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The applicant must comply with all of the HPC & Data Analytics track-specific eligibility criteria to be eligible for the track. If your start-up does not comply with all of the criteria, we would kindly advise you to consider applying for any of the other verticals.
As for the traditional verticals, the Fit 4 Start HPC & Data Analytics track offers a 6-month acceleration opportunity with 4 coaching blocks & steering committee meetings respectively – makes 4 building blocks in total. While common expert sessions are organised for all Fit 4 Start participants, the individual coaching sessions will be tailored to the specific needs and requirements of your startup.
During the programme, startups in the HPC & Data Analytics-track may experience certain touchpoints with the traditional verticals when it comes to coaching sessions and other programme activities.
No. It can however not be older than 5 years at the opening date of the respective Fit 4 Start call. For non-autonomous entities, the assessment is performed at the applicant group level.
Yes, the Fit 4 Start aid is only accessible to small sized companies. For the purpose of assigning the Fit 4 Start aid, the small sized enterprise definition, as stipulated in annex I in the Commission regulation (EU) N° 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty, applies.
Single undertakings that already benefitted from a ‘de minimis’ aid and that with the Fit 4 Start aid would surpass the ceiling of EUR 200.000 over any period of three fiscal years are not eligible, as stipulated in article 3 of the law of 20 December 2019 having as objective the implementation of a de minimis aid scheme.
Yes, but the applicant team must be composed of a minimum of two people, with at least one person working full time on the realisation of the project, attending all sessions during the Coaching Phase of the Programme and being responsible to develop the start-up’s Luxembourg substance & operations.
Although it is not a requirement to have a minimum viable product (‘MVP’) when applying, start-ups that have already developed one are strongly preferred.
There is no prerequisite for applicants to have incorporated a company at the application stage. It is however not an issue if your company is already incorporated outside of Luxembourg.
Once selected as participant to the programme and in order to be eligible for the grant (2 instalments and the final balance) from the Ministry of the Economy, you will need to create a company in Luxembourg and obtain your business permit. For further information on the grant, please consult the chapter ‘On the public grant’.
You can submit one application per edition only and it is not possible to be selected for the programme with multiple projects. However, if you are not selected for participation, it is possible to re-apply to another Fit 4 Start edition.
No. The Fit 4 Start programme targets for-profit start-ups/projects.
E-mail : incubator@technoport.lu / coworking@technoport.lu
LUXEMBOURG SPACE AGENCY
19-21, boulevard Royal
L-2449 Luxembourg
Website : https://space-agency.public.lu/
Phone: +352 288 482 10
E-mail : info@space-agency.lu
Website : https://www.cityincubator.lu/
Phone: +352 288 101 01
E-mail : community@cityincubator.lu
It is mandatory to be physically present in Luxembourg for the coaching sessions and steering committee meetings. We also highly recommend you staying here during the Coaching Phase of the programme in order to benefit from additional opportunities, networking and events in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and to get acquainted with the local life. Some programme activities may be organised digitally. You will receive an invitation for each activity a few weeks beforehand.
Start-ups that participate in the Fit 4 Start programme can generally choose between the Technoport and Luxembourg-City Incubator. Both incubators are official partners of the programme and offer the possibility to register your start-up on the address of their premises.
The coaching sessions can take place in the premises of Luxinnovation, the Technoport S.A. or the Luxembourg-City Incubator. Please note that this indication is preliminary and the final coaching location is subject to individual planning.
Yes, all sessions organised during the Fit 4 Start programme are mandatory and physical attendance is required. Commitment to the programme and attendance to all sessions is a key criterion to a successful completion of the programme.
Any failure by a participant to meet any of the guidelines and/or commitments of the programme will lead, by decision of the Organiser, to his/her exclusion, implying the loss of all rights and benefits related to the Fit 4 Start programme.
The Fit 4 Start coaching phase is a 6-month acceleration opportunity with 4 coaching blocks & steering committee meetings respectively – makes 4 building blocks in total. While common expert sessions are organised for all Fit 4 Start participants, the individual coaching sessions will be tailored to the specific needs and requirements of your start-up.
