Frequently Asked Questions Fit 4 Start

Are there any HPC & Data Analytics track-specific partners involved in the programme?

LuxProvide S.A. collaborates on and provides support to the programme through its offering, free of charge to a maximum of 5 selected candidates, of a start-up package to use its high-performance computing infrastructure (technical details are available in the MeluXina User Documentation (lxp.lu)), including:

750 node-hours (128 cores) of CPU calculation or 260 GPU node-hours (4 GPUs) s of GPU calculation.
50 TB of storage
25 TB of backup
Up to 2 days of L1/L2 support

Are there any HPC & Data Analytics specific eligibility criteria?

Yes, the HPC & Data Analytics vertical is open to innovative projects or young innovative start-ups from around the world that meet on top of the standard programme eligibility criteria (as described in the guidelines) all the following supplemental criteria:

The applicant must be active in a sector(s) requiring HPC & Data Analytics services or support.
The applicant must have software able to take advantage of HPC capacities readily available (even if in a MVP form).
The applicant must have the necessary expertise, meaning that at least one person of the applicant team must have basic knowledge in using Linux systems and common command line tools as well as working knowledge of running jobs on HPC systems.
If the focus is on data analytics, the applicant must have either a) a medium to large dataset or b) a test dataset and a plan to acquire a large dataset within the duration of the coaching phase of the programme.

The organiser will perform all necessary due diligence reviews in order to ensure compliance with the above eligibility criteria.

What happens if I do not comply with the HPC & Data Analytics track-specific eligibility criteria?

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.

Does the HPC & Data Analytics track come with any specificities concerning the grant from the Ministry of Economy?

Yes, in order for participants to have access to this grant, the following supplemental grant conditions are applicable to such vertical on top of the standard programme grant conditions (as described in the guidelines):

Out of the first instalment of the grant of EUR 50.000, participants must spend a minimum of 20% (EUR 10.000) within one year from the start of the programme on the utilisation of HPC and/or Data Analytics resources procured from the EU based provider of their choice.
Out of the second instalment and the final balance of the grant of EUR 100.000, participants must spend a minimum of 20% (EUR 20.000) within two years from the start of the programme on the utilisation of HPC and/or Data Analytics resources procured from the EU based provider of their choice.

What is the structure of the Fit 4 Start HPC & Data Analytics coaching phase?

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.

On the eligibility requirements

Does my start-up need to be younger than 1 year in order to be eligible for the programme?

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.

Does my start-up need to be a small enterprise in order to be eligible for the programme?

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.

Is my company eligible to the programme if it has received public aid in the past?

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.

Is it possible for a solo founder to apply to the programme?

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 coaching sessions and Steering Committees during the Coaching Phase of the Programme and being responsible to develop the start-up’s substance & operations in Luxembourg

Are early-stage start-ups at ideation stage eligible for the programme?

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.

Is it mandatory to have my company already incorporated in Luxembourg at the time of programme application? What if my company is already incorporated in another jurisdiction?

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’.

Is it possible to apply with two or more different projects to Fit 4 Start?

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.

Is it possible to apply with a non-profit organisation to Fit 4 Start?

No. The Fit 4 Start programme targets for-profit start-ups/projects.

Useful contacts and references

Administrative/Company creation

HOUSE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

14, rue Erasme
L-1468 Luxembourg-Kirchberg

Website: https://www.houseofentrepreneurship.lu

Phone: +352 42 39 39 – 330

E-mail: info@houseofentrepreneurship.lu

GUICHET.LU

Website:

https://guichet.public.lu

Programme Partner

TECHNOPORT SA

9, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux
L-4362 Esch-sur-Alzette

Website : http://www.technoport.lu/
Phone: +352 54 55 80 - 1

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

LUXEMBOURG-CITY INCUBATOR

9 rue du Laboratoire
1911 Luxembourg

Website : https://www.cityincubator.lu/
Phone: +352 288 101 01
E-mail : community@cityincubator.lu

LUXPROVIDE S.A.

3, Op der Poukewiss

L-7795 Bissen

Website: https://luxprovide.lu/

Phone: +352 27 61 68 1

E-mail: info@lxp.lu

LUXEMBOURG HOUSE OF CYBERSECURITY
122, Rue Adolphe Fischer
L-1521 Luxembourg
Website: https://lhc.lu/
Phone: +352 274 00 98 601
E-mail: info@lxp.lu

LUXEMBOURG HOUSE OF FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY
9, rue du Laboratoire
L-1911 Luxembourg
Website: https://lhoft.com/
Phone: +352 28 81 02 01
E-mail: info@lhoft.lu

How will the coaching sessions and programme related activities be organised if my project is selected?

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.

Which incubators are available for Fit 4 Start participants?

Start-ups that participate in the Fit 4 Start programme can generally choose among the Technoport S.A., the Luxembourg-City Incubator, and the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology. They are official partners of the programme and offer the possibility to register your start-up on the address of their premises.

Where do the coaching sessions take place?

The coaching sessions can take place in the premises of Luxinnovation, the Technoport S.A., the Luxembourg-City Incubator, and the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology . Please note that this indication is preliminary, and the final coaching location is subject to individual planning.

Is it mandatory to physically attend all organised sessions?

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.

What happens if I cannot attend organised sessions or steering committees?

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.

What is the structure of the Fit 4 Start coaching phase?

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.

How much time per month has to be reserved for Fit 4 Start related activities?

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.

Is it possible to be excluded from the Fit 4 Start programme?

Non-compliance with any of the programme guidelines, requirements and/or commitments as well as any use of fraudulent methods or false/misleading information or behaviour circumventing the programme guidelines will lead, by decision of the Organiser, to the participant’s immediate exclusion from the programme.

