ANVAR

ANVAR, the French Agency for Innovation, with a budget of €301 million in 2002, provides advice and financial support to SMEs. The Agency supports entrepreneurial and research organisations to tackle the technical, commercial, financial and human challenges of innovation. ANVAR is a public body under the authority of the Ministries of Finance, Industry, Small Businesses and Research.

About 1,360 SME projects per year representing € 250 million are supported by ANVAR for all the thematic areas from ICT (30%) to life sciences (26%), equipment (17%), consumer goods (10%) as well as basic industries and building and public works (17%). Approximately one-third of the Agency's activities (number of projects and amount of support) is devoted to start-ups (companies less than 3 years old). Companies generally receive support through a conditional loan (reimbursable if the programme is a success), loan guarantees and grants.

ANVAR is the NCP-SME for FP6 to facilitate the development of SME partnerships for FP6 projects, in collaborative or cooperative research as well as integration in IPs.

http://www.anvar.fr