FOUNDATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO SMALL INNOVATIVE ENTERPRISES

Their core work

FASIE is Russia's principal government-backed foundation supporting small innovative enterprises through grant funding, technology commercialization programs, and international cooperation initiatives. Within H2020, FASIE acts as a national funding agency participating in ERA-NET Cofund networks — meaning it co-finances transnational research calls alongside European counterparts rather than performing research itself. Their role is to channel Russian public funding toward SME-driven innovation in advanced materials, manufacturing, and biotechnology, enabling Russian small companies to collaborate with European research partners.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

FASIE's early H2020 involvement (2016) centered on manufacturing competitiveness and materials research for SMEs, reflecting a traditional industrial innovation support mandate. By 2021, their focus expanded to include battery technologies, circular economy, Green Deal alignment, and SDG-related themes — signaling alignment with Europe's sustainability priorities. The shift from generic "innovation chain" language to specific terms like "funding synergies" and "RRI" (Responsible Research and Innovation) suggests growing sophistication in transnational funding coordination.

FASIE has been moving toward sustainability-driven materials research and green manufacturing, though future EU collaboration may be affected by geopolitical constraints on Russian participation in Horizon Europe.

How they like to work

FASIE exclusively operates as a participant in large ERA-NET consortia, never as coordinator — consistent with its role as a national funding agency joining multilateral networks. With 84 unique partners across 39 countries from just 4 projects, their network is exceptionally broad but driven by the ERA-NET structure rather than selective partnership choices. Working with FASIE means engaging with a funding intermediary that can open doors to Russian SME innovators in materials and manufacturing.

Through ERA-NET participation, FASIE connects to 84 partners across 39 countries — an unusually wide network that spans nearly all of Europe plus associated countries. This breadth reflects the multilateral nature of ERA-NET Cofunds rather than bilateral partnerships.

What sets them apart

FASIE is one of very few Russian funding agencies that participated in H2020 ERA-NET Cofunds, serving as a bridge between European research networks and Russian SME innovators. For consortium builders, FASIE offered access to a large pool of Russian small technology companies with capabilities in advanced materials and manufacturing. Note: Russia's participation status in Horizon Europe (post-2021) should be verified before considering future collaboration.

Highlights from their portfolio

• M-ERA.NET3
  Most recent and ambitious participation, extending materials research into battery technologies and Green Deal themes with a timeline reaching to 2026.
• M-ERA.NET 2
  The only project where FASIE received direct EC funding (EUR 59,812), and their longest-running ERA-NET engagement in materials research.
• MANUNET III
  Focused specifically on advanced manufacturing SME support, aligning directly with FASIE's core institutional mission of small enterprise innovation.