Funding is provided under the funding guidelines through two different funding instruments: the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) and the JTF (Just Transition Fund)

In contrast to ERDF/JTF funded R&D projects ("ERDF/JTF Technology Funding 2021 to 2027"), InfraProNet funding is not aimed at developing results in cooperation with commercial enterprises - it is non-economic and free of aid and should be regarded as a preliminary stage to R&D project funding.

ERDF funding:

• Strengthening application-oriented research at publicly funded scientific institutions
• Implementation of the regional innovation strategy of the Free State of Saxony
• Unlocking or improving the exploitation of further research and development (R&D) potential for successful innovation transfer to the economy
• Increasing the actual number of technology transfers
• Advancing the scientific information infrastructure

JTF:

• Supporting the overcoming of the transition's effects on society, employment, economy and environment in the districts of Görlitz, Bautzen, Nordsachsen, Leipzig as well as in the independent cities of Leipzig and Chemnitz, based on the EU's energy and climate policy targets for 2030 as well as on a climate-neutral economy in the EU by 2050 based on the Paris Agreement
• Funding of application-oriented research projects in the JTF regions with a technology readiness level (TRL) that allows at least one validation in relevant environments
• Contributing to the climate-neutral transformation of the local economy and/or to the diversification of the economy, to the development of new value chains and to increasing the innovative strength in the JTF regions

JTF:

• Investments in equipment to address the specific challenges in the respective JTF target regions

• (Responsibility of Unit 5.1 – Research Promotion)
• Contribution of the scientific topics pursued with the research infrastructure to implement the Innovation Strategy of the Free State of Saxony
• Geared towards practical application (at least TRL 5 – validation in relevant environments)
• Transfer potential with references to economic activities in the Free State of Saxony

• Application-oriented research and development projects (Responsibility of Unit 5.2 – EPC)
  • High scientific quality of the scientific topics
  • Contribution to implementing the Innovation Strategy of the Free State of Saxony
  • Concrete prospects for use or transfer to industry (at least TRL 5 – validation in relevant environments)
  • Particular research policy interest for the Free State of Saxony

ERDF:

• Measures for the improvement of application-oriented research infrastructure (Responsibility of Unit 5.1 – Research Promotion)

• New construction and reconstruction measures (according to information from the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism, funds already committed, no more applications possible)
• Investments in equipment
  • Contribution of the scientific topics pursued with the research infrastructure to implement the Innovation Strategy of the Free State of Saxony
  • Geared towards practical application (at least TRL 4 – validation in laboratory environment)
  • Transfer potential with references to economic activities in the Free State of Saxony

• Application-oriented research and development project (Responsibility of Unit 5.2 – EPC)
  • High scientific quality of the scientific topics
  • Contribution to implementing the Innovation Strategy of the Free State of Saxony
  • Concrete prospects for use or transfer to industry (at least TRL 4 – validation in laboratory environment)
  • Particular research policy interest for the Free State of Saxony

• Scientific information infrastructure (Responsibility of Unit 5.1 – Research Promotion): Projects of scientific libraries for the development, provision and long-term preservation of digital information, including the necessary technical equipment

• Universities and research centers pursuant to the Institutions of Higher Education Act in the Free State of Saxony
• Non-university research institutions receiving institutional funding from the Federal Government and/or the State of Saxony with a research facility in the Free State of Saxony
• Non-profit research institutions with the status as an affiliated institute pursuant to the Institutions of Higher Education Act in the Free State of Saxony
• State-run academies of the Berufsakademie Sachsen pursuant to the Saxon Vocational Academies Act
• University alliances with research and transfer as their mission who neither pursue an aid-relevant nor an economic aim.

Associations of the above institutions may also apply for projects, provided that (for ERDF funding) these projects are included in the prioritization lists of all participating institutions.

ERDF and JTF:

• Funding is only granted for non-economic activities that do not receive state aid
• Highlight contribution to the Innovation Strategy of the Free State of Saxony
• An appropriate possibility of utilization of the research results for third parties within the European Union under non-discriminatory conditions must be guaranteed
• Specify the project's relevance to one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations

JTF:

• In addition, present the benefits for structural change as well as the contribution to the transformation of the economy to climate neutrality in the JTF regions
• In the JTF regions, application-oriented research plays a key role and contributes to exploiting the potential for the emergence of innovative products, processes and the transfer of know-how for economic activities in the JTF regions
• Objective: Finding solutions for transforming the economy towards climate-neutral technologies or developing ideas for new value chains as a contribution to the diversification of existing industrial and economic sectors, or preparing start-up activities and supporting the establishment of self-sustaining transfer-oriented structures at universities and research institutions in the long term
• Projects applying for JTF funding must be explicitly assigned to an affected region of structural change and clearly located in at least one of the following focal topics of structural change:
  • Diversification and transformation of the economy,
  • Approaches for new value chains,
  • Approaches for creating or maintaining jobs,
  • Technologies for climate neutrality

