Recognition should be based on genuine R&D capability

Selo ID is associated with recognition by Portugal's National Innovation Agency, ANI, of an organisation's capability to carry out research and development activities in specific fields and areas.

It is not a general quality or innovation certification. The application must demonstrate experience, expertise, resources and activity consistent with the areas for which recognition is requested.

Why recognition may matter

Recognition may strengthen positioning with customers and partners, support participation in R&D projects and be relevant where other businesses contract research activities under applicable schemes.

Selo ID does not, however, replace the assessment of an individual project or automatically guarantee eligibility of contracts, expenditure, incentives or applications. Its relevance should be considered within the organisation's broader R&D strategy.

Assess eligibility before applying

Before beginning the form, the organisation should confirm the legal and regulatory requirements in force, the available fields and the evidence it can provide.

An organisation whose institutional communication focuses on technology may not yet have sufficiently documented R&D activity. Conversely, an industrial or services business may conduct relevant research without formally identifying it as such.

The initial assessment should review completed projects, investment, team, methods, outcomes, facilities, collaborations and technical records.

Select fields and areas of activity

The application should not indiscriminately cover every capability of the organisation. Requested areas must be supported by the experience and projects presented.

An excessively broad application may weaken consistency. It is preferable to define areas with strong evidence and explain how the team, resources and completed work demonstrate capability to conduct R&D.

Describe R&D activities

The technical description should go beyond a list of products or services. For each relevant project, it should explain:

  • context and state of the art;
  • scientific or technological problem;
  • uncertainties encountered;
  • objectives and experimental approach;
  • activities undertaken;
  • team and resources involved;
  • results, limitations and knowledge produced.

Successful projects are important, but experimental failure may also be relevant where it demonstrates systematic work addressing genuine uncertainty.

Demonstrate team capability

The organisation chart and technical profiles should show who carries out R&D. Education, experience, responsibilities, employment relationship and participation in projects help substantiate internal capability.

Where the structure is still being strengthened, a coherent recruitment plan may be required. It should relate directly to the requested areas and identified needs rather than presenting generic roles with no connection to technical activity.

Organise the supporting documents

According to information published by ANI in September 2026, the application identifies the organisation and requested areas and is supported by documents including:

  • permanent commercial certificate;
  • detailed description of R&D activities using the applicable template;
  • Modelo 22 corporate tax return or annual report for the previous year;
  • IPCTN response or an alternative declaration provided for the organisation's circumstances;
  • organisation chart;
  • evidence of team employment links or a recruitment plan.

Requirements should be checked directly against the current regulation, good-practice guide, templates and ANI portal before submission.

Ensure consistency across the application

The team identified should be visible in the projects described. Requested areas should be supported by the work and resources presented. Financial information should be consistent with the investment and scale of R&D activity.

Inconsistencies between the form, technical description, organisation chart and financial documents can lead to questions and requests for clarification. Cross-document review is therefore as important as the quality of each individual document.

Prepare for clarification requests

The assessment may lead to requests for additional information. The organisation should be able to retrieve evidence quickly, explain its methods and expand on the relationship between team, projects and requested areas.

A structured archive from the outset reduces effort and avoids responses based only on memory or fragmented records.

Validity and maintenance of conditions

ANI states that recognition remains valid until the twelfth financial year following the year in which it was requested, provided that the conditions giving rise to it continue to be met. The organisation should therefore preserve capability, activity and documentation consistent with the recognition obtained.

As requirements can change, this information should be checked at the application date and throughout the validity period.

How Fenix Capital Partners can assist

Fenix Capital Partners can support the initial assessment, mapping of projects and capabilities, structure of the narrative, organisation of financial documentation and consistency review, working alongside the organisation's technical team.

The objective is an application grounded in the organisation's reality, without replacing its technical responsibility or ANI's exclusive authority to decide.