Tuscany Region Research and Development Calls for Proposals 2025
With its Research & Development calls for proposals, the Region of Tuscany aims to support investment in industrial research and experimental development for the implementation of market-oriented projects that are close to the industrialisation phase (creation of prototypes, pilot lines and early product validation actions) with a final TRL of 7-8.
Applications may be submitted from 17 November 2025 until 16 January 2026.
- CALL 1 – Strategic research and development projects
Target audience: large enterprises in cooperation with at least 3 MSMEs, with or without ROs (research organisations).
Investment: €1.5–3 million.
Duration: 20 months + 4-month extension.
Funding: €6 million. - CALL 2 – Research and development projects for MSMEs and Midcaps
Target audience: MSMEs and Midcaps (middle-size capitalisation, listed companies characterised by medium capitalisation) individually or in cooperation (min. 3 MSMEs), with or without OR.
Investment: €250,000 – €1.5 million.
Duration: 15 months + 3-month extension.
Funding: €14 million.
Each company may submit only one proposal for one of the two calls for proposals.
Total resources
- Initial amount: €20 million (30% call 1, 70% call 2)
- Extendable up to €70 million with subsequent acts
Resource reserve
- Inland areas: €1.4 million (€520k for call 1, €980k for call 2).
- Coastal areas: not applicable.
Eligible expenses
- Highly qualified personnel
- Tools, equipment, buildings and land (limits: max 30% overall; land max 10%)
- Contract research and consultancy services (max 35%)
- Overheads (max 15% of personnel costs)
- Other operating costs (max 15% of total).
- For micro and small enterprises: owners/directors/partners up to 10% of the total cost, if highly qualified.
Facilitation
- Non-repayable grant (capital contribution directed towards expenditure).
- Only expenses incurred after the application has been submitted are eligible.
- Variable entity based on:
- – type of enterprise (micro, small, medium, mid-cap, large, OR),
- – type of activity (industrial research/experimental development),
The non-repayable grant covers between 20% and 75% of eligible costs, depending on the size of the enterprise, the type of activity and the method of participation.
If the project is recognised as STEP, i.e. deemed consistent with the European platform supporting strategic technologies (deep-tech, cleantech, biotechnology), it benefits from a +5% increase in the intensity of the aid.
Aid intensity grid
| Beneficiary | Call for proposals 1 (GI + ≥3 SMEs) | Call for proposals 2 (SMEs/Midcaps) | STEP (+5%) |
| Micro and small sole proprietorships | – | 40% (experimental development) / 65% (industrial research) | +5% |
| Micro and small enterprises in cooperation with MPMI | 55% (development) / 75% (research) | 55% (development) / 75% (research) | +5% |
| Medium-sized single enterprise | – | 30% (development) / 55% (research) | +5% |
| Medium-sized enterprise in cooperation with MPMI | 45% (development) / 70% (research) | 45% (development) / 70% (research) | +5% |
| Single midcap | – | 20% (development) / 45% (research) | +5% |
| Midcap in cooperation with MPMI | – | 35% (development) / 60% (research) | +5% |
| Large enterprise in cooperation with SMEs | 35% (development) / 60% (research) | – | +5% |
| Research organisation in cooperation with businesses | 35% (development) / 60% (research) | 35% (development) / 60% (research) | +5% |
Eligibility criteria
- Requirements for applicants (DGR 716/2023): the general eligibility conditions that every company/organisation must meet in order to participate in ERDF PR calls for proposals must be satisfied. These are basic requirements concerning legal status, economic and administrative regularity, and compliance with European rules on aid.
- TRL 7-8.
- Consistency with S3 Tuscany 2021-2027: only R&D projects that fall within the priority technological domains identified by S3 (Smart Specialisation Strategy) Tuscany 2021-2027 can be funded.
- Minimum economic and financial capacity (PN/CP indicators, EBIT, EBITDA, etc.).
Selection and rewards
- Assessment carried out by independent assessors.
- vìMinimum score required for each criterion (novelty, technical validity, exploitation, profitability, skills).
- Bonuses for: gender equality/youth, certifications (UNI, ISO, SA8000, B-Corp, EMAS, ISO 14000), legality ratings, increased employment and recruitment of researchers under 39, environmental/social sustainability, location in inland or crisis areas, businesses affected by disasters in 2023.
Submission of application, preliminary investigation and granting
- Submission of the application via the Sviluppo Toscana SpA portal.
- Platform opening: 17 November 2025
- Platform closing: 16 January 2026
- Preliminary investigation: technical and economic assessment using an evaluation procedure, carried out by independent external assessors (DGR 355/2024).
- Ranking list: published by the Region of Tuscany at the end of the preliminary investigation.
- Grant: subsidy approved by executive order.
- Project start date: from the day following publication of the concession measure in the BURT (Tuscan Regional Official Gazette); early start is permitted, but not before the date of submission of the application.
Further information
Do you require assistance for your company in identifying the most suitable subsidised financing instrument, submitting your application and managing reporting?
Talk to:
Silvia Marchini – marchini@polotecnologico.it – 050 754 121
Giulia Gori – gori@polotecnologico.it – 050 754 144
Want to know more?
The Polo team is at your disposal to offer you information and support.