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Operational Programme Innovation and Competitiveness (OPIC)

 · To contribute to sustainable, long-term competitive advantages of Bulgarian enterprises and accelerate the transition to a knowledge-based economy. The support is focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, capacity growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), energy and resource efficiency of the businesses.

Contact points
Actions able to be supported
  • Priority Axis 1: Technological development and Innovation – Increased innovation activity of enterprises through development of cooperation for innovation between enterprises and, between business and academia, incl. internationalisation of the innovation process
  • Priority Axis 2: Entrepreneurship and Capacity for growth of SMEs (Improving the survival rate of SMEs including through stimulating entrepreneurship; Strengthening productivity and export potential of Bulgarian SMEs) supports to promote entrepreneurship and facilitate access to financing for enterprises (both existing and newly created)
  • Priority Axis 3: Energy and Resource Efficiency (Reducing energy intensity of the economy; Increase the share of SMEs with introduced resource efficiency measures, Promoting energy efficiency and resource efficiency in enterprises) will provide targeted support for the transition to a low carbon economy  in all sectors of production and promote efficient use of resources.
  • Priority Axis 4: Removing bottlenecks in security of gas supplies – Better interconnectivity with neighbouring gas transmission systems
Rate of co-financing and conditions

The rates of co-financing will be defined in detail in guidelines to the individual support programmes and calls.

Other important information

Projects will be selected through open or restricted calls for proposals. For more information regarding the individual calls/measures, please consult the Managing authority.

Title of the instrument
Operational Programme Innovation and Competitiveness (OPIC)
Type of aid

Non-repayable grant / Support through financial instruments: venture and equity capital or equivalent / Support through financial instruments: loan or equivalent / Support through financial instruments: guarantee or equivalent

Eligible beneficiaries
PA 1 - enterprises or group of enterprises (micro, small, medium or large ones), including partnerships with research organisations (legal entities as well as other forms of partnerships), agencies, institutions, business organizations and other entities providing services for support of R&D and innovation in enterprises, Sofia Tech Park, technology transfer offices and technology centers, clusters // PA 2 - start-ups and existing enterprises in the sectors defined in the National Strategy for Promotion of SMEs and in the area of creative and cultural industries, enterprises developing new products and services related to an ageing population, care and health, social entrepreneurship, existing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises according to the National Strategy for Promotion of SMEs 2014-2020 for operations financed through grants, clusters (including new and existing clusters within the Strategy for the Danube region, the Action Plan, PA 3), business associations as well as organizations and institutions that are associated with implementation of activities and provision of services in support of business and improvement of business environment. // PA 3 - SMEs // PA 4 -Ministry of Energy
Time frame
01/01/2014 - 31/12/2023
Total budget
Total OP budget: 1,270,135,903.00 EUR (Total EU contribution: 1,079,615,516.00 EUR)
Legal basis
Commission Implementing Decision C(2015)1699 of 19.3.2015 approving certain elements of the operational programme “Innovation and Competitiveness” in Bulgaria
Usefull links
Operational Programme Innovation and Competitiveness (OPIC) website
eumis2020 - Portal with Open procedures and calls and e-application in Bulgaria