The purpose of this programme is to assist SMEs in optimising their operations and freeing up resources (both human and financial) by resorting to the use of external experts. The freed-up resources can be assigned to medium and long term innovation projects. The levers of action are set so as to eliminate inefficient processes, increase productivity and quality, and in particular to identify areas of innovation.

The Ministry of the Economy supports this approach by granting the participating business a capital grant to cover the cost of external consultants.

Who is concerned

Eligible businesses

The Fit 4 Innovation programme is aimed at all small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that carry out their activity in Luxembourg.

Prerequisites

Terms and conditions

Small and medium-sized enterprises have to meet the terms and conditions applicable to all types of aid for research, development and innovation.

Costs

Eligible costs

Only the costs for the consultant working on the project are eligible.

How to proceed

Procedure

• The programme is divided into 2 phases: the first phase for the analysis of the business in terms of performance, also called the diagnosis phase, shall enable the business to become aware of their potential for improvement. The consultant will come in for a period of 6 to 8 weeks and identify the levers for improvement of business performance. At this stage, the consultant can quantify the potential gain (either through cost reduction or the increase of income) and present a global action plan. If it so wishes, the business can decide to not enter into the following phase.
  
  Budget: the fixed cost for the consultant is capped at EUR 15,000 excl. VAT.
  
  Capital grant: 50 % of the consultant's fee.
  
  
• The second phase is for the implementation of the consultant's recommendations identified during the diagnosis phase and shall allow the business to change its organisation by implementing new work methods. These changes should generate a measurable impact which will be used to calculate 50 % of the consultant's remuneration.
  
  Objective: change the business organisation in order to lift process bottlenecks and to implement the action plan for freeing up resources.
  
  Constraint: break down the consultant's remuneration into 2 parts (fixed and variable), the consultant must commit to results and guarantee the return on investment.
  
  Capital grant: 50 % of the fixed part paid to the consultant.

Filing an application

Businesses interested in the diagnosis phase should contact the department for SMEs at Luxinnovation for an assessment and find out if they can enter the Fit 4 innovation programme and be put in touch with accredited consultants.

For the second phase, an aid application form for the project phase of the Fit 4 Innovation programme will be made available to participating businesses.

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 in electronic format or by post to the Research and Innovation Directorate at the Ministry of the Economy before work starts on the project.

Payment of aid

The capital grant is paid after completion of each phase of the project. However, during the second phase, one or more advance payments may be made as the activities for which the aid was granted are realised.

Forms / Online services

Who to contact