With a trio of funding programs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture is providing around 90 million euros for innovative companies. This was announced by Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt. In addition to the ERDF funding programs “Increasing Efficiency in Commercial Companies” (EffInvest) and “Implementing Business Innovations” (IBI), which have been relaunched, the GRW regional funding program is also starting again. Applications can now be submitted to the Investment and Structural Bank of Rhineland-Palatinate (ISB).
“With around 90 million euros, we want to give our companies a real boost in innovation. With this triad, we consciously support the entire range of companies – from small and medium-sized businesses to large companies. Our companies know which innovations they can use to best master the transformation processes. We are supporting these efforts with three tailor-made funding programs,” said Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt on the occasion of the program launch.
The three programs pursue different approaches and focus on different dimensions of the transformation processes. “EffInvest focuses on reducing CO2 and increasing energy efficiency, while with IBI we focus on the digitalization of business models,” says Schmitt. “The GRW funding also continues the tried and tested structural policy for regions with particular challenges.” All programs are aimed at commercial companies throughout Rhineland-Palatinate. Applications can be submitted immediately. “In addition to the ISB, our innovation agency also supports companies in selecting the right funding for their project,” emphasized Minister Schmitt.
The programs at a glance:
The new program “EffInvest“ supports investment projects that lead to a permanent increase in energy efficiency of at least 20 percent or other resource efficiency of at least 10 percent. Projects with a planned minimum savings volume of 40 tons of CO2 per year are supported. For this purpose, a total of 32.7 million euros in EU funds will be made available as part of the ERDF funding period 2021-2027, which will be reinforced by state funds as needed.
The program is aimed at small, medium and large commercial companies, including catering and accommodation establishments. Small companies can be supported with up to 20 percent and medium-sized companies and large companies with up to 10 percent of the eligible costs. For large companies, the state aid limitation of up to 300,000 euros must be adhered to within three tax years.
The “IBI-Program“ supports small and medium-sized commercial companies, including accommodation providers in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the implementation of innovations such as technological transformation and the digitalization of production processes and business models. Small companies can be subsidized with up to 20 percent and medium-sized companies with up to 10 percent of the eligible costs. Large companies cannot be supported. To implement this program, around 34.5 million euros are earmarked from ERDF 2021-2027 funds, which will be reinforced with state funds based on needs.
In addition, the application starts with Regional funding program joint task “Improvement of the regional economic structure” (GRW). The program supports commercial companies, including accommodation providers, in selected funding areas of structurally weak regions in Rhineland-Palatinate with an investment grant. Around 20 million euros in state funds will be made available in the 2024 financial year to co-finance federal funds for the start.
The establishment of a new business establishment, the expansion of an existing business establishment, the diversification of the production of a business facility into products that were not previously manufactured there and the fundamental change of the entire production process of an existing business facility can be funded. Investment projects can be supported which, based on the investment volume or the number of permanent jobs created, are expected to have significant regional economic effects.
In addition to the size of the company, the funding levels depend on the GRW funding areas (D or C). You will find a map here.
In GRW-D funding areas, small and medium-sized companies can receive subsidies of between 10 percent and 20 percent of eligible costs, depending on their size. In the C funding areas, funding of 10 percent to 30 percent is possible in the independent cities of Pirmasens and Zweibrücken and from 15 percent to 35 percent in the districts of Birkenfeld and Südwestpfalz, depending on the size of the company.
Investments that are used in-house for commercial purposes can be supported.
Applications for the programs are now possible at the Investment and Structural Bank of Rhineland-Palatinate (ISB).
2024-02-08 08:31:39
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