A 50% grant towards external innovation consultancy, up to €20,000 a calendar year, with no funding application of your own.
go-inno is the innovation voucher scheme run by the BMWE. It funds external consultancy from authorised consultancies that support small companies in preparing and delivering product or technical process innovations. The funding rate is 50%. You don't file a funding application yourself: the authorised consultancy does that with EURONORM GmbH.
Eligibility
- Fewer than 100 employees (full-time equivalents, including linked and partner companies) at the time the contract with the consultancy is signed
- Prior-year annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €20m (including linked and partner companies), tighter than the standard EU SME definition (250 employees / €50m)
- An operating site or branch in Germany
- The consultancy serves the preparation or delivery of a product or technical process innovation (a technological and innovative link is required)
- The consultancy engaged is authorised by the BMWE / EURONORM and listed on the consultant map at innovation-beratung-foerderung.de
- The consultancy only starts once the innovation voucher has been issued (no early start)
- Not an undertaking in difficulty within the meaning of Art. 2 no. 18 GBER
- No outstanding EU recovery order (Art. 1 (4) (a) GBER)
- The annual ceiling isn't exhausted: fewer than 5 vouchers and less than €20,000 in funding in the current calendar year
- Not a company in the agriculture or fisheries sectors; no sectoral exclusions under Art. 1 (2)–(5) GBER (including steel, coal, shipbuilding)
Eligible costs
- Fees of the authorised consultancy for external advisory services to prepare or deliver product or technical process innovations
- Up to €1,100 per day (the eligible ceiling; higher daily rates are not eligible and have to be borne in full by the company)
- Service level 1 (potential analysis): up to 8 consultancy days, up to 10 days in total (including third-party experts)
- Service level 2 (implementation concept): up to 20 consultancy days, up to 25 days in total (including third-party experts)
Common pitfalls
Starting the work early
The first eligible day may not fall before the date the voucher was issued. Preliminary discussions and contract negotiations are harmless; eligible consultancy days are not. A breach leads to rejection or clawback.
The consultancy isn't authorised
Only consultancies authorised by the BMWE / EURONORM may deliver go-inno consultancy. Before signing, check the consultant map at innovation-beratung-foerderung.de. Engaging an unauthorised firm leads to rejection.
Underestimating the SME thresholds
go-inno uses tighter limits than the EU standard: fewer than 100 employees AND turnover or a balance sheet total of no more than €20m (EU standard: 250 employees / €50m). Linked and partner companies have to be included. The reference date is the signing of the contract.
Exceeding the annual ceiling
Per company and calendar year, a maximum of 5 vouchers and €20,000 in funding is possible. Vouchers of linked companies count towards it. A further application in the same year isn't possible once the ceiling is reached.
Double funding of the same consultancy
The same consultancy service may not be financed in parallel through go-inno and another funding programme (go-digital, state programmes and so on). A combination is only possible where the advisory content is clearly separated.
A daily rate above €1,100 claimed
A maximum of €1,100 per day is eligible. Higher daily rates are permitted, but the excess is not subsidised and has to be borne in full by the company.
The application process
- 1. Find an authorised consultancy. Use the consultant map and search at innovation-beratung-foerderung.de to choose an authorised consultancy. Only firms listed there may deliver go-inno consultancy.
- 2. Initial meeting and eligibility check. The consultancy checks your SME status, the innovation project and the state aid framework. You provide master data, headcount, annual turnover and balance sheet total (including linked companies).
- 3. Sign the consultancy contract. Conclude the written consultancy contract. It has to set out days, the daily rate (max. €1,100 eligible), content and the assignment to service level 1 or 2 unambiguously.
- 4. Apply for the innovation voucher (done by the consultancy). The authorised consultancy applies to EURONORM for the innovation voucher. You provide self-declarations on SME status, aid received and double funding. Optional: EURONORM can confirm eligibility in advance, typically within around 2 weeks.
- 5. Deliver the consultancy, only after the voucher is issued. The consultancy may only begin once EURONORM has issued the innovation voucher. Keep day-by-day documentation (date, place, content, signatures) up to date throughout.
- 6. Billing and statement of use. You pay only your own share (50%) to the consultancy. The consultancy submits the consultancy report, day records, invoice and proof of payment to EURONORM and settles the funded share directly.
How upsmart helps
We match your project against the go-inno-specific SME thresholds, including linked and partner companies, check whether you have already exhausted the annual ceiling of five vouchers and €20,000, and keep an eye on the voucher issue date so no early start endangers your funding. We put the draft application in front of you; your team approves it.
Combining it with other programmes
Combining it with other funding programmes (ZIM, WIPANO, state programmes) is possible in principle, provided the same consultancy services aren't funded twice (no. 2.3 (b) of the guideline). go-digital (digitalisation consultancy) and go-inno (innovation consultancy) can be used in parallel for clearly separated advisory content.
Frequently asked questions
Small companies with fewer than 100 employees and annual turnover or a balance sheet total of no more than €20m, in each case including linked and partner companies. The company has to have an operating site or branch in Germany and be pursuing a product or technical process innovation. Companies in the agriculture and fisheries sectors are excluded.
50% of the eligible consultancy costs. The eligible daily rate is capped at €1,100 per day. Service level 1 (potential analysis) funds up to 8 days, which gives up to €5,500 in grant. Service level 2 (implementation concept) funds up to 25 days, which gives up to €13,750 in grant. Per company and calendar year, a maximum of 5 vouchers and €20,000 in total funding is possible.
No. You don't file a funding application with an authority yourself. The authorised consultancy applies to EURONORM for the innovation voucher. You provide master data and self-declarations. Once the voucher is issued, the consultancy delivers the work and settles the funded share directly with EURONORM. You pay only your own 50% share to the consultancy.
Service level 1 (potential analysis) covers up to 8 days and includes a strengths and weaknesses analysis, a marketability check and financing planning. Service level 2 (implementation concept) covers up to 25 days and includes technology assessment, innovation development and preparation for further funding programmes. The two levels can be used individually or one after the other.
In principle yes, for instance with ZIM, WIPANO or state programmes. The condition: the same consultancy service may not be funded twice. go-digital (digitalisation consultancy) and go-inno can be used in parallel where the advisory content is clearly separated.
Read on in the blog
Funding strategy across the innovation process
Primary sources
- BMWE — go-inno programme page (flyer)— Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)
- EURONORM — go-inno programme portal— EURONORM GmbH (project management agency on behalf of the BMWE)
- EURONORM — the go-inno funding model— EURONORM GmbH
- EURONORM — go-inno consultant search— EURONORM GmbH
- Funding guideline for BMWi innovation vouchers (go-inno) of 20 November 2020 (PDF)— EURONORM GmbH / BMWK
- Bundesanzeiger — BAnz AT 26.11.2020 B2 (full text of the funding guideline)— Bundesanzeiger
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