Call for competitive application procedure ‘Validation Funding’ guidline

The validation of research results has the goal to transfer research results into commercial application. The funding supports to verify, prove and evaluate the innovation potential of promising research results and to explore possible future applications. Successful validation of research results provides evidence of both the technical and commercial feasibility of these research results according to concrete requirements of the future users or providing companies of the products/services.

The funding is part of the Free State of Saxony's innovation strategy and strives for the most effective exploitation of innovation potential, allowing for openness in terms of technologies and sectors and using different innovation paths. There will be a special focus on the innovative fields of environment, raw materials, digital applications, energy, mobility and health.

Funding is provided for projects aimed at the application-oriented validation of research results that show great promise for commercial exploitation, with a project duration of up to
18 months and eligible expenses of up to 250,000 euros, with a maximum grant of 225,000 euros (“validation project”).

If the application is selected and approved, funding amounts to
90 percent of eligible expenses. Personnel expenses already covered by public budgets, as well as in-kind contributions, are not eligible for funding. In the subsequent disbursement process, only 90 percent of the billed and documented eligible costs may be subsidized in each instance (reimbursement principle). The applicant’s own contribution must therefore be provided in “cash.” Since personnel expenses are funded as a lump sum—which is generally lower than the actual costs incurred—additional funds beyond the aforementioned own contribution are necessary to cover any shortfall in personnel expenses. A forecast of these costs is provided during the application process.

If you are interested in applying for funding, we recommend scheduling a consultation in advance with TUD|excite or the Startup Service dresden|exists.

Universities and non-university research institutions located in Saxony can receive funding.

Only one individual project module is funded per research result. If several institutions collaboratively work on a research result, the institution that owns the rights to the research result should submit the application. This institution may subcontract other research institutions involved in the validation project.

Funding under the Directive on Validation Funding does not constitute aid, i.e. only non-commercial activities are eligible for funding. Commissioning external services to companies is permissible. Contract research for companies as well as cooperation projects with companies are excluded from funding. The results obtained in validation projects must be freely accessible in principle, i.e. validation must not be carried out for the benefit of specific companies.

Testing a technology at a company is possible as long as it does not give the company preferential access to use the technology.

Please submit the following documents by 11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2026, to the TUD|excite Excellence Center at :

• Project outlines ( PDF): digitally signed by the professor, 8 A4 pages, including attachments—maximum 10 pages
• Cost estimate ( cost estimate template—validation)
• Confirmation of Own Funds (LIST FUNDING SOURCES AND AMOUNTS IN THE TABLE)
• Classification of the project idea (SAB form)
• Third-Party Funding Declaration (digital signature by the Chair is sufficient; no need for the Dean's Office)

Subsequently, a selection of up to four project outlines to be submitted to the SAB on behalf of TU Dresden will be made. The selection criteria are generally based on the criteria specified in the SAB’s call for proposals and the assessment required by the funding agency based on the Innovation Readiness Levels. TU Dresden places additional emphasis on using the funding to exploit existing intellectual property rights (e.g., patents, software) and to support spin-offs.

To assess the Innovation Readiness Levels of the projects, TUD|excite will conduct an approximately one-hour workshop with the applicants during the period from November 18 to November 26 (tentative). Attendance is required of the person designated as project leader as well as a second person per applicant. Appointments will be scheduled individually. It is helpful if applicants familiarize themselves with the IRL in advance and, where possible, provide their own initial assessment along with the application documents to TUD|excite.

Submission of the selected proposals is legally binding and must be made exclusively by the EPC via TU Dresden’s access to the SAB funding portal by December 1, 2026, at the latest. Applicants should plan to be available from November 27 through November 30, 2026, for any necessary revisions to the project outlines preselected internally by TUD.

In the next step, a committee comprising representatives from the Saxon State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Transportation, the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture, and Tourism, and the Saxon Reconstruction Bank will decide on the project proposals selected and submitted by TU Dresden. The project proposals will compete with those from other institutions.

The selection results will be communicated in writing to interested parties. In the event of a positive decision, applicants will be invited to submit a formal funding application to supplement the project outline.

Projects under this call will begin no earlier than May 1, 2027, and no later than June 1, 2027, if they have a duration of 18 months (maximum duration). Projects under this call must be completed by November 30, 2028, at the latest.

• Structure Outline and Evaluation
• SAB_Classification of Project Idea
• Cost Estimate Template Validation

• Confirmation of Financing: Own Funds

• Third-Party Funding Declaration

• Information on the Innovation Readiness Level

Directive on Validation Funding 2021-2027

*all pages/forms only in German available