Another edition of the PARP program "Internationalization of SMEs". PLN 50 million to conquer abroad
The Polish Agency for Enterprise Development announces the next edition of the "Internationalization of SMEs" competition. Applicants can count on co-financing the costs of introducing their products or services to new foreign markets. The competition will be open for applications from October 18 to December 22 of this year. Micro, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs from the following voivodeships can apply for co-financing: Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie. The maximum amount of co-financing is PLN 800. The competition is financed from the Eastern Poland Programme.
– Despite the pandemic, Polish entrepreneurs are boldly trying their hand outside Poland. The area related to export and import is getting stronger. According to data from the Central Statistical Office from 2020, despite the pandemic, Poland recorded an increase in export by 2,8%. SME companies also see potential, as shown by previous editions of the “Internationalization of SMEs” competition. So far, in all organized editions, over 1250 entrepreneurs have applied for it, and over 500 applications have been recommended for funding – says Arkadiusz Dewódzki, director of the Department of Internationalization of Enterprises at PARP. To participate in the competition, an entrepreneur must have at least one product (goods or services) with the potential for internationalization on at least one new foreign market. Funded projects should support the entrepreneur: in determining its potential in terms of internationalization, in preparing the company and its offer for export, and in actively searching for business partners in order to introduce products to selected foreign markets. The project should start no later than 6 months after submitting the application, and the project itself should not last longer than 24 months. The support obtained can be used, among others, to cover the costs of consulting services and other services related to the internationalization of the business or to finance participation in international fairs, exhibitions or trade missions. The support can also be used to cover the costs of purchasing fixed assets or intangible assets related to the preparation of the offer for the target foreign market. The maximum amount of project funding is PLN 800 in the case of selecting at least one target market for internationalization outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland or PLN 550 in the case of selecting only markets from the European Economic Area or Switzerland. The total budget of the competition is PLN 50 million. The funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund under the Eastern Poland program. The competition will be conducted in one round. Applications for funding can be submitted until December 22, 2021. More information about the competition .