Small But Perfect

Small but Perfectly Formed is a cross Europe collaborative project that will accelerate fashion SME’s to transition to work within circular and sustainable business models. Small but Perfectly Formed recognises that small and medium size fashion enterprises are working within a wider system and need more than acceleration; they need to be integrated into a system that truly puts people and planet before profit. Therefore, Small but Perfectly Formed aims to drive systemic change in the fashion business support landscape through ‘accelerating the accelerators’, mapping the policy landscape in which SMEs operate and creating a transnational network of SMEs and organisations who support them.

Small but Perfectly Formed is co-funded by the European Commission’s COSME programme. The consortium partners are: Athens University of Business and Economics, World Fair Trade Organisation, Fair Trade Advocacy Office, Bocconi University, Impact Hub Lisbon, We Love You Communications and Fashion Revolution. The supporting partners are: Common Objective, University of Portsmouth and Neoynt.

Announcement of an open call for recipients of financial support

Action acronym: SMALLBUTPERFECT

Action grant agreement number: 958060

Action full name: Small but perfectly formed: accelerating the rise of circular and sustainable SMEs in fashion

The action Small But Perfect, co-funded from the European Union’s COSME programme under grant agreement No 958060 foresees as an eligible activity the provision of financial support to third parties, as a mean to achieve its own objectives.

The project Small But Perfect has launched a call for proposals on the 22nd of June 2021 for the provision of technical and financial support to SMEs, designers and start-ups to enable the scaling-up of innovative applications, products, processes or ideas for sustainable and circular fashion as specified at the Call for Proposals of Small But Perfect published in the website www.small-but-perfect.com:

The ideas must come from transnational partnerships from at least two COSME countries where at least one member is a SME, a designer or a start-up (SME or micro-company or self-employed professional).

The Parties will receive a Financing of up to 10,275euros (given that they meet all GA requirements) for the implementation of their Project that has to promote some element of innovative sustainable business idea in the fashion industry.

The types of activities to perform that qualify for receiving financial support are:

• payment on travel, accommodation and subsistence for participating at the city bootcamps

• lump sum for showcasing costs for the project

• lump sum for the R&D costs of the project

The payment schedule, which contains the transfer of three financing payments to the Party, will be handled according to the following:

• a €2250 travel grant to the Party to attend the city bootcamps

• a business development grant for R&D (€6000) and

• a showcasing grant (€2025)

The financial contribution of the Grant Manager to the Project shall be distributed by the according to:

• the submitted Project to the Call for Proposal

• the approval of the progress report reports by the Grant manager and the SPB Evaluation Committee, and

• the monitoring and evaluation form

Expected duration of participation: 8 months

Maximum amount of financial support for each third party: 10,275euros

Call identifier: Small But Perfect Call for Proposals for the Acceleration of SMEs in Sustainable and Circular Fashion

Language in which proposal should be submitted: English

Web address for further information (full call text/proposal guidelines): www.small-but-perfect.com

Email address for further information: info@small-but-perfect.com

The Small But Perfectly Formed Acceleration Programme aims to support the emergence of circular and sustainable SMEs and the transition of existing SMEs to circular and sustainable models.

The project will include a business development programme which will host an 8-month business accelerator and a 5-month R&D phase, culminating in a showcasing phase that will take place between July 2022 – April 2023. There is a funding allocation of €10,275 per partnership. The acceleration programme will include 5 online modules and 3 offline city bootcamps taking place in Lisbon, Berlin and Athens respectively (Covid-19 permitting). The programme will be underpinned by a business diagnostic to ensure it is tailored to the needs of the participating SMEs.

The aim of the Acceleration Programme is to i) accelerate fashion SMEs in sustainable and circular fashion to scale-up and/or replicate ii) transition established fashion SMEs to sustainable and circular models iii) enable collaboration between fashion sector and non-fashion sector SMEs, businesses and initiates to generate and test new collaboration models iv) co-create a toolkit which offers other SMEs across COSME countries a set of tools, resources, worked examples and case studies to inspire and enact sustainable and circular models.

Financial support will be given in the form of a grant which awards three areas:

1. Travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for attendance at city bootcamps during the SME accelerator programme with a maximum value of €2250.

2. Research and development* grant with a maximum value of €6000

3. Showcasing grant** with a maximum value of €2025

Grant awarding will be agreed at the induction stage, conditioned on attendance to online and offline modules as well as compliance of follow-on R&D and showcasing proposals.

*The Research & Development (R&D) phase is self-led and will be overseen by the University of Portsmouth, which has extensive expertise in circularity and sustainability, including business modelling and material testing. Participating SMEs will also be able to benefit from the pool of mentors formed by experts of all Consortium Partners. Activities and possible outcomes for the R&D phase include, but are not limited to: developing proofs of concept and prototypes of new products and services, developing and testing new business models, developing collaboration to test sustainable/recycled materials, lab testing, developing new sales/ customer/ business development strategies, designing new investment plans and investor pitches, developing new proposals for public procurement.