• Investment measures/ investments in equipment must be located in the designated areas in order to achieve a structure-forming effect

• Research projects must have an impact in the designated areas and should be implemented primarily and in the majority in the structural areas - after submission the proposals will be examined on a case-by-case basis and coordinated with the authorities responsible for the JTF

• Project proposals can only be considered if the total amount of the application exceeds EUR 500,000. For collaborative projects the total amount of costs is EUR 750,000

• Subject to available funding, projects can be approved in the JTF with a project period  until June 30, 2026.

Partial funding for a specific project in the form of a grant.

Usually 3 years (except research infrastructure)

Projects with duration of 2 years or less are not in focus of funding

Funding is 100 percent of eligible expenses/costs.

ERDF

• Throughout Saxony (transition region and more developed region)

JTF

• District of North Saxony, District of Leipzig, City of Leipzig
• District of Bautzen, District of Görlitz
• City of Chemnitz

Measures to improve application-oriented research infrastructure (ERDF, JTF)

• Expenses for construction measures (according to information from the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism, funds already committed, no more applications possible)
• Expenses for devices, equipment, and fixtures,
• Expenses for external services, provided that they are directly related to the measure, necessary and reasonable.

Application-oriented research and development projects (ERDF, JTF)

• Personnel expenses for researchers, technicians and other personnel, insofar as they are assigned to the project
• Expenses for equipment (devices, equipment, instruments)
• Expenses for external services
  • the share of external services should not exceed 20%
  • the guideline is free of aid: the inclusion of external services to companies must be factually and technically justified in order to show that it is not a case of hidden aid/economic promotion and that companies do not gain a competitive advantage through the award of subcontracts
  • tender obligation to be observed
• Expenses for the registration or acquisition of intellectual property rights
• Other material expenses, such as consumables

Scientific information infrastructure (ERDF)

For the Saxon State and University Library (SLUB), the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism is the granting authority.

• Personnel expenses for researchers, technicians and other personnel, insofar as they are assigned to the project.
• Expenses for equipment (devices, equipment, instruments)
• Expenses for external services
• Expenses for the registration or acquisition of intellectual property rights
• Other material expenses

Additional notes:

Personnel expenses are disbursed as unit costs in the project. For staff remunerated according to the collective bargaining agreement for the public service of the federal states (TV-L) or the collective bargaining agreement for the public service (TVöD), invoicing is based on a monthly rate according to allocation to the pay group and level, the project-related job share and the actual working hours. The amount of the cost per unit and the procedure to be applied are yet to be published on the website of the granting agency (www.sab.sachsen.de).

Project-related indirect overhead costs are granted on all funding subjects (except funding for research infrastructure) to provide lump-sum funding for indirect costs at a rate of 25 percent on direct expenditures/costs (except for external services). With the lump sum funding all indirect expenses are deemed to have been covered.

Only the additional eligible project expenses/costs that are not already covered by the basic funding of the university or research institution are eligible for funding.

The project must not have been started yet. The start of the project is considered to be any measure by which the applicant demonstrates its determination to carry out the project. This includes signing contracts or paying deposits or invoices.

Investments and construction activities must not be located in a flood risk area.

There is a two-stage application process (except for funding of reconstruction and new construction measures).

As stipulated in the Notice from the Vice-Rector Research 2/2023, the EPC (Unit 5.2) accompanies the projects of TU Dresden and must be involved in the application process for the following funding subjects:

• Application-oriented research and development projects

The EPC advises on the application process, has power of attorney for legally binding signatures with regard to the SAB and has central access to the SAB's funding portal for submitting project proposals.

Unit 5.1 – Research Funding advises on the following funding subjects and submits applications via TU Dresden's central access to the SAB's funding portal: Please contact SG 5.1 as soon as possible, since investments in equipment usually require prior coordination with Department 4 (Real Estate).

