On 21 June 2021, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) announced the results of the evaluation of the fulfilment of project selection criteria in the “Small Grants Schemes for female enterprises” under the “Business Development and Innovation” programme financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the years 2014 – 2021. Our company’s project entitled “A database and booking platform of centres in Poland for people with limited mobility” was among the projects recommended to be awarded support in the “technologies improving the quality of life” programme.
The announcement of the results completed the call for proposals by PARP, which started on 7 January 2019 as part of the “Business Development and Innovation” programme financed from the funds of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the years 2014 – 2021. A total of 738 applications for support under four competition schemes were submitted for a total amount of over PLN 1.2 billion.
The following number of proposals was submitted as part of the individual schemes:
• Green technologies – 219 applications for over PLN 570 million,
• Innovation in the area of inland and sea waters – 28 applications for over PLN 97 million,
• Technologies improving the quality of life – 101 applications for over PLN 333 million,
• Small grants schemes for female entrepreneurs – 392 applications for over PLN 198.5 million.
The total funds as part of the “Small grants schemes for female enterprises” to support projects from the Norway grants amounted to EUR 15,000,000. In total, 56 projects received recommendation to receive support in the total amount of nearly EUR 7.3 million. The maximum amount of support per project has been set at EUR 200,000, accounting for 85 per cent of the total project cost.
Rekta Consulting was among the eleven companies with the highest recommended amount of support, amounting to over PLN 800,000 (EUR 186,570).
The “Business Development and Innovation” programme, as part of which we have received support from Norway, assumes support for innovative solutions in Polish companies in three areas: green technologies, technologies improving the quality of life, including elderly people’s life, and blue technologies, i.e. development of companies from the area of sea and inland waters. It is also supposed to strengthen the cooperation between the Polish companies and Norwegian partners.
Our project, implementing an innovative service to improve the quality of life, including life of the elderly and those excluded due to disability or limited mobility, falls exactly within the framework of the requirements for support of the “technologies improving the quality of life” programme. At the same time, we managed to start cooperation with a Norwegian IT company from Oslo, Forte Digital, which will provide our project with the top technological expertise.
The owner and founder of Rekta Consulting, Agnieszka Blandzi PhD, did not hide her satisfaction during the meeting with press on 8 September 2021 in Warsaw. “The application and verification process took over two years due to the limitations connected with the pandemic, and a big number of the applications submitted. We are particularly satisfied that our work contributed to development of the innovative solution, as well as thorough preparation of the required documentation resulted in the highest recognition from the Donors (Norway) as well as the experienced specialists and PARP experts evaluating us”. – A. Blandzi told the journalists gathered in the company’s conference room.
On 24 November 2021 an agreement was signed between PARP and Rekta Consulting, as part of the “Business Development and Innovation” programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2020, NORW.19.01.04 scheme. Small Grants Schemes for Female Enterprises, concerning the implementation of NORW.19.01.04-14-0016/20 project. The project’s main objective, which is scheduled to be completed by September 2023, is to develop innovative software and build an integrated Internet platform for searching and booking accommodation for people with broadly understood mobility limitations.
The project used the co-financing of EUR 195,344.53 (PLN 838,575.00) received from Norway. The support as part of the Norway grants is 85 per cent of the project’s value, whereas the total cost of the project amounts to PLN 1,123,250. The implementation period is two years: from October 2021 to September 2023.
A. Blandzi, the beneficiary of the “small grant” for female entreprises, who runs Rekta Consulting, emphasized in an interview for IAR (Information Radio Agency):
“Norway is famous for its highly digitized society. Thanks to innovative apps, the elderly and all those with mobility problems gain new opportunities to organise their leisure and recreational stays, and thus improve the quality of their life. We would like to consolidate this model in Poland and thus contribute to reducing differences in the economic and social development between Poland and Norway. We are very pleased to be working together with our experienced Norwegian partner, Forte Digital from Oslo, towards an inclusive Europe.”
Basic information about the subsidy:
- Rekta Consulting has received a subsidy from Norway through the Norway grants as part of the “Business Development and Innovation” programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2020, NORW.19.01.04 scheme.
- mall Grants Schemes for Female Enterprises in the “technologies improving the quality of life”. area,
- Project number: NORW.19.01.04-14-0016/20
- Title: A database and booking platform of centres in Poland for people with limited mobility.
- Implementation period: October 2021 – September 2023
- Our Partner is Forte Digital from Oslo, Norway.
- The project used the co-financing of EUR 195,344.53 (PLN 838,575.00) received from Norway. The support as part of the Norway grants constitutes 85 per cent of the project’s value, whereas the total cost of the project amounts to PLN 1,123,250.
Additional information about the Norwegian Financial Mechanism
The Norway grants are exclusively financed by Norway and are available in the countries that joined the EU after 2003. The Norway grants for 2014-2021 amount to EUR 1.25 billion. The priorities for that period include:
#1 innovation, research, education, competitiveness and decent work;
#2 social inclusion, youth employment and poverty reduction;
#3 environment, energy, climate change and low-carbon economy;
#4 culture, civil society, good governance and basic rights;
#5 justice and internal affairs.
PARP source materials
Norway grants
https://www.parp.gov.pl/funduszenorweskie
Small Grants Schemes for Female Enterprises
https://www.parp.gov.pl/component/grants/grants/technologie-dla-kobiet
EUR 60 million from the Norway grants for 90 companies
Results of the assessment of fulfilment of the project selection criteria under the scheme “Technologies improving the quality of life”
Results of the assessment of fulfilment of the project selection criteria in “Small Grants Schemes for Female Enterprises
The list of the projects recommended to be awarded support was published in the “Results sand archive” tab on 18 June 2021.
The Norway grants support initiatives important to society
