We support research and innovation

Photo credit: ixtract GmbH

Photo credit: ixtract GmbH

We efficiently administer programmes for funding research and innovation; the implementation of these programmes includes a range of services from advising applicants and evaluating the projects which are submitted, through approving and disbursing the funds, to evaluating the application of the results. Our administration of funding programmes includes acting as an important interface between our clients and the funding recipients from businesses, universities and non-university research institutes.

Our comprehensive range of consulting services ensures that the project ideas submitted are well-suited to the research and innovation policy objectives of the funding programmes which we oversee. We also advise applicants and prospective applicants on specific funding initiatives for subject-specific and administrative issues. Our spectrum of consultation services ranges from written and telephone consultations, through carefully-prepared online and print information, to lectures at professional events and targeted training events. With the Federal Funding Advisory Service on Research and Innovation and the National Contact Points, we accomodate comprehensive advisory services for national and European research funding.

We organise the assessment procedures for the applications which are submitted, using various formats including internal appraisal and involvement of external panels of experts, as well as implementation of multi-tiered competitive procedures. In each of our business areas, we can rely on a large pool of national and international experts who confidentially issue competent, impartial recommendations.

A team of scientific and business personnel, whose work is augmented with centralised final quality assurance, is responsible for the funding recommendation. Our in-depth understanding of all the technological and requirement fields we cover, our outstanding command of the relevant legal and administrative framework, and our high degree of economic competence enable us to ensure the legal and efficient use of public funding which is awarded according to the criteria of technical excellence and relevance to research policy.

We also monitor the progress of the project and handle the fund disbursements during the project period. Reviewing work plans, milestones and progress reports and conducting on-site inspections are part of our regular range of project support activities. This helps us to ensure that developments which may compromise the successful advancement of a project are identified in good time. When such challenges are identified, we prepare proposals for measures to ensure the project's success.

Finally, we support funding recipients in exploiting the project results, for example, in the form of publications, patents or start-ups, and we document the status of the project for two years after the funding has ended. The basic funding target is considered to have been achieved if the project has succeeded in taking the next step in the innovation chain.