FAQs
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions to inform you with useful information about the RIGHTWEIGHT project all in one place
What is the Interreg North West Europe Programme’s Area?
The Interreg NWE Programme includes Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and parts of France, Germany and the Netherlands, covers a total area of 845 000 km² and is home to 180 million people. For more detailed information on the regions included in the NWE Area, please visit this site: https://www.nweurope.eu/about-the-programme/the-nwe-area/
Can my company apply if it is based outside of the NWE area?
The RIGHTWEIGHT Business Support Programme will accept applications from SMEs based in all NWE countries and Italy. It will therefore accept applications from SMEs based in regions beyond those strictly included in the Interreg NWE area (applicable for France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy). We welcome SMEs to apply to challenges from outside their own country of origin!
SMEs headquartered in any other country are not eligible for the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme.
Can I apply to different challenges?
SMEs are allowed to submit more than one application. If your company has a solution that applies to more than one challenge, you must apply to the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme separately per challenge addressed. The same applies for SMEs that have more than one solution per challenge.
Can I re-apply to the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme if my application is rejected during the first round of applications?
Yes. SMEs that have not been selected during the first round of challenge-driven competitions are advised to do so. Feedback may be provided upon request to those SMEs that have not been selected during the first round, in order to improve their applications.
How can I know if my company is a small or medium-sized enterprise (SMEs)? Are micro-enterprises also considered in this programme?
The RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme follows the definition of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as defined by the European Union. SMEs are defined as those enterprises which employ less than 250 people and have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million and/or an annual balance sheet not exceeding EUR 43 million.
For more information on the EU definition of SMEs, please follow this link.
Micro-SMEs (enterprises with less than 10 employees and annual turnovers/annual balance sheets not exceeding EUR 2 million) fall into the category of SME and are therefore welcome to apply to the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme.
Who can I contact for information during the application process?
Any general inquiries can be directed to the applications@rightweight.eu address. A list of additional contact points is available at the bottom of the RIGHWEIGHT Support Programme’s Website.
When are the results of the selection round published and where can I check them?
Applications will be accepted until October 1st , 2021 (10.00 CEST) and a list of the SMEs selected for the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme will be published on the Project website, as well as the RIGHTWEIGHT Business Support Programme’s website.
Furthermore, both accepted and rejected applicants will be notified via the email address provided through the Application Form. In the case of selected SMEs, these will be informed of the necessary next steps before the initiation of the support phase.
Are there any limitations expected due to COVID-19?
The initiation of the first round of support for selected SMEs will be initiated in November 2021. By then, the epidemiological situation in Europe is expected to be much improved due to widespread vaccination efforts throughout NWE. It is therefore expected for SMEs to be able to travel to the RIGHTWEIGHT field labs offering the services required for the incubation of their solutions. However, if there are still certain travel limitations in place at that time, initial steps of the support phase (user guides, field lab tours, methodological trainings) will be taken online to the extent possible, but the presence of at least one representative of each SME will be sought for the incubation phase.
What type of support services are offered through the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme?
The types of services offered will include:
Design
Modelling and simulation
Automation
Testing
Safety and verification
Cost and environmental impact assessment
Prototyping and upscaling
IPR
Business planning
Multi-material joining
Product development
Services will be tailored to the requirements of each SME’s proposed solution.
What can I expect from applying to the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme?
The RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme will increase the TRL of your proposed solution, whilst improving its environmental and cost-effectiveness standards. According to the quality of your proposal, you will be able to enjoy two types of vouchers and expect the following results:
Voucher for Trailblazer SMEs (20): Technical support services and travel costs valued at 45.000 € aimed at reaching TRL7 and including a route to market strategy plan.
Voucher for Follower SMEs (30): Technical support services and travel costs valued at 6.500 € including a strategy to reach TRL7.
How will RIGHTWEIGHT manage my data and what is the project's IPR policy?
The RIGHTWEIGHT confidentiality and IPR policy can be found on the External Voucher Guidelines (Section 8). You can find them at the bottom of the "Home" page. All information provided by SMEs applying to the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme is deemed confidential and will not be disseminated without the consent of the SME.
RIGHTWEIGHT partners have agreed to grant Intellectual Property Rights of solutions that arise from the challenge-driven competition to the solution-owning SME. However, agreements can be drawn up between the solution-owning SME and the aforementioned actors or others if deemed necessary.
For any further questions, please refer to the RIGHTWEIGHT Support Programme’s Voucher Guidelines or contact us through the applications@rightweight.eu address if you have any further doubts.