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Grant

Funding for "SME-innovative: Photonics and Quantum Technologies" within the framework of the program "Photonics Research Germany"

Nationwide BMBF funding program for high-risk R&D projects by SMEs in photonics and quantum technologies with semi-annual submission deadlines.

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Grant criteria

Application level: Advanced
Region: Germany (nationwide)
Company size: small and medium-sized enterprises
Funding rate: 50% - 100%
Project duration: 36 months

Funding objective

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) strengthens the innovation potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany through the funding initiative "SMEs Innovative: Photonics and Quantum Technologies." Industrial research and pre-competitive development projects in the fields of photonics and quantum technologies that could not be carried out without funding are supported. The goal is to improve competitiveness, technology transfer, and to promote excellence, the degree of innovation, and societal relevance.

Eligible expenses

  • Personnel costs
  • Costs for instruments and equipment
  • Contract research and license fees
  • Additional overhead and operating costs

Eligible to apply

  • Companies
  • Educational Institutions

Funding requirements

  • Meets EU SME definition
  • Operating site or branch in Germany
  • High scientific-technical risk
  • EU SME criteria for bonus for SMEs

Documents required for application

  1. Project outline
  2. Formal funding application (easy-Online)
  3. Cooperation agreement for joint projects
  4. Proof of EU SME status

Evaluation criteria

  • Degree of innovation of the project
  • Economic exploitability
  • Risk assessment
  • Qualification of partners and consortium structure

Description

The funding measure SME-Innovative: Photonics and Quantum Technologies is a nationwide initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as medium-sized companies with up to 1,000 employees or 100 million EUR in annual turnover. The aim is to support particularly high-risk pre-competitive research and development projects in the key technologies of photonics and quantum technologies. Projects with a high scientific and technical risk, which could not be realized without public funding, are supported. Eligible costs include project-related personnel expenses, equipment investments, contract research, license fees, as well as general and operating costs. The funding rate ranges from 50% to 100%, depending on the type of company and research; SMEs may receive a bonus according to the EU SME definition. The maximum project duration is 36 months.

A two-stage application procedure with semi-annual evaluation deadlines (April 15 / October 15) ensures prompt decisions. In the first phase, a project outline is submitted via the online outline tool; in the second phase, positively evaluated outlines are invited to submit a formal application via easy-Online. Eligible applicants include EU SMEs as well as, to a limited extent, universities and non-university research institutions in consortia. Key evaluation criteria are the degree of innovation, economic exploitability, risk assessment, as well as the qualifications and consortium structure of the partners. Interested companies can receive support from VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH in Düsseldorf.

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