S5 – 5G Technology Accelerator is the first acceleration program in Poland created to support the growth of innovative projects focusing on 5G technology (including non-standalone 5G). The S5 Accelerator has been established in 2019 within the Lodz Special Economic Zone and is the second accelerator in the LSEZ portfolio next to Startup Spark.

Startups qualified to participate in the S5 program will receive expert support and financial grant (de minimis public aid) for the development of products or services in 5G technology. The goal of the Program is to develop, test and implement accelerated projects on commercial basis in large companies.

The S5 Accelerator Program Outline

Phase 1: Incubation

- Number of participating startups: 40

- Incubation: up to 3 months (from 04.2020)

- Financial grant: up to 50 000 PLN for project development and 5G technology knowledge transfer

Phase 2: Acceleration

- Number of participating startups: 20 which are to be selected from 40 startups participating in the incubation phase

- Acceleration: up to 9 months (from 07.2020)

- Financial grant up to 550 000 PLN for project development and in-depth 5G technology knowledge transfer

Who can apply:

Micro, small or medium companies in the early development stage (up to 22 months from the date of registration), operating in the Lodz Voivodeship, Poland

or

Micro, small or medium companies in the early development stage (up to 22 months from the date of registration) which if recommended to participate in the Program must register business activity in the Lodz Voivodeship, Poland within 14 days from the recommendation date

or

Natural persons not running economic activity who, who if recommended to participate in the Program must register business activity in the Lodz Voivodeship, Poland within 14 days from the recommendation date.

All applicants must:

Have full legal rights to the project which is to be accelerated within the Program

Have a project which falls within at least one Lodz Voivodeship Regional Smart Specialization (in line with the list specified in the Appendix 4 to the Regulations for Enrolment and Acceleration Programme ”S5 – 5G Technology Accelerator)

Have no financial and personal ties with Lodz Special Economic Zone

Be free from any legal encumbrances, collateral or any third party claims,

Do not perform business activities connected with production of agricultural products, fishery and aquaculture sector, activities linked to exports to third countries or be involved in the establishment and operation of a distribution networks

Do not exceed the maximum of de minimis aid specified in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013 of 18 December 2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid

Financing cannot be granted, among others to startups which:

Have already received public funds for the same Project which is be accelerated within the S5 program or have received other aid from public funds for the same expenditures

Are active in the manufacture, processing or marketing of tobacco and tobacco products, production or marketing of alcoholic beverages, production or marketing of pornographic content, marketing of explosives, weapons and ammunition, games of chance, mutual betting, slot machine games, production or marketing of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or precursors.

More Information.