The people behind your application
Dr. MarcelAlbrecht
Consultant
Funding for digitalisation, IT and software development
Digital and IT teams are expected to deliver fast and build systems that last. What used to be enough, namely shipping features quickly, now has to hold up under regulatory requirements, scale economically under AI and data loads, and stand up to clear cost and impact criteria. A large share of this work can qualify for funding, but it is rarely recognised as such in day-to-day practice because it does not always look like classic research.
The developments shaping your roadmap
Three developments sit behind most roadmaps we see, across Europe alike.
Regulation reaches into the architecture. Requirements around data, cyber resilience and trustworthy AI shape architecture, interfaces and test concepts from the outset. That is genuine development work, not pure compliance.
AI has become infrastructure, not a feature. What matters is the foundation it requires: data pipelines, model integration, monitoring, governance and operational reliability.
The cost of digitalisation is a leadership topic. Cloud, compute, licences and energy demand influence scalability, margin and investment decisions, so teams must show efficiency as well as functionality.
Software and application development
New algorithms, significant improvements in performance, scalability or stability, and platform work that requires genuine experimentation, not just the implementation of known patterns.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
The development or substantial adaptation of models and of the technical systems that make AI reliable, traceable and economically usable.
Data architecture and analytics
Real-time and high-volume architectures, privacy-preserving processing and analytics platforms that go beyond the capabilities of common standard tools.
Cybersecurity and resilience
Protection, detection and recovery methods whose effectiveness first has to be developed, tested and demonstrated.
Efficiency and sustainable IT
Development work on computing and energy efficiency where the effect cannot be derived from known methods.
The programmes behind it
What to watch out for in this sector
In digital and IT projects, the funding potential often lies not in the subject itself but in the technical uncertainty behind it. This is exactly where most stumbling blocks arise in practice.
01
Routine instead of development
Many projects are described as software development but read in the application like implementation, configuration or integration of known solutions. A project only becomes eligible once it is clear which technical uncertainty had to be resolved and why standard tools or known patterns were not sufficient.
02
Too little delimitation of the development share
Digital projects often contain mixed activities: architecture, prototyping, testing, UX, data modelling, operations, maintenance and rollout run close together. If it is not cleanly separated which work is genuine development and which belongs to day-to-day business, the eligible share is frequently reduced.
03
Unclear evidence for development time
In software projects, working time is usually the most important cost block. Without traceable time recording, sprint documentation, tickets, work packages or technical decision records, it is difficult to evidence later who worked on which R&D element and when.
How we work
We do not start with the application but with your roadmap: which parts of your digital and IT projects contain real technical uncertainty, and which belong to normal delivery? Our specialists understand both the funding programmes and the evaluation practice in software, data and AI projects. Digital and AI-supported systems help us screen programmes more broadly, keep deadlines in view and keep evidence structured. The assessment of eligibility and the technical argument, however, remain with our experts.
STEP 1
Review the projects.
We analyse your roadmap and separate eligible development work from routine work, operations and standard implementation.
STEP 2
Match the programmes.
We map the eligible parts to the appropriate instruments at regional, national and European level.
STEP 3
Build the applications.
We write against the actual evaluation criteria, not against the project description.
STEP 4
Protect what is awarded.
We keep the documentation audit-ready throughout the entire funded period.
The people behind your application
Dr. MichaelJung
Consultant
The people behind your application
Dr. NavinaDahmke
Senior Consultant
The people behind your application
Dr. PriyankaDas
Consultant
The people behind your application
Dr. RichardNelz
Manager
Numbers you can hold us to
Resources & Insights
Wegener Härtetechnik
Wegener Härtetechnik is a specialist heat treatment service provider and is developing an innovative hardening process for applications in the automotive industry.
Diese 10 Förderprogramme lassen KMU häufig liegen
Zehn Fördermöglichkeiten, die kleine und mittlere Unternehmen häufig übersehen — von der steuerlichen Forschungszulage über ZIM und IGP bis zum EIC Accelerator.
SaJo Consulting
SaJo Consulting GmbH develops tailor-made software solutions for demanding business requirements. To enable companies to use artificial intelligence securely, the company planned to develop an AI platform of its own.
Working with Ignite Group took a great deal of pressure off us. Thanks to […] their expertise, we always felt confident that our funding application was in the best hands.
If you have big ideas but don’t want to invest blindly: Phase 1 is your reality check – with funding instead of your own risk.
Working with Ignite was structured and reliable throughout. The holistic approach was particularly helpful […]. We are very satisfied with the result and are happy to keep working with Ignite.
By goal rather than by industry
Already know what this is about? Switch to the matching objective.
- Build Strategic Resilience Become less dependent on individual funding sources and absorb volatility with confidence. With non-dilutive capital that strengthens your balance sheet and secures your strategy.
- Accelerate R&D and Innovation Develop faster without carrying the budget alone. We connect innovation funding to your roadmap, so your teams keep building instead of managing applications.
- Optimise Your Funding Mix Build funding into your financing as a plannable component, not an occasional windfall. A funding mix your CFO can count on.
- Stay Audit-Ready and Compliant Keep the capital you have been awarded. Typically, 30–40 percent of funding value is lost after the award. We secure documentation and audit trail from day one.
Ready to secure your funding?
Find out what your business has been entitled to all along.