UL Innovation Fund

The annual budget is 100.000 €.

The amount of funding received for each individual project ranges between 5.000 and 25.000 euros.

• If there are several owners, the technology shall be at least 50% (if there are two owners) or at least 30% (if there are three or more owners) owned by the University of Ljubljana.
• If the project involves University's know-how, appropriate legal relations shall be entered into with the University of Ljubljana.
• An individual researcher may participate only with one project application.
• Research projects, whose intellectual property is owned by the University of Ljubljana.

Knowledge transfer projects which lack any of the following steps needed to conclude a licensing/assignment contract, contract on joint development, or apply for a bigger tender to verify the concept:

• A feasibility study,
• Market research,
• A working prototype,
• Confirmed functioning of the technology in an industrial/clinical environment,
• Establishment of relations with relevant businesses.

• Labour costs for a new/additional associate at the University of Ljubljana (up to 20% of the funds received)
• Material costs
• External costs (consulting services, feasibility study, prototype production, market analysis or research)
• Equipment depreciation
• Participation or appearance at trade shows
• VAT

The fund recipients shall be selected by a committee consisting of six members. The final decision on the projects selected shall be made by the University of Ljubljana Rector. The committee may allocate amounts lower than the ones requested to the projects selected.

• Team references
• Project innovation
• Market potential
• Feasibility of the project proposal
• Feasibility of the financial plan
• Letters of support from organisations/businesses
• Intent to establish a spin-off
• The technology will be tested in cooperation with industry partners

If the project is commercialised, the Innovation Fund’s investment in the project shall be deemed a direct cost. The commercialisation royalties shall first be used to cover these costs, while the remaining royalties shall be divided in accordance with Article 19 of the Rules on the management of industrial property rights at the University of Ljubljana.