Slovenčina 
English 
In addition to the schemes listed below, the Section also administers calls for funding for International Community projects and is also one of the intermediaries in the implementation of the ODA mechanism. The Structural Funds Section launches selected calls for European funds.
How RDI funding works
Published 7 November 2024
The current funding system at the national level is regulated by Act No. 172/2005 Coll. on the organisation of state support for research and development (R&D). In Slovakia, the implementation of research, development and innovation (RDI) is financed through institutional and competitive sources.
The forthcoming new law also defines systemic support as a separate category of support already underway for available infrastructure and other forms of assistance for all ecosystem actors. Comprehensive public support is rounded off by indirect financial and tax instruments. The main sources of public funding are the State Budget (SB), European resources within the programming period in the form of national projects (the Programme Slovakia 2021 – 2027), and until 2026 the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic.
Diagram How RDI funding works
Institutional funding
Institutional resources represent a stable and regular source of research funding. This is mainly the funding of public and state universities, the Slovak Academy of Sciences and departmental research institutes. The source of funding is the State Budget.
inštitucionálne financovanie
-
Higher Education Institutions
The R&D funding package is part of the subsidy to public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), which also covers the costs of teaching and social support for students. The funds are not earmarked and universities have a high degree of autonomy in their use. State universities are established and funded by the relevant ministries (health, interior and defence).
Higher Education Institutions
The R&D funding package is part of the subsidy to public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), which also covers the costs of teaching and social support for students. The funds are not earmarked and universities have a high degree of autonomy in their use. State universities are established and funded by the relevant ministries (health, interior and defence).
-
The Slovak Academy of Sciences
The SAS distributes resources among its 45 research institutes. SAS’s mission is to conduct cutting-edge basic research, long-term strategic and applied research and development, and to provide access to research infrastructure.
The Slovak Academy of Sciences
The SAS distributes resources among its 45 research institutes. SAS’s mission is to conduct cutting-edge basic research, long-term strategic and applied research and development, and to provide access to research infrastructure.
-
Departmental research institutes
Departmental research institutes (RRIs) were established to carry out selected research tasks and are directly managed and financed by the ministry. In some RRIs the majority of the staff is engaged in R&D, in others only a fraction.
Departmental research institutes
Departmental research institutes (RRIs) were established to carry out selected research tasks and are directly managed and financed by the ministry. In some RRIs the majority of the staff is engaged in R&D, in others only a fraction.
Competitive funding
Competitive funding creates incentives for high quality research and also allows to channel research interest into public policy areas.
The largest share of domestic competitive funding financed by the State Budget is redistributed by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (SRDA). VEGA and KEGA schemes for researchers from public HEIs and SAS are significant in terms of the number of participants, but this is a part of the institutional resources redistributed competitively.
European resources, which exceed domestic competitive funding, are redistributed by the Research Agency (VA), the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA), and various sections of the ministries of education, economy, and other ministries.
The approved Preliminary Funding Plan for Research, Development and Innovation Support (2024-2026) includes planned calls in selected key areas. A total of €1.019 million of calls are planned for 2024.
Institutions providing competition support
Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic
An internal grant system for public HEIs and the Slovak Academy of Sciences, which ensures a mutually coordinated procedure for the selection and evaluation of basic research projects carried out at the workplaces of HEIs and scientific institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.
An internal grant system aimed at financial support for applied research projects in the fields of education, pedagogy and creative and performing arts.
Represent a subsidy from the State Budget for business entities. This is support for basic research, industrial or experimental development, or the preparation of feasibility studies for R&D projects.
A state budgetary institution connected to the state budget through the budget chapter of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Slovak Republic. The largest SRDA call is the so-called General Call without a specific focus. It is intended to support cutting-edge basic and applied research in all scientific fields, and is open to natural persons, entrepreneurs and legal entities, irrespective of the sector in which the research is carried out. Smaller calls or programmes support, for example, bilateral cooperation with different countries and other activities.
Handles the process of implementing assistance from EU funds. It is also one of the implementers in the framework of the implementation of ODA projects.
A non-profit non-governmental organization, which was established on the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Slovak Republic. Its aim is to strengthen civil society and to assist the internationalisation of education and science in Slovakia. It acts as a mediator of information and provider of scholarship and grant schemes for stays abroad.
Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic
Within the framework of the Preliminary funding plan for RDI, the Ministry is preparing calls for proposals, especially in the field of digitisation and informatisation, from the resources of the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Programme Slovakia 2021 – 2027.
Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic
The sections dealing with the reallocation of R&D&I funding include the European Programmes Section and the Strategy Section.
je príspevkovou organizáciou MH SR. SIEA je v rámci národných projektov okrem oblasti energetiky zameraná aj na podporu inovácií. Podpora podnikov sa poskytuje aj vo forme inovačných poukážok v rámci národného projektu umožňujú cich prístup k profesionálnym zručnostiam, službám a znalostiam, podporu pri vývoji produktov alebo transferu technológií. SIEA je tiež je jedným zo sprostredkovateľov pri vykonávaní mechanizmu POO – Komponentu 9.
Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA)
Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic
The European Programmes and Projects Section will announce calls in the Programme Slovakia 2021 – 2027 in the field of new technologies and innovations in healthcare. The Institute of Research and Development (IVV) (in slovak) launches calls for proposals funded by the State Budget in the field of health for R&D purposes, in particular in the field of applied biomedical research.
Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic
Every year it announces calls for applications for grants for R&D projects in support of national defence. Expenditure in support of national defence is exclusively covered by the State budget.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy
VAIA is the implementer of Component 9 of the Recover Plan with responsibility for the reform of management, evaluation and support in the area of RDI. In addition to launching and implementing its own calls, VAIA coordinates the implementation of calls launched in cooperation with intermediaries.