**Deliverables for the showcasing grant will include a Fashion Open Studio event which can be B2B or B2C and may take place within a trade showcasing platform or independently depending on the target customer/audience and objectives of the SME led transnational project.

It is up to the applicants on how the grant will be split. We will transfer the grants in installments to the lead partner and they should manage the grants among themselves as they see fit.

Each project receives €10.275. That is the total amount to be shared amongst partners. Each project proposal must be submitted by a minimum of two (2) and maximum of four (4) partners.

The grant will be divided in three installments:

• €2.250 travel grant for attending city boot camps (Lisbon, Berlin, Athens) – only 1 lead person per project can attend city bootcamps.

• €6.000 R&D grant – outcomes of the R&D phase include but are not limited to: developing proofs of concept and prototypes of new products and services, developing and testing new business models, developing collaboration to test sustainable/recycled materials and lab testing.

• €2.025 showcasing grant – Access to showcasing platform through Fashion Open Studio (www.fashionopenstudio.com) in collaboration with our partner Neoynt.

In order to apply for the SBP Acceleration Programme, you must be part of an SME-led transnational project in circular and sustainable fashion based in an EU member state or COSME associated country (see full list below).

SMEs meaning the category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises consisting of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and have either an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million.

Transnational meaning partnerships formed between SMEs from more than one EU member state* or COSME associated country**.

Projects meaning a product or service, either existing or new.

Fashion meaning fashion applied in clothing, footwear and accessories.

Sustainable meaning accounting for the impact of business operations and activities on the environment (including but not limited to emissions, water and land use, dependency on fossil-based raw materials, waste and pollution, conservation and regeneration) and on people (including but not limited to fair payment, good working conditions, gender balance, accessibility, inclusion, governance, more equitable forms of ownership, transparency and accountability).

Circular meaning integrating and promoting circular business models (Circular Supplies, Product Life Extension, Sharing Platform, Resource Recovery, Product as a Service) or circular economy principles (Design our waste and pollution, Keep materials in use, Regenerate natural systems).

*EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.

**COSME associated countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Please also look at: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/sme-definition_en

Lead applicants and partners must be active or declare their willingness to become active in sustainable and circular fashion. We will judge the applicants on their willingness to go beyond a concept/creative stage, looking into building a business solution (product or service) and will evaluate the proposals against five (5) following criteria. For the full selection criteria please refer to question “4.2. What are the Selection Criteria against which the proposals will be evaluated?”.

This program supports projects in any stage. No requirements need to be met, like submission of complete business model, patents, proof of certifications, awards and history. However, SME’s (startups or self-employed professionals – all partners – should be beyond ideation stage. If you have achievements of both your company or the project, you are very welcome to share it in the application form. Projects in early stage (concepts) are eligible and, if selected, will be developed throughout. If selected, partnering SME’s must sign a partnership agreement, but no contracting is necessary for the submission of proposals.

25-28 SME-led transnational projects in circular and sustainable fashion.

It is estimated to be around 5 hours a week. The lead partner must attend the online modules and bootcamps, but presence in such is optional for the remaining partners.

• Call for applications: 22 June 2021 – 3 October 2021

• Selection Process: October 2021

• Induction of Selected participants: November and December 2021

• Accelerator programme’s online modules and city bootcamps: Jan – Aug 2022

• R&D phase: September 2022 – February 2023

• Showcasing phase: July 2022 – April 2023

Proposals have to be submitted through the electronic application form hosted in the Small But Perfectly Formed Platform www.small-but-perfect.com.

The deadline for submission is October 3rd 2021 at 23.59 CET. Only proposals submitted before the deadline will be accepted. After the call closure no additions or changes to received proposals will be considered. Applications submitted by any other means will not be considered.

The proposals – submitted through the application form on the online platform – will include the following sections:

• About the partners

  • Legal and contact information of the lead applicant

  • Legal and contact information of up to three partners

• About the proposed product or service

  • Introductory information

  • Context

• Selection Criteria

• Supporting documents

  • 1 minute video (optional)

  • Key visuals (minimum one)

Proposals must be submitted by at least two (2) applicants, coming from at least two (2) different eligible countries.

Eligible lead applicants are: micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (including startups) or self-employed professionals (e.g. designers).

Lead applicants and partners must be legally established according to the national law of an eligible EU member state or COSME associated country (Iceland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia) and UK.

Lead applicants and partners must be active or want to become active in sustainable or circular fashion.

Applicants and partners must be willing to go beyond a concept/creative stage, looking into building a business solution (product or service);

Lead applicants must feel confident and comfortable participating in activities held in English.

Applicants shall not have any potential conflict of interest with the Small But Perfectly Formed selection process. All cases of potential conflict of interest will be assessed case by case.

