Programmes

Business advice

Business Advice and Coaching

Benefit from expert knowledge and experience. The “Betriebsberatung/Coaching” [Business Advice/Coaching] programme enables you to access professional consultation services and helps you take the first steps towards putting your newly acquired knowledge into practice.

Business Creation Advice

Access all the information you need and see your start-up perform. The “Gründungsberatung” [Business Creation Advice] programme is focused on the founding of new, commercially viable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and aims to help them become established companies. A good business idea is only the beginning. There are many issues to consider on the way to making your company a success; getting the right advice during the start-up phase can therefore be crucial. The “Gründungsberatung” funding programme provides you with support for starting up a company or taking over an existing business. Advisory services are subsidised by the Free State of Saxony in order to help entrepreneurs become self-employed. Advice can be offered on everything from financial planning and business concepts to human resources management. You can also get advice on the environmental aspects of your business. It is becoming increasingly important, both in terms of the environment and commercially, for businesses to act in an environmentally aware and sustainable manner.

Business creation and company growth

Investment Grant – “Improving Regional Economic Structures”

Strengthening the regional economy through an investment grant. The “Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur (GRW)” [Improving Regional Economic Structures] joint scheme is the key federal instrument promoting investment in structurally weak regions. Local investment is essential for promoting the regional economy in Saxony. It is the only way to strengthen the competitiveness of businesses, create new jobs and safeguard existing ones. Investment proposals therefore have to contribute to improved incomes and a stronger economic structure for the region. The grant for improving regional economic structures provides support to companies for investment in new business activities, changes to their production processes or expansion of their production capacities. Grants can be awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Larger companies are also eligible under certain circumstances (e. g. when new premises are being set up).

Business Creation Advice

Access all the information you need and see your start-up perform. The “Gründungsberatung” [Business Creation Advice] programme is focused on the founding of new, commercially viable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and aims to help them become established companies. A good business idea is only the beginning. There are many issues to consider on the way to making your company a success; getting the right advice during the start-up phase can therefore be crucial. The “Gründungsberatung” funding programme provides you with support for starting up a company or taking over an existing business. Advisory services are subsidised by the Free State of Saxony in order to help entrepreneurs become self-employed. Advice can be offered on everything from financial planning and business concepts to human resources management. You can also get advice on the environmental aspects of your business. It is becoming increasingly important, both in terms of the environment and commercially, for businesses to act in an environmentally aware and sustainable manner.

Business creation, growth finance and liquidity assistance measures

Establish and grow your business A good business idea can only become a successful reality when it has a secure financial foundation. Funding from the Free State of Saxony can not only help you to establish yourself as a freelancer or to grow your small or medium-sized enterprise, but also to compete in the market-place and develop your business. Investment, working capital and liquidity assistance loans of up to 2.5 million euros can be granted for this purpose. Loans are provided in particular for projects aiming to boost innovation and growth. Loans are refinanced on the basis of the “ERP-Gründerkredit – Universell” [Creator Credit – Universal] and “KfW-Unternehmerkredit” [Entrepreneur Credit] programmes, with an additional discount provided by the Free State of Saxony.

HORIZON Premium

Apply for EU funding with our support. “HORIZON 2020”, the European Union framework programme for research and innovation, was established in 2014 to enhance the innovative strength, competitiveness and growth of the European economy. If your small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) wishes to participate in projects within the framework of HORIZON 2020, you can utilise external services to help put together funding applications and, where applicable, to support the initial phase of the HORIZON plan.

Market Launch of Innovative Products – Market Introduction Phase

The “Markteinführung innovativer Produkte (MEP)” [Market Launch of Innovative Products] programme helps SMEs bring new or improved innovative products, processes or services to market.

Microloans for entrepreneurs and start-ups

We can help turn your business ideas into reality with a microloan. The desire to implement a great business idea or to get your own business up and running is only the first step towards becoming self-employed. In addition to the courage to go it alone, you also need a stable financial foundation. A microloan gives entrepreneurs in the Free State of Saxony a financial boost for investments or operating capital.

Saxony SAB-Guarantee Scheme

We provide you with deficiency guarantees. If a company wishes to invest and grow, it often requires credit. However, insufficient hedging may mean it is unable to obtain credit. Within the framework of the “SAB-Bürgschaftsprogramm Sachsen” [Saxony SAB-Guarantee Scheme], we provide your creditors with deficiency guarantees in relation to your company if conventional financial securities are unavailable or insufficient.

