Funding for innovative product validations

Prototyping grants can be applied for by all academic staff or research assistants at the University of Bonn (including the Faculty of Medicine).

Applications are also explicitly invited for prototyping projects for which public funding has previously been rejected, e.g. VIP+ or EXIST funding.

Teams already funded via other start-up programmes are not eligible for funding.

The Transfer Centre team will advise you before or during the application process. Use our expertise, for example, to jointly assess the previous level of innovation (TRL). Get in touch with Dr Alexander Küsshauer (Tel.: 0228 / 73-62026; kuesshauer@verwaltung.uni-bonn.de). 

Please submit

1. the completed project outline (available for download on the homepage),
2. as well as official indicative price offers already obtained for planned subcontracts. These cost estimates from service providers must be enclosed with the application!

Please submit these documents via the web application portal linked above. 

Please note: the funds are subject to annuality, i.e. the planned expenditure (indicative price offers) must be in this calendar year.

The application procedure is organised in two stages:

1. In the first stage of the procedure, project outlines must first be submitted to the Transfer Centre in German or English in electronic form. The project outline can be downloaded from the homepage. In addition, official indicative price offers (offers from service providers) must be submitted with the application! The documents provided will be assessed by a jury and, if necessary, also by external experts and the ideas suitable for funding will be selected.
2. In the second stage of the procedure, the authors of the positively assessed project outlines will be asked to give a start-up pitch in German or English in presence at the Transfer Centre enaCom for final review. A pitch template is available for download.

The following aspects are particularly evaluated:

1. Development of an innovative prototype (Minimum Viable Product)
2. Evaluation of the founding intention of the applicants, including their vision for the market launch of the product or service, as well as their motivation and commitment to the founding project
3. Previous steps taken to advance the founding project (e.g., initial market analysis, business planning, team formation)
4. Description of strategies to be developed during the project duration, including the development of the business model, formation of the founding team, building of startup-related competencies, IP protection
5. Necessity and appropriateness of the funds
6. Traceability of the work and financing plan

Funding can be applied for up to a maximum amount of €50,000 per project for a maximum duration of one year.

1. The funds are tied to the promotion of science-based and innovative start-up ideas or projects from the University of Bonn (already founded companies and otherwise funded start-up teams (e.g. EXIST start-up scholarship holders) are excluded).
2. Research projects are not funded.
3. The aim of the funding is to promote innovative start-ups, to develop them towards marketability and to ensure that a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of at least 4 is achieved in order to guarantee compatibility with other start-up programmes such as the Exist start-up grant or the Exist research transfer.
4. The funds are subject to annuality, so that the term of each approved grant always ends on 31 December of the current year.
5. Funds that have not been disbursed cannot be saved or carried over to the following financial year.
6. Persons who have already received the prototyping grant for a specific project are excluded from receiving further funding for the same project. Projects that are or have already been supported by other funding instruments on the day of application are also excluded.

The funds can be used for:

1. Consumables (material resources)
2. Subcontracts in compliance with the procurement guidelines of the University of Bonn, or UKB

The funds may NOT be used for:

1. No funding for personnel costs
2. No funding for work equipment (e.g. laptop, smartphone, tablet)
3. Double funding is not permitted. During the term of the prototyping project applied for, no other third-party funds may be planned or spent in parallel. This exclusion must be confirmed in writing.

1. Within the first 6 weeks after approval, there is an obligation to have a consultation with the start-up advice team at the Transfer Centre enaCom.

2. During the term of the project, participation in mandatory start-up events organised by enaCom (e.g. workshops, info sessions, start-up round table) is required. This comprises a total time of 25 hours, whereby at least one person from the applicant team must participate. In justified cases, external events and workshops can also be recognised; this is only possible after prior agreement and recognition by enaCom.

3. The funded teams must submit a final report six weeks after the end of the term, which includes the originally submitted work plan, an assessment of the goals achieved and an outlook on the next steps after prototyping.

4. There is an obligation to report to the Transfer Center enaCom on the use of the funds (use and presentation of how the prototyping grant has advanced the path to founding, including the next steps).

5. The funded teams undertake to act as role models and provide testimonials for the enaCom website. They must also be available for events on a case-by-case basis.

Changes to the funding plan before or during the project period require the prior written digital approval of the enaCom Transfer Centre.