SIGMA Programme

SIGMA Sub-objective 1: Commercialisation of R&D&I+ — 14th

Funds Czech small enterprises validating innovation and moving commercialization-ready solutions forward.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR) runs the SIGMA programme to support applied research and innovation across the Czech Republic. Sub-objective 1 (SO1) targets early-stage commercialisation: it funds small Czech enterprises and startups to verify the practical application of their R&D outputs and prepare those outputs for commercial use or societal deployment. The 14th public call under SO1 was announced on 17 September 2025, with a submission window of 18 September to 5 November 2025, and results due by 31 March 2026. Because TA CR obtained European Commission certification for the SIGMA programme, projects successful in SO1 calls can subsequently apply for the second round of the EIC Accelerator, extending the potential impact of a Czech national award into European funding.

Only small enterprises registered and operating in the Czech Republic — meeting the EU SME definition — are eligible to apply; nonprofits, research organisations, and individuals are excluded. The total call allocation is CZK 10 million; individual awards reach up to CZK 730,000 at a maximum funding intensity of 70%, so the applicant must fund at least 30% of project costs from non-public sources. The deliverable is a feasibility study written in English. A mandatory annex is a three-minute pitch video in Full HD (1920×1080 pixels, 30–60 fps), in English, accessible without login — the proposal is rejected if the video does not meet these technical requirements. Three years of financial statements (2021, 2022, 2023) must be published in the Czech public register, and applicants must not qualify as a company in difficulty under EU rules.

Proposals are submitted through the SISTA information system, entirely in English. Because the total pool is CZK 10 million and the per-project cap is CZK 730,000, approximately 13 projects can be funded at maximum award. Competition is therefore meaningful, and applicants are advised to front-load the commercial case and international market opportunity in both the feasibility study outline and the video pitch. Successful projects become eligible for EI coaching services funded from the state budget, and TA CR screening can flag projects for the EIC Accelerator second-round pathway, giving high-quality Czech SMEs a route to European-level equity and grant support.