Good idea is a shortcut to money from EU funds - A total of EUR 78 billion in "Horizont 2020" program

(Photo: Gajus/shutterstock.com)

Marinkovic said that the basic condition to compete for the program funds is that the company is registered at the Agency for business registries then for businessmen to have an innovative idea and a wish to compete.

He mentioned there are a few stages when participating for the funds from the Horizont 2020 and that if they pass the first stage, businessmen can count on EUR 50.000 to start or implement their idea.

- In the second round, funds to develop business total from 500.000 to EUR 2 m– Marinkovic says and outlines that the main term is that product must be innovative, not at the level of Serbia but entire world.

There is a number of fields where SMEs have the chance to try, Marinkovic reminds and mentions agriculture, food industry, medicine and transport as examples.

He adds GIZ has been implementing the project and supports companies from nine municipalities in east Serbia whom they also help in writing the project and taking the first step and compete for the project funds.

Marinkovic reminds that according to last data, 44 companies succeeded in getting the funds from the project and concludes that evert three months, there are new rounds for assigning funds but businessmen can generally report their idea at any moment.