Knowledge dissemination and research companies and organisations may be eligible for financial aid to invest in and manage innovation clusters.

Applications for financial aid are to be submitted to the Ministry of the Economy's Research and Innovation Directorate. Luxinnovation can provide help to set up your projects.

Who is concerned

The aid is intended for legal entities to build, modernise or manage an innovation cluster, i.e. a structure or a group composed of independent parties (innovative start-ups, large enterprises, SMEs, research institutes, knowledge dissemination organisations, non-profit associations, etc.) established in Luxembourg. Their purpose is to stimulate innovation through:

• promotional activities;
• equipment sharing;
• exchange of knowledge and expertise;
• contributions to knowledge transfer, networking, the dissemination of information and collaboration between the companies and entities that comprise the cluster.

Prerequisites

Terms and conditions

Companies and private research organisations must satisfy the terms and conditions that apply to all types of aid for research, development and innovation.

Eligible costs

The eligible costs covered by the investment aid are the investment costs in tangible and intangible assets.

The eligible costs for the financial aid associated with the management of the cluster are payroll expenses and administrative costs related to the following activities:

• promotional operations to attract new members to the innovation cluster and to increase the cluster's visibility;
• management of facilities at the innovation cluster;
• organisation of training programmes, workshops and conferences to facilitate knowledge transfer and networking between members of the innovation cluster as well as cross-border collaboration;
• management of the cluster in order to foster collaboration, information sharing and the provision of support services to specialist companies tailored to their needs.

How to proceed

Filing an application

The Ministry of the Economy provides a standard application template for investment aid for innovation clusters as well as for aid for the management of innovation clusters.

The completed application and accompanying documents must be dated and signed by a person authorised to sign on behalf of the business and must be submitted before work starts on the project in electronic format or by post to the Research and innovation Directorate at the Ministry of the Economy.

In the event of a submission by post, the following must be indicated on the envelope:

The application for aid must namely include the following information and documents:

• the name and size of the company;
• a description of the project or programme, of the activity or investment, and of the related works and its innovative nature, including its start and end dates;
• a description of the economic valuation methods for the results of the project or programme, for the activity or the investment and the related operations, and its economic potential;
• the location of the project or programme, activity or investment and related operations;
• a list of the costs for the project or programme, activity or investment and related operations (business plan);
• the type and amount of aid necessary for the project or programme, activity or investment and related operations;
• any relevant piece of information that will allow the competent ministers to assess the qualities or specificities of the project or programme, activity or investment and related operations plus its incentive effect.

Maximum amounts of financial aid available

The amount of aid will be calculated on the basis of the eligible costs of the project and may not exceed the following cap:

The financial aid associated with management is limited to a maximum duration of 10 years.

The investment aid may be increased by 5% for innovation clusters located in assisted areas (currently Differdange and Dudelange).

Payment of financial aid

Investment aid for innovation clusters made be granted in the form of capital subsidies, repayable advances, interest relief, guarantees or loans.

Financial aid for the management of innovation clusters may take the form of capital subsidies or repayable advances.

Forms / Online services

Who to contact