Applicants awarded financial support for the same project idea under a call for proposals published by the Fashion for Change, Circular InnoBooster or S4Fashion projects will not be considered eligible.

This programme is funded by the European Union and therefore this is an opportunity for SME’s to strengthen a pan-European network, hence transnational collaboration is key. Proposals must be submitted jointly by at least two (2) applicants, coming from at least two (2) different eligible countries*. By “partners” we mean clearly different organisations or designers or self-employed professionals, working together on one business: partners must work together on the same project (product or service). For instance, you can submit a project proposal together with a design partner, or production partner, or technology partner, or supply partner, research partner, etc. A few examples could be: a designer from Germany manufacturing in Portugal, or a company from France partnering with an Austrian university for technology patents, or a platform from Ukraine sourcing sustainable materials from the UK.

Applications coming from the same company or umbrella without clearly external partners will not be considered.

*EU member states + Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and UK

Before the closing of applications, applicants must provide proof of being officially registered by submitting on the form a tax number or equivalent or company identification/ registration number. If your registration number is ready until the 3rd of October 2021, you are welcome to submit an application. You can draft your application and save it until you can submit your registration number. By 3rd October you just have to submit a project proposal together with eligible partner(s).

Also, it is possible to apply as a self-employed professional.

No. In order to apply for the SBP Acceleration Programme, you must be part of an SME-led transnational project in circular and sustainable fashion based in an EU member state or COSME associated country (see full list below).

Each project must have a lead partner and up to three (3) partners. Proposals must be submitted by at least two (2) applicants, coming from at least two (2) different eligible countries. Proposals must present a clear idea of a product or service for sustainable and/or circular fashion applied in clothing, footwear and accessories.

Eligible lead applicants are: micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (including startups) or self-employed professionals (e.g. designers).

Lead applicants and partners must be legally established according to the national law of an eligible EU member state or COSME associated country (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and UK). You must provide evidence of such registration in the application form submitting a tax number or equivalent or company identification/ registration number.

The same organisation can participate in only one project. In case an organisation is mentioned in more than one project, only the latest submitted project will be evaluated and all the other concerned proposals submitted will be considered ineligible under this call.

Please keep in mind that applications close 3rd of October and it is possible to save your application until you are sure it is complete and ready for final submission. We will consider the latest submitted application under your name.

Proposals have to be submitted through the electronic application form hosted in the Small But Perfectly Formed Platform www.small-but-perfect.com. Applicants who submit an application will receive an Acknowledgment of Receipt via email.

Only applications submitted in English will be accepted.

If you do not already have partner in a different eligible country with whom you could develop a new product or service (e.g. design partners, production partners, technology partners, research partners, a section of your supply chain), you must find at least one. Potential applicants are highly encouraged to reach out (and beyond) their network to find a suitable partner.

In addition to that, the Small But Perfect Consortium will provide the following tools to facilitate the interested organisations in finding a partner:

• Matchmaking events took place online, providing information about our acceleration programme, but also offering an initial opportunity to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, experts and support service providers.

The format of the proposal is a partnership between two parts – so collaboration between to existing structures is key. It’s not about having a co-founder, it is about partnering with another organisation or self-employed professional based in a country different from yours.

For further information on the Call, in case of any doubts regarding the eligibility rules, the information that is to be provided in the Application Form, or if you encountered technical issues or problems with the Application Form, please contact the Helpdesk email: info@small-but-perfect.com.

With the exception of technical issues with the Application Form, queries will not be answered on an individual basis but grouped and answered through this FAQ section, which will be updated and issued on July 8th, August 11th and September 1st (estimated dates).

No information/feedback or guidelines will be provided by any consortium partner about the status or quality of your application. Relationships between consortium partners and applicants are restricted to the scope of the program – applications together with consortium partners cannot be accepted.

All partners and proposals will be evaluated based on specific selection criteria by two members of a Selection Panel made up of technical experts from the consortium partners and established sustainable SMEs. Proposals will be subject to a two-phases selection procedure, namely, an Eligibility Check and a Quality Assessment.

All partners and proposals will be evaluated based on five (5) selection criteria:

1. Circularity & Sustainability

   Applications will be assessed on how the proposed product or service integrates and promotes circularity, environmental sustainability and social sustainability.

2. Partnership Quality

   Applications will be assessed on to what extent the partnership has the necessary experience and capacity to carry out the proposed product or service.

3. Feasibility

   Applications will be assessed on the technical feasibility of bringing the proposed solution to market as well as a financial pathway to profit or sustain its operations.

4. Replicability or Scalability

   Applications will be assessed on how the proposed product or service could be replicable or scalable without compromising its impact generation.

5. Fit for Program

   Applications will be assessed on to what extent the proposed project is a good fit for the acceleration programme taking into account the applicants expectations, value added to the cohort and their proposals to use the R&D and showcasing grants.

Applicants should be informed about the results of the selection process (positive or negative) in early November.