Projects

Research and development or testing innovative application scenarios? The variety of projects related to FLYBOTS is great in Lower Saxony. Here you will find a selection of current projects.

Are you preparing a project and looking for suitable partners? Our marketplace offers you the opportunity to find suitable cooperation partners.

Project 'Undercover Ice Agents' of the DLR Institute for Data Science
Project 'Undercover Ice Agents' of the DLR Institute for Data Science
DRAKULA - Micro-UAS in non-rural areas
DRAKULA - Micro-UAS in non-rural areas
Drone measurements at Berlin Brandenburg Airport
Drone measurements at Berlin Brandenburg Airport
3D visualization of factory layout scan
Factory layout scan by drone: fast layout acquisition from air

Funding and financing Lower Saxony

The state of Lower Saxony offers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurs and start-ups in particular various opportunities for funding and financing through the investment and development bank of Lower Saxony - NBank. For this purpose, the state has set up a number of funding programs to support you in founding or succeeding a company as well as growth, investment or innovation projects in Lower Saxony.

Below we have put together some programs from Lower Saxony that might be of interest to you. Further funding programs can be found in the NBank's "Funding programs from A-Z Tool".

Consulting for SMEs on knowledge and technology transfer

The state of Lower Saxony promotes municipal consulting services for small and medium-sized enterprises. This is designed to involve companies more closely in innovation activities and, in particular, to stimulate the exchange of information and cooperation with regional scientific institutions. Regional authorities or institutions commissioned by them to promote business in Lower Saxony are eligible for funding.

Digitization in transport

You are planning the use for new mobile applications in traffic or offer opportunities for information tools and would like to contribute to the expansion of the digital infrastructure? Then this funding is just right for you.

Further education in Lower Saxony

As a company in Lower Saxony, you can make a contribution to improving the skilled labor situation. Employees from companies with a place of business in Lower Saxony and owners of companies in Lower Saxony with fewer than 50 employees can have expenses for qualifications (course and examination fees) and personnel expenses for participants in the measure (expenses for exemptions) refunded.

Guarantees

It is possible to guarantee financing through the Niedersächsische Bürgschaftsbank (NBB) if the borrower or the corresponding company cannot provide the financing bank with the required collateral.

Hydrogen Policy

If you as a company, legal entity under public law, university or non-university research institution want to carry out a pilot or demonstration project in the field of hydrogen economy, you can apply for a grant. The funding is intended to initiate the development and implementation of projects in the field of green hydrogen technologies.

Innovation Support Program for Research and Development (IFP)

You would like to carry out a research and/or development project in your company? IFP offers incentives to develop new marketable products, production processes or services that represent a nationwide novelty.

Innovationsgutscheine (Innovation Vouchers)

Small and medium-sized commercial enterprises affected by the Covid 19 pandemic can receive support for the use of research infrastructure through this grant. The goal of the funding is the development of improved or new products, production processes or services by small and medium-sized enterprises with the help of research infrastructures.

Low-threshold innovation support program for SMEs and crafts (nIFP)

Would you like to improve your company's market opportunities with the help of an innovative project? The low-threshold innovation support program for SMEs and the skilled trades offers incentives to improve the company-related state of the art in newly marketable products, production processes or services as well as new operational and organizational forms through innovative projects.

Luftfahrtförderrichtlinie (Aviation Funding Directive)

If you, as a company, university or non-university research institution, want to carry out a project of industrial research or experimental development in the field of aviation and related fields of technology, you can apply for a grant. The funding is intended in particular to support aviation companies in Lower Saxony and their suppliers in increasing their innovative strength and competitiveness.

MikroSTARTer Lower Saxony

With this funding, the state of Lower Saxony and the NBank support start-ups and company successions, especially of micro start-ups in Lower Saxony. It secures existences and creates or maintains and secures permanent jobs and training positions. Sustainable start-ups from unemployment or inactivity are shown as a possible access to employment. At the same time, the low creditworthiness of micro-founders can be increased when it comes to borrowing from credit institutions.

NBeteiligung

If you are a small or medium-sized company that wants to overcome capital bottlenecks and make the most of growth opportunities now and for the future, providing equity capital through NBeteiligung can be the right support. With the help of NBeteiligung, you can exploit the growth potential of your company and generate employment.

NCapital

NCapital is a regular matching event launched by NBank in 2006 with the aim of opening up additional financing opportunities for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises through equity capital. At the same time, NCapital offers investors access to interesting companies.

NMittelstand

If you want to expand your market opportunities now and for the future as a company with an operating facility in Lower Saxony, as well as secure follow-up investments, you can be supported by equity capital. The aim here is to maintain innovation, growth potential and employment, as well as to enable MBO/MBI and succession planning.

NSeed

If you are a young company in the seed phase and want to overcome capital bottlenecks and make the most of growth opportunities, providing equity capital through NSeed can be the right support. With the help of NSeed, you can exploit your company's growth potential and generate employment.