Subordinated loans to SMEs for improvement of the regional economic structure

If a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) wishes to invest and grow, it often requires credit. However, a lack of equity means that financing is often impossible to obtain. Through a subordinated loan for the improvement of the regional economic structure, your company can invest, for example in new business activities, in changes to your production processes or in expanding your production capacity. The loan has the particular advantage that it can be classified as equity for the purposes of balance sheet analysis and the rating process. Thus, companies which do not have sufficient conventional financial securities can benefit from easier access to external financing options.

Technology start-up grant

The aim of this funding programme is to provide you with a personal grant to support you as you found an innovative company in a promising area of technology. Your business idea must have long term prospects for success.

Digitalisation

Digitalisation of Business Processes (E-Business)

Bring your company processes into the digital age. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often do not have the financial resources to enhance their operational processes with modern IT capabilities. Yet this modernisation can lead to a key competitive advantage. Our “E-Business” programme helps SMEs introduce modern information and communication technology or enhance the capabilities of existing systems, enabling them to achieve goals such as opening up new sales opportunities, optimising in-house processes and also electronically replicating business relationships with customers and suppliers. Grants can be awarded, for example, for project planning, design and preparation; for the purchase of software and associated hardware; or for the introduction of finished solutions.

Education and qualification

Additional Qualifications

We support your apprentice training programme. Does your training centre in Saxony provide additional qualifications for apprentices beyond those in the standard regulations? Our “Zusatzqualifikation” [Additional Qualifications] programme supports training providers who enhance apprentices’ professional expertise, specialist knowledge and level of specialisation, thereby improving their employment prospects. Grants are awarded primarily for the acquistion of sector-specific and technical expertise and IT skills.

Advanced Training Cheque – Individual

The “Weiterbildungsscheck” [Advanced Training Cheque] has been simplified! Starting 2 August 2018, your advanced training grant will be paid as a lump sum, making it easier for you to settle your “Weiterbildungsscheck” [Advanced Training Cheque]. It is no longer necessary to submit invoices and statements of account. In order to receive your funding, you will need to supply proof that training has taken place as planned and approved. For further information and examples of advanced training cheque lump-sum payments, please see our information sheet. Training made easy with the Advanced Training Cheque – Individual. To progress in your career, you need a good education, but also ongoing further training and a commitment to lifelong learning. Individualised training enables skilled workers to further develop their skills and set new targets for themselves. You can find appropriate training courses at: www.bildungsmarkt-sachsen.de

Advanced Training Cheque – Operational

The “Weiterbildungsscheck” [Advanced Training Cheque] has been simplified! Starting 2 August 2018, your advanced training grant will be paid as a lump sum, making it easier for you to settle your “Weiterbildungsscheck” [Advanced Training Cheque]. It is no longer necessary to submit invoices and statements of account. In order to receive your funding, you will need to supply proof that training has taken place as planned and approved. For further information and examples of advanced training cheque lump-sum payments, please see our information sheet. Invest with us in the education of your workforce For job security, you need a good education, but also ongoing training and a commitment to lifelong learning. Company-related training enables skilled workers to further develop their skills and set new targets for themselves. You can find appropriate training courses at: www.bildungsmarkt-sachsen.de

Collaborative Training

Invest in vocational training within your own company. For small and medium-sized enterprises, company size and specialisation often makes it difficult to provide in house training for skilled workers. For these companies, there is another option: collaborative training. Our “Verbundausbildung” [Collaborative Training] programme makes it possible for Saxon companies with up to 500 employees to provide training content as per the Vocational Training Act via participating companies or training institutions, thus enabling them to cover the entire spectrum of vocational education as well as secure the future of the company’s up-and-coming talent.

InnoExperts

Draw on external expertise for innovative projects. Innovative projects often fail due to lack of in-house expertise. Our “InnoExperts” [InnoExperts Employment Funding] programme will help you recruit and employ highly qualified staff, including college and university graduates, researchers or engineers. The programme is intended to strengthen innovation and competitiveness within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within Saxony in particular.

