Funding in the Research, Development, and Innovation Sector (RDI Guideline)

Within the framework of the FEI guideline, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia supports innovative research, development, and infrastructure projects in the fields of infrastructure, urban development & urban renewal, as well as research & innovation. Eligible for funding are companies of all sizes, public-law entities, universities, research institutions, interest groups, foundations, and associations. Grants cover between 50% and 100% of eligible expenses depending on the type of project and can reach maximum amounts of up to €55 million per project. The duration of the projects is limited to a maximum of 36 months. For joint projects, a written cooperation agreement is required, and the planned activities must be implemented in North Rhine-Westphalia. Evaluation criteria include the degree of innovation, the strategic relevance to the respective problem, as well as the inter- and transdisciplinarity of the approaches.

Applications are submitted in conjunction with competitions and thematic calls; the application must be submitted before the project start. Fundable projects range from basic and industrial research to experimental development, as well as the establishment and testing of infrastructures or process and organizational innovations. Companies in difficulty and beneficiaries with outstanding EU state aid recovery claims are excluded. The program supports both individual and joint projects and strengthens cooperation between industry and science. The application deadline is June 30, 2027. Interested organizations can obtain information on specific competition calls and thematic priorities via the funding database of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.