• JTF: Investments in equipment, provided it serves to address the specific challenges in the respective JTF target regions
• ERDF:
  • New construction and reconstruction measures ‘((according to information from the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism, funds already committed, no more applications possible)
  • Investments in equipment

ERDF:

Preparation of the project proposal and the annexes listed in the form by the applicants using the form (mandatory use of the form, no additional project outline required)

application-oriented research and development projects:
Submission of the following documents by September 26, 2023/12:00 at the latest by e-mail to

• SAB form Project description ERDF InfraProNet incl. attachments with signature of coordinating Chair (no additional project outline required)

• Calculation template (in Excel and PDF format)

• Details of the project proposal (in Excel format)

Equipment investments/ scientific information infrastructure:
Please contact SG 5.1 immediately, as equipment investments usually also require prior coordination with Directorate 4 (Real Estate)
Submission of the following documents by September 26, 2023/12:00 at the latest by email to

• SAB form project description ERDF InfraProNet incl. attachments with signature of coordinating Chair (no additional project outline required)

• Details of the project proposal (in Excel format)

• Legally binding signature of the project proposals by SG 5.1/5.2 and upload to the SAB funding portal by September 29, 2023 by SG 5.2/SG 5.1
• Submission of a prioritization list of project proposals to SAB by university management by 20 October 2023
• Review of project proposals by a committee (Ministry/SAB) in November and December 2023
• Invitation to submit full proposal by the SAB or rejection from January 2024
• Project start expected from Q2 2024 at the earliest

Further deadlines will follow and will be announced accordingly

JTF:

Preparation of the project proposal and the annexes listed in the form by the applicants using the form (mandatory use of the form, no additional project outline required)

application-oriented research and development projects:
Submission of the following documents by September 26, 2023/ 12:00 noon at the latest by e-mail to

• SAB form project description JTF InfraProNet incl. attachments with signature of coordinating Chair (no additional project outline required)

• Calculation template (in Excel and PDF format)

• Details of the project proposal (in Excel format)

Equipment investments/ scientific information infrastructure:
Please contact SG 5.1 immediately, as equipment investments usually also require prior coordination with Directorate 4 (Real Estate)
Submit the following documents by September 26, 2023/12:00 at the latest by e-mail to

• SAB form project description JTF InfraProNet incl. attachments with signature of coordinating Chair (no additional project outline required)
• Details of the project proposal (in Excel format)
• Legally binding signature of the project proposals by SG 5.1/5.2 and upload to the SAB funding portal by September 29, 2023 by SG 5.2/SG 5.1
• No prioritization list from university management required
• Review of project proposals by a committee (Ministry/SAB) in October 2023
• Invitation to submit full proposal by the SAB or rejection from November 2024
• Project start expected from 1st quarter 2024

Further deadlines are expected to follow and will be announced accordingly

Important note:
Project proposals that have not been signed with a legally binding signature are not eligible to submit an application.

Formal evaluation criteria

• The degree of the technology readiness level
• No state aid received
• Appropriate allocation to the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN
• JTF: Contribution to structural change (at least one categorization)
  • Diversification and transformation of the economy
  • Approaches for new value chains
  • Approaches for creating or maintaining jobs
  • Technologies for climate neutrality
• JTF: Location in at least one region of structural change
  • District of North Saxony, District of Leipzig, City of Leipzig
  • District of Bautzen, District of Görlitz
  • City of Chemnitz

Research-related evaluation criteria

• Clear project goal
• Realistic time schedule
• Balance between funding requirements and intended goals
• Scientific quality in consideration of risks
• Meaningfulness and feasibility of the planned collaborations
• Transfer potential into societal areas and business applications
• Interdisciplinary approach (across disciplines and/or structures)

Strategic evaluation criteria

• Contribution to the strategic profile-forming advancement of the institution
• Integration into the Innovation Strategy of the Free State of Saxony
• Reference to research policy interests of the Free State of Saxony
• Seal of Excellence from the European Union for excellent research
• JTF: Qualitative contribution to structural change and a socially just transition
• JTF: The project fits into the plan for a just transition in Saxony
  • Mitteldeutsches Revier (central German mining district): Al-assisted drug development in the field of Life Sciences; logistics, mobility, as well as energy and digitalization
  • Chemnitz: Project with the national hydrogen center based on renewable energies, mobility, and production processes
  • Lusatia: Energy systems and energy storage systems, lightweight construction, circular economy, and mobility

Please download the relevant documents here:

20230822 SMWK Funding Guideline InfraProNet 2021-2027.pdf

20230906 Presentation SMWK FAQ

SAB form project description ERDF InfraProNet

SAB form project description JTF InfraProNet

Calculation template_EFRE.xltx

Information on the project proposal (in Excel format)

Official ERDF/JTF calls for funding on the SAB website

Innovation strategy of the Free State of Saxony

BuFI 2022 - At a glance - Free State of Saxony

Program page of the SAB

SAB fact sheet Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

Press release SMWK