Norway’s contribution

Norway’s contribution to creating a green, competitive and inclusive Europe is invaluable. And all this with the help of Norwegian and EEA funds.

Through them, Norway contributes to reducing social and economic inequality and strengthening bilateral relations with beneficiary countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltic Sea area. Norway cooperates closely with the EU under the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement. Norway alone has already provided €3.3 billion in consecutive fund programs between 1994 and 2014.

The Norwegian funds are financed exclusively by Norway and are available in countries that joined the EU after 2003. For 2014 2021, they amount to €1.25 billion.
In these years, the greatest emphasis has been on:

1. innovation, research, education, competitiveness and decent work;
2. social inclusion, youth employment and poverty reduction;
3. environment, energy, climate change and low-carbon economy;
4. culture, civil society, good governance and fundamental rights;
5. justice and home affairs.
   For more information about the Funds, visit: www.norwaygrants.pl, www.norwaygrants.org

The project “Development of a new protective material for prophylactic and regenerative purposes with optimal adhesion properties to the body surface of obese children” benefits from a grant worth PLN 547,000.00 received from Norway.
The aim of the project is to develop and create a protective material, thanks to the application of which we will improve the comfort of life of children struggling with the problem of obesity, but also all other people struggling in everyday life with the problems of bothersome abrasions and skin damage, causing pain and discomfort, among other things, in moving and performing basic daily activities.

The source of funding for the aforementioned project, is Priority Axis 19 of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014 -2021, Activity 19.1 New Products and Investments Sub-activity 19.1.4 Small Grants Schemes for Female Entrepreneurs – Small Grants Schemes for Female Enterprises, project number: NORW.19.01.04-24-0003/20, implementation time: 01.09.2021-30.06.2023.

The start of research work was initiated in November 2021 by finalizing the first tender and establishing cooperation with ISKIERKA Produkcja Artykułów Spońowych Sp. z o.o., based in Kęty, to design the geometry and material selection for two different prototypes of protective materials against skin abrasions in obese children, acting as a cosmetic product.

In cooperation with Representatives of the Lukasiewicz Research Network and the University of Oslo in Norway, work began on the development of a prototype material. Both raw materials to create a carrier with appropriate assumed properties and a mix of care substances were considered. During this period, many meetings and discussions took place with various experienced chemists, doctors, professors of various scientific specialties and representatives of companies in the cosmetic and medical industries. As a result of all the activities undertaken, a list of raw materials from which the product will be made was drawn up.

All selected substances and their combinations must be properly tested. In order to carry out this type of work, AXYZ issued a tender, in the course of which it selected a prestigious Polish scientific unit – the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rzeszow – to cooperate. The University’s work was divided into 3 major research panels, which took place on the University’s state-of-the-art specialized apparatus and cooperating laboratories. Each of these stages gave new conclusions, showed a number of limitations, but also pointed to further opportunities.

In the finale, after the compilation of all the months-long research work, the list of all usable raw materials was again verified. Unfortunately, the research showed that several of the previously selected raw materials did not meet all the criteria determining the possibility of using them for the protective material under development. However, further work allowed us to select the most optimal ingredients.

We have got it!!!! The created prototype of the material proved that the dedicated 2 years of research were not wasted. The produced material turned out to be exceptionally delicate and met all our exorbitant assumptions – it is a natural product, compatible with the skin, non-allergenic, fulfilling all the functions of a material protecting against skin abrasions, especially in busy children. We are proud of our work.

At every stage of the work carried out, both I, as the owner of the company, and the invaluable project manager Dr. med. Eng. Andrzej Hudecki had the support of our Norwegian partner, the University of Oslo, in terms of content and science. Thank you!