NVenture

If you are a start-up or a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) with an operating facility in Lower Saxony and have a liquidity requirement in the context of the COVID 19 crisis, you can be supported by the provision of equity capital in the form of small grants. The aim here is to maintain innovation, growth potential and employment as well as to enable MBO/MBI and succession planning.

Trade fair promotion individual stand domestic and abroad

If you are a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or freelancer and want to increase your export orientation, you can use leading international trade fairs abroad to expand your sales markets. With the help of NBank's trade fair support abroad, you can reduce the costs and risks of such trade fair participation to a reasonable level and thus compensate for disadvantages specific to the size of your company.

Trade fair promotion of joint stands domestic and abroad

If you are a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or freelancer and want to increase your export orientation, you can use leading international trade fairs in Germany to expand your sales markets. With the help of the trade fair subsidy for joint stands, you can reduce the costs and risks of such trade fair participation and thus compensate for disadvantages specific to your company size.

Federal and EU funding

Below you will find a selection of potentially interesting funding programs and funding options from the federal government and the European Union for your innovative project idea/cooperation.

Further funding programs can be found in the federal, state and EU funding database of the BMWi. You can reach the Federal Funding Advisory Service "Research and Innovation" on 0800 26 23 008 or by email.

Aircraft Equipment Manufacturer Program - Financing of Civil Aircraft Equipment Manufacturer Development Costs (Loan)

If you are an aircraft equipment manufacturer researching and developing technology for a better air transportation system, you may be eligible for a loan of up to 45 percent of your eligible costs under certain conditions.

Aviation Research Program (LuFo)

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) supports the German aviation industry and its European partners through research and technology funding under the German government's aeronautics research program. The BMWi is expected to issue the announcement for funding research and development projects under the third call for the sixth national civil aviation research program of the Federal Government in spring 2022 (LuFo VI-3).

Digital Now

Digital technologies and know-how determine the competitiveness and future viability of companies in today's working and economic world. To enable SMEs to exploit the economic potential of digitization, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the "Digital Now - Investment Support for SMEs" program. The program offers financial grants and is designed to encourage companies to invest more in digital technologies as well as in the qualification of their employees.

Funding Guideline "Innovative Air Mobility"

In order for UAS to fully develop their potential for the mobility of the future, technological development is required above all, in addition to the creation and adaptation of the legal framework. In its 2020 "Action Plan for Unmanned Aerial Systems and Innovative Aviation Concepts", the German government therefore defined as a measure the continuation and medium-term expansion of research funding in the existing programs of the federal ministries with a view to UAS and air cabs and to supporting new applications. This funding directive is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2023.

Go-digital

You want to digitize your business processes? Are you considering setting up an online store or improving IT security measures in your company? The "go-digital" funding program will support you.

INVEST - Grant for venture capital

Young, innovative companies are certified as eligible for INVEST as part of the application process. Private investors are supported who acquire business shares in young, innovative companies.

KfW special program UBR 2022

Is your company affected by Russia's attack on Ukraine? Or by the sanctions against Russia and Belarus? If so, the KfW special program UBR (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia) 2022 is now available to you. You can use the funding to finance a large part of your expenses.

The KfW special program UBR 2022 is limited until 12/31/2023.

mFUND (BMDV)

With the mFUND innovation initiative, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMDV) has been funding research and development projects related to digital data-based applications for the mobility of the future since 2016.

The mFUND supports the development of digital business ideas based on mobility, geospatial and weather data. These include, for example, new navigation services, innovative sharing platforms, intelligent travel planners or high-precision weather apps.

Promotion of entrepreneurial know-how

If you are a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) and need professional support during your start-up or consolidation phase, you can receive pro rata reimbursement of the costs of management consulting through this program. The program "Promotion of Entrepreneurial Know-How" of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) replaces the previous support programs "Founder Coaching Germany", "Turn-Around Consulting" and "Round Table".

Technology Transfer Program Lightweight Construction (TTP LB)

Lightweight construction is one of the game-changer technologies that focus on increasing growth and competitiveness as well as ensuring climate protection and sustainability. With a funding volume of 300 million euros, the cross-industry transfer of knowledge and technology is being supported and lightweight construction is being further developed as a technology of the future.

Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)

The Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM) is a nationwide funding program that is open to all technologies and sectors. The ZIM is designed to sustainably strengthen the innovative strength and thus the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Tendering platforms

E-Vergabe

On the E-Vergabe platform, you can search specifically for tenders that interest you and submit an application directly via the E-Vergabe portal. Via vergabe.Niedersachsen, you can search for tenders that are specifically advertised in Niedersachsen/for Niedersachsen companies.

German Procurement Portal

Expand your business field through public contracts. The German Procurement Portal is your central marketplace for searching for tenders and participating in award procedures.

Service.bund.de

The portal "service.bund.de - Service Online" is the central access for companies and administrations to the electronic tenders of the federal, state and local administration and to the authorities and institutions of the federal administration on the Internet.