The aim of the project is to ensure the availability of financing for merchants for the development and commercialization of new products, services or research projects in order to increase the share of innovative merchants in the economy, creating a link between the final beneficiaries and research organisations, which would facilitate the direct transfer of knowledge and become a catalyst for the development of a more in-depth long-term cooperation between both parties, thus contributing to the achievement of the goals of the Latvian Smart Specialisation Strategy. The target group of the project are merchants and small mid- and mid-cap companies in accordance with Paragraph 2.2 of Cabinet Regulation No 644. Within the framework of the project, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia will provide innovation voucher support to merchants, support for attracting highly qualified employees to start-ups, support to merchants for new products to be developed within the framework of innovation procurement and their commercialisation, and informative support for activities aimed at developing the image of Latvia abroad in the field of innovation and providing information to research organisations, researchers and merchants, promoting technology transfer and cross-sectoral cooperation at national and international level aimed at the commercialisation of creativity and innovation, developing the development of new services and products and increasing their added value. The total eligible costs of the project application are – EUR 20 676-909, including financing from the European Regional Development Fund in the amount of EUR 17 575-372 and co-financing from the State budget in the amount of EUR 3 101-537. The project is planned to be implemented from the 1st quarter of 2024 to 30.06.2027. If additional funding (including flexibility funding) is granted, the project implementation and support available to economic operators could potentially be extended to 31.12.2029. Within the framework of the project, the following output indicators will be achieved by providing financial support: Number of economic operators supported (including micro, small, medium and large enterprises) – 197; the number of economic operators supported by grants – 197; Number of economic operators collaborating with research organisations – 39.