InnoTeam

Invest in the innovative strength of Saxony. Improved collaboration between companies and higher education and research institutions in the context of industrial research and experimental development enhances the innovative strength and competitiveness of the Saxon economy. Our “InnoTeam” programme supports collaborations between companies and universities or research institutions to form skilled teams to develop new products or technological processes, or to prepare for these kinds of initiatives.

Transfer Assistants

This programme funds the recruitment and employment of individuals with relevant experience from science or industry to support SMEs with information and advice, enabling them to identify and systematically transfer technological knowledge in order to develop and implement product or process innovations, or prepare research findings for commercial exploitation.

Promotion of job creation

JobPerspectives Saxony – Individual Returner Support

Help the long-term unemployed return to work. Saxony is keen to improve employment prospects for long-term unemployed workers and provides individual support for those affected. Our “Individuelle Einstiegsbegleitung” [Individual Returner Support] programme within the framework of “JobPerspektive Sachsen” provides assistance to those who have been unemployed for long periods, with the objective of opening up new employment prospects for them and helping to ensure the region has skilled workers to draw on. We prepare long-term unemployed workers for the job market, integrate them into full employment and support them within their companies for a specified period.

JobPerspectives Saxony – Recognised vocational qualification for unemployed workers

Funding is available to enable unemployed and disadvantaged workers who generally do not possess vocational qualifications of marketable value to achieve a recognised vocational qualification or to obtain partial qualifications that meet their objectives.

Research, innovation and technology

Technology Transfer Funding

New technological expertise to enhance your competitiveness. New products and processes often call for additional technological knowledge. Accessing the necessary expertise is a particular challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), since they often do not have the necessary resources. Our “Technologietrans-ferförderung” [Technology Transfer Funding] programme supports SMEs with the acquisition of new technological knowledge in order to meet their technology requirements and at the same time reduce the technical and financial risk presented by the need to integrate new technologies. We support investment in intangible assets such as patent rights or licences in conjunction with the requisite modifications and advisory services.

InnoExperts

Draw on external expertise for innovative projects. Innovative projects often fail due to lack of in-house expertise. Our “InnoExperts” [InnoExperts Employment Funding] programme will help you recruit and employ highly qualified staff, including college and university graduates, researchers or engineers. The programme is intended to strengthen innovation and competitiveness within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within Saxony in particular.

Innovation Premium

Research assistance for your product development. To be able to innovate, companies often need research and development capacity that they do not have in-house. The “Innovationsprämie” [Innovation Premium] programme supports collaborations between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and research institutions on innovative projects. The programme is also intended to accelerate the process by which research and development (R&D) findings are turned into successful innovations, thereby enhancing their competitiveness.

Market Launch of Innovative Products – Market Introduction Phase

The “Markteinführung innovativer Produkte (MEP)” [Market Launch of Innovative Products] programme helps SMEs bring new or improved innovative products, processes or services to market.

Research and Development – Project Funding

Improve innovation levels in the Saxon economy. Innovation is the key to increased growth and job security and therefore to the competitiveness of the Saxon economy. To compete in the national and international drive for innovation, companies in Saxony often need to collaborate with research institutions. Companies often profit from the research and development work conducted by these institutions. Our “Forschung und Entwicklung – Projektförderung” [Research and Development – Project Funding] programme specifically aims to strengthen the innovation and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as those of larger companies. We support Saxon businesses with in-house research and development, and also fund joint projects between companies and research institutions aiming to develop new or improved products and processes. If you are a research partner working with a regional company to develop innovative products and processes, grant funding is available for joint projects from our “F&E-Projektförderung” programme.

Support for R & D services establishing pilot lines in key technologies

Ensure your company is at the forefront of innovation with KET pilot lines. “KETs-Pilotlinien” [Key Enabling Technologies Pilot Lines] is special funding for select highly innovative projects with significant potential for long term commercial exploitation. The programme is intended to act as a springboard for the transformation of especially promising R & D results into industrial series production. The programme funds R & D studies relating to pilot plants. Major expenses that can be covered include the cost of employing developers and technicians to construct and optimise the pilot plant, and material expenses for trials and sample production. Pilot plants and their components can only be funded to their level of amortisation over the grant period. Applicants should ideally also be the future operator of the pilot line, and should use the line for the manufacture of their products. The proposal should fall into one of the categories of the Key Enabling Technologies set out in the guidelines.