Innovation voucher

For whom?

The innovation voucher is intended for SMEs with established businesses that want to start innovation activities. Innovation activities refer to measures by which a company develops its products, services or processes, or acquires new information and expertise needed for innovation activities as a service.

What?

With the innovation voucher, you can purchase new information and expertise for your company. The value of the voucher is €6,200 (€5,000 + VAT). You can use it to purchase expert services related to innovation activities. With the innovation voucher, you can purchase services from companies that offer innovation services, universities, polytechnics and research organizations, for example. Innovation activities refer to measures by which a company develops its products, services or processes, or acquires new information and expertise needed for innovation activities as a service.

When?

• The company wants to quickly determine the further development, usability or marketability of a new product, service idea or invention, for example through demos, prototypes and experiments.
• The company needs an external expert's opinion, assessment and testing or measurement service.
• The company needs support for studies related to patents, design protection and trademarks, such as novelty, patentability and freedom of action studies, or assistance with the patent application process.
• The company wants to utilize the results of science and research in developing its business.
• The company has a product or service-related problem that it needs help solving.

When no?

A company cannot receive an innovation voucher if

• it is a large company, a legal entity, a public or non-profit organisation or an Åland company
• the company has tax debts
• the company's rating Alfa is worse than A
• the company is in an industry that cannot be granted de minimis funding (primary agricultural production, fishing and aquaculture)
• the company's de minimis quota is exceeded
• the company has been granted Tekes funding in the current or previous year OR the company has an ongoing Tekes-funded project OR the company has submitted another application to Tekes

Innovation Voucher Presentation Material (pptx)

What for?

Examples of Innovation Voucher Uses

• Services related to the development of product and service strategy (e.g. preparation of a design strategy)
• experiments and agile product and service development
• preparation of innovation projects
• measurement and testing services related to innovation activities
• suitability studies and expert opinions related to innovation activities
• services related to the evaluation and utilization of research results

What not?

• the company's own salary costs, travel, materials, supplies and rents, as well as equipment purchases
• the development of industries and functions that are excluded from de minimis funding (primary agricultural production, fishing and aquaculture)
• expert services that are not related to innovation activities, such as
  • general business consulting services
  • sales and marketing
  • staff training
  • consulting and development related to basic IT systems (for example, website creation or consulting and development related to enterprise resource planning and financial management systems)

How does the innovation voucher work?

How do I apply for an innovation voucher?

First, think about what kind of skills and expertise you need to develop your idea or solve a problem. Next, find a competent service provider and discuss your needs with them. Draw up a work plan together. After these steps, apply for an innovation voucher in the Tekes online service. The project manager responsible must be employed by the applicant company. The applicant company is the one that intends to purchase innovation services with the innovation voucher. The service provider cannot apply for a voucher on behalf of the applicant company.

Tekes checks the information of the service providers and updates the list regularly. You can also choose a service provider from outside the list, as long as it meets the conditions mentioned below.

In the project cost estimate, enter €6,200 (€5,000 + VAT) in the Services to be purchased section. Leave the other lines of the cost estimate blank! In the box, enter €6,200 for funding to be applied for from Tekes.
Please note that your company and the service provider you have chosen must not have a relationship of interest (for more information on the relationship of interest, see section 3.5 of the general terms and conditions ).

• Tekes de minimis funding conditions (pdf)

Service provider requirements

• Are the following conditions met:
  • The service provider's financial risk category must be 1 – 3 (Suomen Asiakastieto classification)
  • The service provider must not have payment defaults
  • The service provider must not have tax debts or must have a confirmed payment plan to pay them
  • The service provider and the applicant must not have a relationship of interest (see more details in section 3.5 of the general terms and conditions.)

Tekes collects a list of innovation service providers. Tekes checks the information of service providers and updates the list of service providers every week or when necessary.

• Innovaatiosetelin palveluntarjoajat

You can also choose a service provider from outside the list, as long as it meets the requirements. You can register for the list by filling out this form➦. You can also change/delete service descriptions using the same form.

Questions regarding service descriptions: verkkosaiointi(at)tekes.fi

An information event was organized for service providers on 20.10., presentations and video recording here➦.