MilTech trampoline for modern technologies

What can specified people gain through cooperation within MilTech?

Companies that already have a product can submit to the program. This can't be an idea. We are looking for innovative projects close to launching production that deficiency capital, cognition or appropriate business contacts to take a decisive step forward. And that's where we come in. We offer to velocity up the development, and in fact to jump over respective stages of the company's life until the product is marketed. We launched an acceleration program, which consists of 2 basic elements: the cognition of mentors accumulated by Akces NCBR and a grant of PLN 300 thousand. It's a non-refundable grant, but it's connected to mentoring provided by our experienced experts, which we have over a hundred. These are business practitioners from different industries, people who have experience with both start-ups and mature companies.

The partner of Akces NCBR in MilTech is the Ministry of National Defence, which is why the program is aimed at modern technologies which are very intensively sought by the military.

That is the intent of the program. We're looking for innovative groundbreaking projects in respective areas. These are: innovative space and satellite technologies enhancing safety and technological independency of the state, technologies enhancing maritime infrastructure security. modular, scalable and low cost Unmanned aircraft, anti-drone solutions, as well as artificial intelligence solutions supporting drone swarm management.

MilTech is not your first pro-development program. What experience did you have with erstwhile projects?

Apart from MilTech, we presently have 2 programs. 1 is the Horizontal technological Programme, 1 in which there is no circumstantial industrial framework. SpaceTech – devoted to space technologies – is another specialist, conducted jointly with the Polish Space Agency and the Agency for Industrial Development. The implementation of these programs showed us how crucial it is to support business mentors in combination with a targeted non-refundable grant. In addition, beneficiaries another than the lead mentor – the lead mentor – can benefit from the cognition and experience of our full expert group. And not only business management, but besides discipline and technology. Therefore, the MON, as our ground floor, will aid us to complement a group of mentors with specialists in arms technology. Returning to SpaceTech, it was very interesting to hear many announcements of promising innovative projects that, despite their advanced potential, did not go further...

What was the reason?

We didn't appreciate the demand. The number of applications has far exceeded the budget possibilities of the programme. This has shown us how many interesting initiatives request support and how many innovative products cannot come out of the task stage. The current recruitment for MilTech is simply a pilot service of cooperation with MON – backing will receive a minimum of 10 projects, possibly respective more – depending on the quality of the projects we have submitted, due to the fact that that is what we care about most. Therefore, in January we sit with representatives of the Ministry of Defence to discuss next editions.

What will be the evaluation criteria for applications sent to MilTech?

First of all, it should be noted that the mandatory criterion is to have dual-use technology, so this cannot be a product aimed solely at military needs. It must besides have the possible to appear in the civilian market. Another crucial criterion is the possible of commercialisation. The closer the company is to market, the more technologically advanced the solution it has, the better. For example, we highly evaluate, for example, the letters of intent signed with business partners or the demonstration of possible cooperation with the recipients of the idea. Preferences will be granted to projects that benefited from the support of the NCBR, as well as those that participated in the IDA programbecause we consider them to be verified in terms of quality and potential. We consider these activities as a tool for identifying the best projects and an component for building a coherent value chain of start-ups support at all phase of their development.

Grant's non-refundable, but he's being settled...

We have this very well organized. The full is based on ongoing cooperation in the triangle: start-up, mentor and maintainer with Akces NCBR. The company together with the mentor creates a plan for the implementation of the grant, including the expenditure plan, and the full thing has been under control from the very beginning. The Rules of Procedure shall specify precisely the catalogue of eligible costs. For example, building a prototype, purchasing the essential licenses, carrying out tests or implementation costs for production can be financed from the money obtained.

You said that the backing would receive about 10 projects. Do you presume that you will choose about the same number of applications from each thematic area covered by the programme?

No, there won't be specified a parity. We'll choice the best.

Does your doctrine presume that it is better to support a safe and safe expedition to Gubalowka, or more risky, but besides with much greater potential, the winter entrance to K2?

We want to support the most ambitious. Those who aim high. People who want to go to Gubalowka don't request our help.