You can expect 3 to 4 full days of coaching as well as 2 to 3 days of reporting duties per building block (i.e. coaching report, a progress report between 2 steering committees and a one-month review presentation before each steering committee). This includes both expert sessions and individual coaching sessions. Furthermore, you should reserve 1 additional full day per month for steering committee meetings.
You should also take into account the time required to set and develop your business in Luxembourg.
Please note that this is an indication only and the final amount of time to reserve is subject to individual planning.
The Pitching Sessions will take place in person in Luxembourg. However, the Organiser reserves the right to change at any time to remote sessions, if deemed necessary (e.g. change in the epidemiological situation). Upon receiving the Applicant’s confirmation to attend the Pitching Sessions, the exact date, time, and additional relevant information will be communicated in due course.
While there are no prerequisites regarding content, we kindly ask you to comply with the following:
Upon request, a pitch deck template can be provided.
The programme supports the participants in getting started in Luxembourg by giving access to a grant up to EUR150,000 made available by the Ministry of the Economy in accordance with the law of 20 December 2019 having as objective the implementation of a de minimis aid scheme.
Only a legal person, meaning a company duly established in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and having its business permit can have access to the grant. It is impossible for a natural person to access the grant.
No. The grant from the Ministry of the Economy is not subject to any equity participation in your start-up. Please consult the question below, for the conditions related to obtaining the 3 tranches (2 instalments and the final balance) of EUR 50.000 / EUR 80.000 / EUR 20.000.
The first instalment of EUR 50.000 is accessible to participants in accordance with the following conditions:
The second instalment of EUR 80.000 is only accessible to successful graduates of the coaching phase in accordance with the following conditions:
The final balance of EUR 20.000 is only accessible to successful graduates of the coaching phase in accordance with the following conditions:
Status |
Report |
Latest filing deadline |
All participants |
Interim project report |
16 months as of the beginning of the programme |
Graduates |
Final project rapport |
25 months as of the beginning of the programme |
Graduates should successfully manage to raise a minimum of EUR 50.000 of private equity within the period of one year from the start of the programme.
Eligible costs, all of which have to be in direct relation with the realization of the applicant company’s Fit 4 Start project, are categorized as follows:
Category |
Description |
Personnel costs |
Remuneration and social contributions of technical and non-technical staff dedicated to the project. |
Technical and development costs |
Rent/acquisition of technical equipment/software, certifications, IP protection, regulatory advice, procurement of specific technical expertise. |
Testing costs |
Procurement and execution of product/service testing (ex: renting of environmental testing facilities or specific test environments, procurement of testing services, laboratory tests, clinical trials, etc.). |
Data acquisition costs |
Procurement of specific data and/or databases. |
Customer discovery costs |
User experience analysis, sales related activities. |
Facilities & Infrastructure costs
|
Rent of laboratory and/or office space, IT infrastructure, Cloud and HPC usage, etc. |
General & Administration costs
|
Telecommunication, accounting, insurance, legal advice, etc. |
For the purpose of proper expenses verification and prior to the release of the second instalment and the final balance of the aid the participant must submit a report (or extract from its accounting records) having been duly certified by an external auditor showing all aforementioned project related expenses.
The participant’s attention is drawn to the fact that additional information can be requested by the Ministry of the Economy at its sole discretion in order to verify all respective project costs and/or other financial data prior to the release of the respective aid instalment.
Ineligible costs:
Are considered among others as “ineligible costs” any cost (i) occurred before the start of the Fit 4 Start Programme, (ii) before the incorporation of the company which applied for the state aid, (iii) not directly related to the respective Fit 4 Start project as well as (iv) any financial cost (ex: reimbursement and/or interest payments related to any type of loan, etc.). The heretofore-enumerated items constitute a non-exhaustive list only and costs other than those categorized as “eligible” have to be duly considered on a case-by-case basis.Please refer to the question ‘Which conditions are linked to receiving the first instalment of EUR 50.000 and how can the second instalment of EUR 80.000 as well as the final balance of EUR 20.000 be unlocked?’.