In its Regional Plan for Economic Development of Innovation and Internationalisation (SRDEEII) and its Regional Schema of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (SRESRI), the region affirms its desire to make Normandy a business and research land and to use innovation as a lever for growth and competitiveness of companies. The mobilisation of ERDF resources will serve this strategy, specifically through the priorities of axis 1 of the ERDF 2014-2020 programming and in coherence with the NIS S3. In a context where underinvestment by companies, particularly in RDI projects, is a brake on French competitiveness, the level of innovation of regional enterprises is low in relation to key innovation indicators. At the same time, the difficulties in financing innovative projects for SMEs are real: those who engage in R & D & I do not easily access credit because they are costly and risky investments. More broadly, the supply of financing is, in particular, insufficient for the development projects of TPEs and SMEs in growth. In line with this, the ex ante evaluation identifies market gaps in the financing of business growth projects, in particular SMEs, in particular innovative enterprises (EUR 290-300 million/year, amount of needs and which is likely to develop). This situation is under optimal to enable Norman companies to grow and anticipate market developments. It is also incompatible with the region’s economic and innovation strategy. It is therefore necessary to step up financial tools and in particular dedicated to innovation to support businesses in an R & D & I approach. Cooperation between the Region and EPIC Bpifrance will create a ERDF Innovation Loan Fund (IFF) to support companies by financing their R & D & I projects in the form of zero-rate and regional loans to increase business investment in R & D & I. As the competitiveness and innovation challenge of SMEs requires concerted action, the fund will mobilise ERDF and Bpifrance resources, with a leverage effect on private funding to address funding gaps on innovation and business development issues. The IFP will allow the Region, the managing authority, to have a complementary response to the main ERDF offer in the form of a grant. The intervention of the IFP will also be consistent with other public support for businesses, in particular the Regional Research Innovation Fund and Bpifrance’s national and European tools. To ensure this consistency, the Regional Directorate of Bpifrance will ensure that the instrument is implemented in close proximity, in conjunction with the services of the Region. The Fund offers ERDF Innovation Loans at zero rate, without real security, no personal guarantee or training costs, from EUR 100 000 to EUR 1 000 000, between 5 and 8 years, including a delay of repayment of up to three years for companies in Haute-Normandie whose consolidated workforce is less than 2000 persons implementing an RDI project.The RDI project is systematically financed by ERDF and Bpifrance resources. The aid rate varies between 40 % and 60 % of the amount of eligible expenditure, seeking the leverage effect of public funding provided.Eligible projectsThe ERDF IFP will adopt a broad definition of innovation, covering non-technological innovation.Can be financed any RDI:1/éligible project under the framework scheme exempted from notification No S.A. 40391 on aid for research, development and innovation (RDI):- Basic research;- Industrial research;- Experimental development;- Feasibility studies.2/which falls within the priorities of the ERDF OP