2.1.1.1. Specific objective: RSO1.3. Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments (ERDF) 2.1.1.1.1. Interventions of the Funds Reference: points (d)(i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: The following types of action (TOA) will be taken under this priority to enhance sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investment, in the regions and sub- regions of the programme area. Selection of operations will be tailored to regional needs and will support investments that are in line with the S3 strategy and the seven Regional Enterprise Plans within the programme area. These plans were developed in each region by a committee of key regional and national actors from Industry, Academia, Community and the Public Sector. Many of the actions proposed within these plans build on the existing regional strengths and on key industrial and academic infrastructure in each region. Where there is a clear need for new programmes or capital infrastructure to support the needs identified, the Programme aims to address these needs through the actions set out below and lay the foundation for delivery of results for future regional enterprise plans. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), engaging closely with the Regional Assemblies and with Enterprise Ireland, will commission further independent analysis at NUTS II level to identify opportunities and deficiencies in the regional enterprise ecosystem. This will strengthen the evidence-base for the selection of operations and the optimal allocation of ERDF funding during programme implementation. Strengthening and developing functional regional ecosystems that support innovation diffusion, enterprise innovation and entrepreneurship in the regions Action RSO1.3.1: Provide appropriate infrastructure and key staff resources to deliver innovative solutions including support programmes to support entrepreneurship, start-ups and scaling companies. This will include: 1. 1. delivery of small to medium scale regional projects (with minimum or no building requirements) or expansion of existing regional ecosystem projects 2. scoping and preparing new large-scale regional projects, e.g., design and planning, project development, recruitment of key managers 3. delivery of large-scale regional capital investment projects that provide key strategic infrastructural solutions to support the regional ecosystem This action will be delivered through competitive calls with specific funding strands for small and medium sized projects and larger-scale capital projects. Regional strengthening projects will generally be small or medium sized, while strategic change projects will be large-scale in nature. Small and medium sized projects will involve the delivery of small to medium scale regional strengthening activities with minimum or no building requirements or expansion of existing regional ecosystem projects. These projects will provide appropriate infrastructure and key staff resources to deliver innovative solutions including support programmes to provide impetus for entrepreneurship, start-ups and scaling companies. Projects of this scale will also be supported to carry out preparatory work for new large-scale regional projects, e.g., design and planning, project development, recruitment of key managers. Larger-scale capital projects will involve delivery of significant regionally based capital investment projects that provide key strategic infrastructural solutions to support the regional innovation ecosystem. The scope of such strategic change projects may be inter-regional and national exemplar facilities and Centres of Excellence based around and supported by regional industrial leaders. Such projects would provide additional incubation capacity and a physical base for collaborative industrial innovation projects, clustering, training and networking and should have national or potential international reach. Funding will support both capital investment (e.g., construction, refurbishment, fit-out) and non-capital investment (e.g., recruitment, staffing, consultancy, indirect costs, etc.). This action will be targeted at strategic regional locations where an identifiable deficit exists in key infrastructure which is necessary to develop functional regional ecosystems which can support this client base. Competitive funding calls will include a strong requirement to demonstrate the need for the proposed capital intervention, at a regional and national level and aligned with S3 and the Regional Enterprise Plans. The specific evaluation criteria will require each case to demonstrate evidence of this need, along with
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