Systemic support
Systemic support is the funding of activities necessary for the actual conduct of research and innovation. It is supra-institutional in nature. Its most important component is access to shared resources, both information and infrastructure, but also support for entrepreneurship or technology transfer. It includes access to databases, library resources, support for international networking through national focal points, building and operating information systems, and creating opportunities for sharing research infrastructure. The specific forms of support, mainly funded through national projects, are based on current needs in response to international trends.
Indirect support
R&D Tax Incentive
Tax incentives to encourage R&D investment in companies. The superdeduction allows to reduce the achieved tax base by tax deductible R&D-related costs of 100% of the expenditure and 100% of the increase of this expenditure compared to the average of the two previous years’ expenditure.
It is an additional income tax relief for recipients of R&D incentives for entrepreneurs under Act No. 185/2009 Coll.
A tax regime that allows companies to exempt from income tax up to 50% of royalties for the use of patents, utility models and software during the period of their depreciation.
Financial support and the institutions providing them
Provides capital to companies with high growth potential through repayable financial instruments in exchange for an ownership stake or option. SIH supports these companies by investing directly or by providing capital to other venture capital funds. In addition, they also provide guarantees to banks for investments in innovation.
Provides equity investments through the National Holding Fund, the Innovation and Technology Fund and the Private Investment Fund. In addition, they provide soft loans of up to 50 thousand euros.
Has a financial instrument called the Patent Fund, which serves to support technology transfer for the members of the association.
Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information (SCSTI)
Sources of funding
zdroje financovania
-
European Union funds
It includes the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) familiar from the previous programming period, complemented by a new instrument, the Equitable Transition Fund (ETF).
European Union funds
It includes the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) familiar from the previous programming period, complemented by a new instrument, the Equitable Transition Fund (ETF).
-
State budget
Represents the most significant source of funding at more than two thirds of total public support. One of the main objectives of the National RDI Strategy is to increase total public support from the current 0.4% of GDP to 0.67% of GDP by 2030.
State budget
Represents the most significant source of funding at more than two thirds of total public support. One of the main objectives of the National RDI Strategy is to increase total public support from the current 0.4% of GDP to 0.67% of GDP by 2030.
-
Recovery and Resilience Plan
It is the EU’s joint response to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its main objective is to support reforms and investments that will enable Slovakia to catch up with the EU average standard of living, while promoting green and digital transformation. Two components are focused on the area of R&D&I: Component 9 – More efficient management and strengthening of funding for research, development and innovation and Component 17 – Digital Slovakia (State on the move, cybersecurity, fast internet for everyone, digital economy). The implementation of the POO in the area of R&D&I in Slovakia is coordinated by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic. Under the POO, calls for a total of €551 million have been launched since 2022, representing a significant increase in competitive funding. The increase in resources is in line with the approved National Strategy. These include in particular support for engagement in the European Research Area, collaboration between academic institutions and industry, support for excellent researchers, support for research and innovation for digitisation and decarbonisation, and financial instruments.
Recovery and Resilience Plan
It is the EU’s joint response to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its main objective is to support reforms and investments that will enable Slovakia to catch up with the EU average standard of living, while promoting green and digital transformation. Two components are focused on the area of R&D&I: Component 9 – More efficient management and strengthening of funding for research, development and innovation and Component 17 – Digital Slovakia (State on the move, cybersecurity, fast internet for everyone, digital economy). The implementation of the POO in the area of R&D&I in Slovakia is coordinated by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic. Under the POO, calls for a total of €551 million have been launched since 2022, representing a significant increase in competitive funding. The increase in resources is in line with the approved National Strategy. These include in particular support for engagement in the European Research Area, collaboration between academic institutions and industry, support for excellent researchers, support for research and innovation for digitisation and decarbonisation, and financial instruments.
Eligible applicants
For each type of support, conditions specific to that support are defined. The categories of eligible applicants are also determined by the Research, Development and Innovation Act (in slovak).
It may be:
- Students,
- academic and research staff,
- non-academic staff,
- the state sector – the Slovak Academy of Sciences and other institutions of state administration conducting research and development,
- public research institutions,
- universities – public, state and private universities and legal entities established by them carrying out research and development,
- the non-profit sector – civic associations, non-profit organisations, associations of legal entities carrying out research and development,
- the business sector – entrepreneurs – individuals, deeptech companies, start-ups, spinoffs and small, medium and large enterprises that also carry out research and development.
Several calls allow projects to be submitted and implemented with partners.
A detailed description of the eligible applicants who can benefit from the funding is given in the description of the support.
Areas of support
Research, development and innovation (RDI) support areas such as:
- developing human resources in research and development and promoting talent,
- developing research infrastructure,
- promoting international cooperation and involvement in Horizon Europe,
- promoting cross-sectoral cooperation,
- support for excellent research,
- support for applied research and innovation
- coordination and support activities.
Amount of financial support in each area in 2024 (EUR million)
The Preliminary Funding Plan for Research, Development and Innovation (2024-2026) aims to ensure predictable planning of calls and grant schemes, as well as the use of funding from all sources, so that interested parties can prepare for individual calls. The Plan is intended to contribute to the predictability of support, to increase the interest of researchers and companies in participating in calls and thus to improve the quality of the projects supported. The funding of individual calls is in line with the National Strategy for Research, Development and Innovation 2030, the relevant analysis of the impacts on the public administration budget and the approved public administration budget for 2024-2026.