The people behind your application
Dr. MarcoNesarajah
Senior Manager
Innovation funding: fund your roadmap without giving up equity
When budgets tighten, the first reflex is usually to limit the scope of development projects. That slows down exactly the work that would make the difference tomorrow. Public research funding applies precisely here. It turns development work from a pure cost block into a forecastable cash flow, without diluting your equity, and protects your technological lead.
Why research funding protects your roadmap
Development costs time, people and capital. When capital gets tight, the cuts usually land on the exploratory projects with the greatest potential. Research funding creates room for exactly those: for development time, prototypes, tests and the detours that belong to any serious development work.
The effect is not only financial. Teams that know part of the development cost is covered plan differently: longer test series, more variants, fewer premature stops. Innovation stops being a cost block you defend every budget round and becomes a forecastable, non-dilutive layer behind the roadmap you already have.
Which instruments carry your research and development
Several instruments are often available at the same time for research and development. We build a funding strategy for your whole project portfolio and check which approach fits which project. The overview below separates instruments by scope.
01
European programmes, available in every market
Horizon Europe: collaborative research and development, usually in multi-country consortia.
EIC Accelerator: market-facing innovation with breakthrough potential, for single companies.
EUREKA Eurostars: international R&D projects by smaller companies. Note that Eurostars is not part of Horizon Europe but draws on its own source.
These programmes offer considerably more volume but ask for more in return: international consortia, longer lead times and substantially more work on the application. Success rates at the top European programmes are markedly lower than for national instruments. A European application should therefore never be the only pillar of your development financing, but the addition to a solid base.
02
German market only
Forschungszulage: a tax-based instrument open to all companies liable to tax in Germany, retroactive for up to four years and without application deadlines. The plannable base of any funding strategy.
ZIM: grant programme for development work by small and medium-sized enterprises, alone or in collaboration.
kmu-innovativ and IGP: thematically targeted calls with their own deadlines.
Since 7 July 2026, ZIM has not been accepting new applications, with the exception of open international calls. Resumption is planned for early 2027.
03
Dutch market only
WBSO: the base instrument, reducing payroll tax for staff working on research and development. Works monthly and also without profit.
MIT R&D: regional tender for collaborative R&D between at least two SMEs, assessed by ranking rather than first come first served.
Innovatiebox, MIT feasibility studies and DHI: further national instruments covering profit from innovation, early feasibility work and international demonstration.
What the funding means for the other roles
How we accelerate your development
Review the roadmap.
We go through your development work and separate what qualifies from routine activity.
Identify the right funding.
Not every programme fits every project. We find the funding that matches your development pipeline and your objectives.
Write a convincing application.
We write against the actual evaluation criteria and present the technical uncertainty so that it is traceable.
Protect what is awarded.
We keep time records, drawdowns and evidence audit-proof throughout the funded period.
The people behind your application
Aniek denTeuling
Medior Consultant
The people behind your application
Dr. ChristianSpengler
Senior Consultant
The people behind your application
AnkoSpoelstra
Senior Consultant
The people behind your application
Dr. ChristophSandhöfer
Consultant
Figures you can hold us to
Resources & Insights
TSD Tooling & Precision
Tools that are accurate to within a thousandth of a millimetre: that calls for research, development and expensive prototypes. With the WBSO (the Dutch R&D tax credit) and Ignite Group’s technical knowledge, TSD…
Turning Innovation into Predictable Cash Flow
How CFOs use public funding programmes as a strategic financial tool
Schuurman Schoenen
A family business with 650 employees, 49 stores and the conviction that the person behind the product is what counts. Together with Ignite Group, Schuurman Schoenen translated that vision into its own academy, more…
I only need to supply the necessary documents and Ignite Group takes care of the rest. It gives us the freedom to focus on developing our technology and selling our products.
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.
Without the knowledge of ‘grant-speak’ and the speed of action, we would never have pulled this off.
Rather start with your industry?
Every industry has its own programmes, deadlines and priorities. Find funding along your sector rather than your objective.
FAQs about funding advisory
View all FAQsReady to secure your funding?
Find out what your business has been entitled to all along.