Individual Enterprise Innovation and Technology Promotion Program (InnoTop) – ISB Programs InnoTop and Innovation Voucher
Grant program for commercial enterprises in Rhineland-Palatinate to support highly innovative R&D projects and feasibility studies. Innovation vouchers up to €20,000, studies up to €80,000, R&D projects up to €700,000 (or up to €800,000 with climate bonus) per individual project.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The program supports commercial enterprises in Rhineland-Palatinate in carrying out innovative research and development projects (R&D) through grants for external R&D contracts (innovation vouchers), feasibility studies, and R&D projects with high implementation risk and significant innovation content.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel expenses
- Overhead costs (indirect costs)
- Material expenses
- Expenses for external services
Non-eligible expenses
- Input VAT
- Cash discounts and rebates
- Venture or equity capital
- Buildings and real estate acquisition
Eligible to apply
- Companies
Funding requirements
- Establishment in Rhineland-Palatinate
- SME according to EU definition or SmallMidCap (up to 499 employees)
- externally commissioned R&D contracts or feasibility studies or own R&D projects
- Project must be EU-new, risky, and economically exploitable
- Exclusion: companies predominantly publicly owned
Documents required for application
- Application (PDF)
- Project description
- Detailed offer from the external institution
- Financing plan
- SME declaration
- De minimis declaration
- Proof of use
Evaluation criteria
- Degree of innovation of the project
- Implementation risk
- Economic exploitability
Description
The individual company innovation and technology funding program (InnoTop) of the Investment and Structural Bank Rhineland-Palatinate (ISB) is aimed at commercial enterprises, especially SMEs and SmallMidCaps, with a business location in Rhineland-Palatinate. It supports external R&D contracts (innovation vouchers), feasibility studies, and own R&D projects with significant implementation risk and a high degree of innovation. Innovation vouchers are subsidized at 50% up to a maximum of €20,000, feasibility studies at 50% up to a maximum of €80,000 (increased by 10–20% depending on company size), and R&D projects up to 80% of eligible expenses up to €700,000 (or €800,000 with climate bonus). The funding is provided as a non-repayable grant based on the ERDF program "Investments in Employment and Growth" and the de minimis regulation. Eligible costs include personnel costs, overheads, material expenses, and external services. Excluded are, for example, VAT deductible for input tax, cash discounts, rebates, and equity procurement. A combination of modules is possible provided that subprojects are thematically distinct and double funding is excluded.
All applications must be submitted electronically via the ISB ERDF customer portal before the start of the measure. Required documents include, among others, project description, detailed offer from the external institution, financing plan, SME and de minimis declarations, as well as proof of use. The program evaluates projects based on the level of innovation, implementation risk, and economic exploitability, thereby contributing to increasing competitiveness and creating high-quality jobs in Rhineland-Palatinate. The project duration is limited to 12 months, with the possibility of renewed funding upon submission of the previous proof of use. Project commencement before approval requires ISB’s consent.
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