1. Mauritius Research Council
Our Vision: To be the driving force behind research for national development
The National SME Incubator Scheme (NSIS) An initiative of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development

2. National SME Incubator Scheme(NSIS)
This scheme helps in assisting innovative entrepreneurs
to create, develop and accelerate their businesses in a
sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem established through
a public/ private sector collaborative approach thus
boosting innovation and creation of jobs and wealth in the
SME sector.

3. The 3 phases of business incubation are:
Pre-Incubation phase:
In this phase, the Incubatees will have to draft their business plan and develop a minimal Viable Product(MVP) from a period of up to 9 Months.
Incubation phase:
In this phase, the Incubator will provide the coaching,
mentoring and necessary business counselling for the start
up to initiate its business activities for a period of up to 18
Months.
Acceleration phase:
This phase focuses on activities geared towards expansion of the Incubatees’ business for a period of up to 6 months

4. Govt. : Private incubator Matching Grant 50:50
Funding Process For the different Phases
Pre – incubation
up to 9 months
Max. Govt. funding per project: up to a maximum of Rs.50,000 per selected project.
Incubation
up to 18 months
Max. Govt. funding per project: up to a maximum of Rs.400,000 per selected project.
Acceleration
Up to 6 months
Max. Govt. funding per project: up to a maximum of Rs.300,000 per selected project.
IDEAS
PRE-STARTUPS
STARTUPS
Govt. : Private incubator Matching Grant 50:50

5. Technical Sub Committee
The committee consists of the following
members:
Mauritius Research council
National Computer Board
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
Board of Investment

6. Representative of Ministry of Business, Enterprises and
Steering Committee
A Committee responsible for the overall management
of the NSIS and for taking all decisions pertaining to
the scheme.
The committee consists of the following members:
Representative of PMO
Representative of Ministry
of Business, Enterprises and
Cooperatives
Representative of
MRC
Representative of
Business Mauritius
Representative of
MOFED
Representative of
Ministry of ICT
Representative of
Board of Mauritius

7. Accreditation process
Incubators who wants to benefit from the NSIS, must undergo an Accreditation process where they are required to fill in the Expression of Interest Form for Incubators. The MRC will carry out an administrative screening to determine whether the applicant has submitted all the necessary information prior proceeding with a full assessment by the Technical Committee. The Technical Sub Committee carries out a Site Visit and submit a report to the Steering Committee for a decision with regards to the Accreditation of the Incubators

8. Accreditation process
Accreditation is granted if applicants have satisfied all the requirements as per the guidelines. Once an incubator is accredited, a contractual agreement is signed between the MRC and the Accredited Incubator defining the modalities of their collaboration to achieve the aims and objectives of the NSIS.

9. Incubatee Selection There will be 4 types of calling for proposals for
Projects to be incubated at different phases of
Incubation:
National Call for Incubatees.
Advertisement by each Accredited Incubator.
Enrolment of existing Incubatees by Accredited Incubators.

10. Selection Criteria for Incubatees
Innovativeness of Business Idea
Competitive Advantage
Growth Potential
Target Market
Marketing Strategy
Business Team
Milestones
Financial Projections
Expected Deliverables

11. Contractual Agreement between Accredited Incubator - Incubatee
This Agreement will spell out the modalities for the smooth running of the Incubation Phase under which the Incubatee has enrolled.
The Agreement will ideally include clauses explaining the following aspects:
Services and support to be provided by the incubator;
Safeguards of the Project of the Incubatee;
Sharing of any Intellectual Property Rights developed during incubation;
Terms and conditions for exit by Incubatees;
Any repayment in case of exit.

12. Monitoring and Impact Assessment
Each accredited incubator needs to report on the success and impact of its activities based on key performance indicators.
Projects are subject to regular technical and financial audits to be carried out by the MRC or by independent assessors to be appointed by the NSIS Steering Committee

13. Complete Process For NSIS
1. Call for proposal using the Expression of Interest Form
National Call
6. Call for Incubatees –
(See next Slide)
Existing Incubatees
Each Incubator recruits its own Incubatee
2. Site Visit by Technical Sub Committee
7. Administrative Screening by the MRC
3. Report submitted to Steering Committee
8 .Signature of Schedule of Disbursement of Funds (Form 5030)
4. Accreditation of Incubators by Steering Committee
8. Disbursement of Funds
9. Monitoring of projects during the different phases
5. Signature of agreement between MRC & Accredited Incubators

14. Incubatee Recruitment Process1
Accreditation of Incubators by Steering Committee 1
Signature of Agreement between MRC & Accredited Incubators 2 2
Accr. Incubators advertise for and recruit New Incubatees and present projects to the MRC using the Incubatee
Application Form (Form 5020), together with a duly signed incubator-Incubatee Agreement
National Call for recruiting Incubatees launched by MRC in collaboration with Accr. Inc.
MRC creates a database of Incubatees from the applications received 3
Accredited Incubators, Incubatees and MRC sign Schedule for Disbursement of Funds (Form 5030)
Selection of Incubatees by Accr. Incubators as per agreed Criteria 4
First downpayment of 40% of agreed funds is disbursed by MRC and Incubation Starts. Subsequent downpayments will be subject to satisfactory progress and as per the NSIS guidelines.
The flow chart describes the process for Incubatee recruitment and selection by Incubators. Following the Accreditation process, each Incubator signs an Agreement with the MRC defining the modalities for Incubation. Three ways for Incubatee recruitment is envisaged. (i) Each Accredited Incubator may enrol their existing incubatees in the NSIS provided that the latter comply to the NSIS requirements (ii) Each Accredited Incubatee advertises and selects their own incubatees, (iii) MRC in collaboration with the Accredited Incubators launch a National Call for Incubatees. Potential Incubatees apply to the MRC which will constitute a common database which will be put at the disposal of the Accredited Incubators for recruitment of new incubatees. The modalities for selection of the new incubatees as per this proposed method will need to be discussed and agreed between the Incubators and the MRC.