-of-Concept Project.
Purpose: To contribute to increasing the commercial exploitation of publicly funded research. The projects must be aimed at clarifying risk related to technology and the commercial use of research results, and any uncertainties that may prevent the project from progressing in the commercialisation process.
Inspiration (articles are in Norwegian)
Find help here
You can contact the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) at your research organisation. Their job is to create value from research results and they can guide you through the process.
You can use the Research Council’s regional representatives as discussion partners. They are well-acquainted with funding opportunities and experts at the Research Council, and have an overview of business actors and research groups in their respective areas.
If you have questions about a call for proposals, you can contact us via our email kommersialisering-kontakt@forskningsradet.no.
You can apply for project funding for two different project types
The Research Council invests in projects where research results from publicly funded research have commercial potential through providing funding in stages based on achieved milestones. Interaction with professional and research communities remains high during this phase, and close dialogue with market players is also strategically important to ensure that the project is on the right track.
You can apply for funding for a Qualification Project to clarify the most critical uncertainties that may prevent the project from progressing in the commercialisation process. If the results of the Qualification Project are successful, they may be used to form the basis for an application for further funding in the form of a Proof-of-Concept Project to reduce technology and market risk.
You can apply for yet another Proof-of-Concept Project if you need further clarifications, the project is progressing well and there are no other funding opportunities due to a longer time-to-market.
You do not need to have completed a Qualification Project in order to apply for a Proof-of-Concept Project.
Technology maturity is often measured using the technology readiness level (TRL) scale. The scale indicates how far you have come in the development process, where 0 is the basic research stage and 9 is commercial availability in the market. The Research Council can provide funding to projects at TRL levels 2–7. For more information, see Horizon Europe’s description of the TRL scale.
Qualification Project
The aim of a Qualification Project is to clarify the most critical uncertainties that prevent the project from progressing in the commercialisation process. This could include clarifying or demonstrating technology concepts, assessing possible areas of application, establishing dialogue with potential clients and conducting market surveys. The results from a Qualification Project can be used to support an application for further commercialisation funding in the form of a Proof-of-Concept.
Go to the call for proposals for a Qualification Project.
Proof-of-Concept Project
The purpose of a Proof-of-Concept Project is to reduce the project’s uncertainty relating to technology and the market. The goal is that on completion of the project, the most critical questions and uncertainties have been minimised so that the next stage of the commercialisation process can begin.
Go to the call for proposals for a Proof-of-Concept Project (link to new call is coming soon).
Provide a thorough description of the project’s trigger effect
Applications for both a Qualification Project and Proof-of-Concept Project must clearly specify what has been done previously, and what will be done during and after the project. This is reflected in the assessment criteria and can be illustrated as dominoes. Criterion 1 is an assessment of whether the project has a robust starting point. Criterion 2 is an assessment of whether this is of commercial interest and can contribute to value creation. Criterion 3 is an assessment of whether the project activities will contribute to triggering the next stage of the commercialisation process.
The primary objective of the project must clearly describe what technical and commercial aspects the applicant is seeking to achieve, clarify or trigger on completion of the project. It is therefore important that the projects incorporate close dialogue with relevant market players to ensure that the projects employ the right approach. You must include a thorough description of the milestones in the project plan. They must be measurable, and based on critical decision-making elements and what must be achieved to trigger the next stage of the commercialisation process.