Eurostars R&D Funding for EU Businesses Nears Deadline

    BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, August 17, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- BHS Global, a leading international supplier of forklift battery handling, material handling, and warehouse equipment, encourages eligible businesses within the European Union to take advantage of Eurostars grants to foster innovation. The application deadline for the latest round of Eurostars funding is 15 September 2016.

Since 2008, when Eurostars began, 14 percent of the funded R&D projects were within the technological areas of industrial manufacturing, materials, and transport. Eighteen percent of the funded projects were in the market field of industrial products/manufacturing. Many of BHS Global's clients conduct R&D in these areas, said Katy Cortinovis, Marketing Manager at BHS Global.

"Eurostars is a really powerful funding opportunity for the industrial companies that drive innovation in the EU," Cortinovis said. "BHS Global isn't affiliated with Eurostars, but we want all of our clients to know that if they have an R&D project in mind, the funding is out there. And the deadline's coming right up."

Small and medium-sized businesses that devote at least 10 percent of their full-time employees to research and development tasks are eligible to receive funding through Eurostars. Companies with between 51 and 100 full-time employees (or equivalent work-hours supplied by part-time labor) only need to devote five full-time equivalents to R&D for eligibility. This alternate minimum allocation is just 10 full-time equivalents for enterprises with more than 100 employees.

Eurostars projects are collaborations between two or more businesses, sometimes with the participation of universities or other research agencies. The program is designed to team up companies from different nations.

"When you look at the field, some of our end-users aren't even aware that they're eligible for Eurostars funding," Cortinovis said. "There's this perception that it's all medical or IT research. But the industry leaders we serve are always working on new technologies and processes, and that's why we're so eager to spread the word about this opportunity."

Eurostars funding limits vary by country, but most cover between 50 and 60 percent of an R&D project's total costs. Every nation also supplies its own eligibility requirements for project costs. In the UK, for instance, labor, materials, and training are covered by Eurostars, but investments in capital equipment are not.

Every participating state has a National Project Coordinator who can explain the regional guidelines for the program. Find your Coordinator's office here: https://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/eurostars-countries/europe.

"Research and development are the key to thriving in a global market," Cortinovis said. "At BHS Global, our goal is always to improve productivity and profitability for our customers. Eurostars can help our users excel in their fields, and we don't want anyone to miss out on the latest round of funding."

Apply by 15 September 2016 to see if your operation is eligible for a Eurostars grant. For more information, visit https://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/.

About BHS Global, Ltd.

BHS Global, Ltd. is a supplier of battery changing and material handling equipment based in St. Louis, MO, USA. The company leads the battery handling industry with the most comprehensive line of products and provides total solutions for the battery room, including custom engineered systems and warehouse equipment. Please visit http://www.bhs1global.com/ for more information.

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