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The development objective of the National Innovation Ecosystem (GENIE) Project for Georgia is to increase innovative activities of firms and individuals in the Borrower?s territory and their participation in the digital economy. The project comprises of four components. The first component, innovation infrastructure will: (a) develop a network of innovation hubs and innovation centers in selected cities, towns, and villages of the Borrower, as set forth in the project operations manual; (b) design a broadband-for-development (BfD) program to support the increase in adoption and use of broadband internet services and advanced information technology by eligible households and eligible micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with a focus on rural areas, inter alia, by providing BfD payments and related training, and preparation of the BfD program manual; and (c) pilot, and, as applicable, implement the BfD program, and provide BfD payments and related training. The second component, innovation services will deliver services, many in coordination with the community innovation centers (CICs) and regional innovation hubs (RIHs), tailored to project beneficiaries at various stages and levels of the innovation ecosystem. The third component, innovation financing supports the: (a) provision of matching grants, selection of eligible MSMEs for receipt of matching grants, and supervision of matching grants; (b) provision of technical assistance to eligible MSMEs to prepare and implement sub-projects (with the matching grants); and (c) provision of technical assistance to stimulate alternative forms of innovation financing and investment in the digital economy. The fourth component, project implementation support will aim to ensure efficient and effective implementation of all project components.
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