Funding Opportunities

While Malta has a reputation as a jurisdiction for smaller financial series companies and start-ups, the fund sector is maturing and attracting sophisticated asset management activities. In this respect, funding in the Maltese islands has increased drastically over the past years, providing researchers with ample oportunities to boost their research ideas and widen their field of expertise.

EU membership positioned Malta on a level playing field with other European Union countries and opened up many business opportunities between Malta and the EU. Now, establishing a business in Malta provides instant access to the EU’s internal market of over 500 million people in a number of EU economies. Malta also enjoys excellent relations outside of the EU, specifically with other Mediterranean nations in North Africa and the Middle East, making it an attractive base for European, American or Asian companies wishing to enter the relatively untapped markets to the south.

Malta has established a comprehensive regulatory framework for the registration and marketing of all types of funds and investment vehicles. Malta’s financial services framework and tax laws are up to date with EU directives and in line with EU requirements, while the regulator the Malta Financial Services Authority’s (MFSA) performs its regulatory function in a constructive manner. Operators based in Malta cite the licensing process with the MFSA as being quick, efficient and thorough.

Visit Malta Enterprise for further information.

Local Funding Opportunities

FUSION

FUSION, presents a funding programme that supports Research and Innovation with the ultimate goal of promoting and supporting local research and innovation as well as providing the necessary handholding in order to enable researchers and technologists to turn their innovative ideas into a market ready reality.

FUSION is supported through Malta Government funds and managed by the Malta Council for Science and Technology. The programme will run from 2014 to 2020. The main objectives of FUSION are: to raise the level and profile of locally funded research; to ingrain research and innovation at the heart of the Maltese economy; to spur knowledge-driven and value-added growth; and to sustain improvements in the quality of life. This by research translating research results into commercial activities that generate a multiplier effect on the economy at large.

This vision also enables projects to increase Malta’s competitiveness in priority industries by enabling additional high-value, knowledge intensive employment in Malta’s priority industries. In addition, research and innovation will create further opportunities for highly qualified graduates within industry which will in turn generate other graduate opportunities in the long term. FUSION also provides the fora in which public and private enterprises invest in more innovative, eco-efficient products and services. This in turn enables the Maltese economy to become more resource-efficient, competitive and attractive to foreign investors.

FUSION is composed of two main programmes: the Commercialisation Voucher Programme and the Technology Development Programme. These two programmes are designed in a way to offer the necessary mentoring and financial support to researchers and industry players to take their ideas to the market.

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EU Funding Opportunities

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.

Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe's global competitiveness.

Seen as a means to drive economic growth and create jobs, Horizon 2020 has the political backing of Europe’s leaders and the Members of the European Parliament. They agreed that research is an investment in our future and so put it at the heart of the EU’s blueprint for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and jobs.

By coupling research and innovation, Horizon 2020 is helping to achieve this with its emphasis on excellent science, industrial leadership and tackling societal challenges. The goal is to ensure Europe produces world-class science, removes barriers to innovation and makes it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovation.

Horizon 2020 is open to everyone, with a simple structure that reduces red tape and time so participants can focus on what is really important. This approach makes sure new projects get off the ground quickly – and achieve results faster.

The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation will be complemented by further measures to complete and further develop the European Research Area. These measures will aim at breaking down barriers to create a genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovation.

The National Contact Points of the Horizon 2020 in Malta are ready to assist you with all related querries to the framework programme, including finding local and foreign partners.

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COST

COST is the longest-running European framework supporting trans-national cooperation among researchers, engineers and scholars across Europe.

It is a unique means for them to jointly develop their own ideas and new initiatives across all fields in science and technology, including social sciences and humanities, through pan-European networking of nationally funded research activities. Based on a European intergovernmental framework for cooperation in science and technology, COST has been contributing - since its creation in 1971 - to closing the gap between science, policy makers and society throughout Europe and beyond. As a precursor of advanced multidisciplinary research, COST plays a very important role in building a European Research Area (ERA).

It anticipates and complements the activities of the EU Framework Programmes, constituting a “bridge” towards the scientific communities of COST Inclusiveness Target Countries. It also increases the mobility of researchers across Europe and fosters the establishment of scientific excellence.

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ERASMUS +

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Its budget of €14.7 billion will provide opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train gain experience, and volunteers abroad.

Set to last until 2020, Erasmus+ doesn't just have opportunities for students. Merging seven prior programmes, it has opportunities for a wide variety of individuals and organisations.

Who can take part?

Erasmus+ is open to many individuals and organisations, although eligibility varies from one action to another and from one country to another.

Individuals can take part in many of the opportunities funded by Erasmus+, although most will have to do so through an organisation taking part in the programme. The eligibility of individuals and organisations depends on the country in which they are based.

Eligible countries are divided into two groups, Programme countries and Partners countries. Although Programme countries are eligible for all actions of Erasmus+, Partner countries can only take part in some, and are subject to specific conditions.

How is it managed?

The Erasmus+ programme is managed by the European Commission (the EU's executive body), the Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), a series of National Agencies in Programme countries, and a series of National Offices in some Partner countries.

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COSME

COSME is the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises running from 2014 - 2020 with a planned budget of EUR 2.3 billion.

SMEs are the backbone of Europe’s economy, providing 85% of all new jobs. The European Commission aims to promote entrepreneurship and improve the business environment for SMEs to allow them to realise their full potential in today’s global economy.

COSME aims to make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access finance in all phases of their lifecycle – creation, expansion, or business transfer. Thanks to EU support, businesses have easier access to guarantees, loans and equity capital.

COSME further aims to reduce the administrative and regulatory burden on SMEs by creating a business-friendly environment and further supports entrepreneurs by strengthening entrepreneurship education, mentoring, guidance and other support services.

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CREATIVE EUROPE

Creative Europe is the European Commission's framework programme for support to the culture and audiovisual sectors. Following on from the previous Culture Programme and MEDIA programme, Creative Europe, with a budget of €1.46 billion (9% higher than its predecessors), will support Europe's cultural and creative sectors.

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European Social Fund (ESF)

What is the ESF?

The ESF is Europe’s main instrument for supporting jobs, helping people get better jobs and ensuring fairer job opportunities for all EU citizens. It works by investing in Europe’s human capital – its workers, its young people and all those seeking a job. ESF financing of EUR 10 billion a year is improving job prospects for millions of Europeans, in particular those who find it difficult to get work.

The European Union is committed to creating more and better jobs and a socially inclusive society. These goals are at the core of the Europe 2020 strategy for generating smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU. The current economic crisis is making this an even more demanding challenge. The ESF is playing an important role in meeting Europe’s goals, and in mitigating the consequences of the economic crisis – especially the rise in unemployment and poverty levels.

How does it work?

Each Member State, in partnership with the European Commission, agrees on one or more Operational Programmes for ESF funding for the seven-year programming period. Operational Programmes describe the priorities for ESF activities and their objectives.

The EU distributes ESF funding to the Member States and regions to finance their operational programmes. These programmes fund employment-related projects which are run by a range of public and private organisations called beneficiaries. These projects benefit their participants – usually individuals, but also companies or organisations.

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