Any participant who engages in immoral / non-ethical / illegal activities including attempts to tamper with the entry process will be immediately disqualified.

Non-compliant participants will first receive two written warnings by e-mail from the organiser before being officially excluded from the programme.

A compulsory programme exclusion has immediate effect and will lead automatically for the participant to:

the immediate termination of the programme;
the immediate loss of all rights, benefits and advantages related to the programme;
impacts on the grant.

Any compulsory Programme exclusion will be promptly and duly notified in writing and via registered mail by the organiser to the participant.

What happens if I voluntarily early exit or abandon the programme?

Any voluntary early exit from or abandon by a participant of the programme, including the relevant coaching phase, has to be duly notified in writing by the exiting participant to the organiser. Any such voluntary early exit or abandon will entail the relevant participant’s immediate termination of the programme and as such result in:

the immediate loss of all rights, benefits and advantages related to the programme;
impacts on the grant.

Any voluntary early programme exit or abandon will be promptly and duly acknowledged in writing by the organiser.

Where do the pitching sessions take place?

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.

What do I need to include in my pitch deck for the Digital Pitching & Graduation Day?

While there are no prerequisites regarding content, we kindly ask you to comply with the following:

Presentation in English (the timing may be adjusted freely by the Organiser for each focus area. Time will be strictly monitored and pitches beyond the fixed time will be interrupted);
Q&A session.

Upon request, a pitch deck template can be provided.

What is the purpose and legal foundation of the grant?

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.

Who can obtain the grant?

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.

Is the grant from the Ministry of the Economy subject to an equity participation in my company?

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.

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?

The first instalment of EUR 50.000 is accessible to participants in accordance with the following conditions:

This grant is divided into 3 tranches (2 instalments and the final balance), which are each subject to the following access conditions to be achieved by the applicant company:

a. The first instalment of EUR 50.000 is accessible to Participants in accordance with the following conditions:

The Participants need to have their company established in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and obtain their business permit, meaning:
1. For start-ups which are not yet incorporated in Luxembourg at the time of their selection: the commercial company must (i) be incorporated within 9 months from the beginning of the Fit 4 Start Programme and (ii) have at the time of its aid application a minimum issued capital of EUR 15.000 (contributions in cash, fully paid-up) and be able to demonstrate a minimum of EUR 15.000 of cash available to the company to develop its activities.
2. F or start-ups which are already incorporated in Luxembourg at the time of their selection: the commercial company must have at the time of its aid application a minimum issued capital of EUR 15.000 (contributions in cash, fully paid-up) and be able to demonstrate a minimum of EUR 15.000 of cash available to the company to develop its activities.
A company already incorporated by a Participant should be no older than 5 years at the opening date of the respective Fit 4 Start call.
Participants have 9 months as of the beginning of the Programme to submit an application for the first instalment of the aid.
Participants have to submit a detailed budget concerning the use of the first instalment of the aid of EUR 50.000 and the minimum EUR 15.000 of issued capital in compliance with the categories of eligible costs defined under item B. below. Participants have 15 months to spend a minimum of EUR 50.000 of their available funds as of the beginning of the Programme.
Selected participants must be at least 18 years of age as of the starting date of the Programme and need to have a team consisting of at least two people of which at least one will work 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 operations out of Luxembourg.

b. The second instalment of EUR 80.000 is only accessible to successful graduates of the Coaching Phase in accordance with the following conditions:

Graduates have successfully managed to raise a minimum of EUR 50.000 of private equity and to perform a formal capital increase in the Luxembourg commercial company (contributions in cash, fully paid-up), within the period of 12 months from the start of the Programme.
The company has at least 2 full time employees at the time of its application for the second instalment of the aid.
Graduates have spent a minimum of EUR 50.000 within the period of 15 months from the start of the Programme in accordance with their initially submitted budget concerning the use of the first instalment of the aid.
Graduates have 16 months as of the beginning of the Programme to submit an application for the second instalment of the aid and their associated interim project report.
Graduates have to submit an updated budget for the second instalment and the final balance of the aid for a total of EUR 100.000 and the minimum EUR 50.000 of private equity in compliance with the categories of eligible costs defined under item B. below.

c. The final balance of EUR 20.000 is only accessible to successful graduates of the Coaching Phase in accordance with the following conditions:

Graduates have benefited from the first two instalments of the aid.
Graduates have spent in total a minimum of EUR 150.000 of their available funds within the period of 24 months from the start of the Programme, according to the updated budget submitted for the second instalment and the final balance of the aid.
Graduates have 25 months as of the beginning of the Programme to submit an application for the final balance of the aid and their associated final project report.

What needs to be further considered concerning the grant from the Ministry of Economy?

Payment of each instalment of the aid will be subject to a positive assessment by the Initiator of the interim or final project reports submitted by the Participant. In addition, these reports should highlight deviations observed between the initial planning and the further development/progress of the supported project. The Initiator reserves the right to request any supplementary information in order to verify the effective implementation of the supported Fit 4 Start project.

As part of proper compliance with eligibility and aid payment conditions, Participants have to submit the following project reports:

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

Furthermore, the Participants’ attention is drawn to the following facts:

By submitting an application, the Participant accepts that refusal of / non-compliance with the submission of an interim or the final project report may result in the loss of eligibility for this state aid and the immediate reimbursement of the amount of the grant paid, plus applicable legal interest.
By submitting an application, the Participant accepts that, in the event of non-graduation from the Coaching Phase or unsuccessful raise of a minimum of EUR 50.000 of private equity, the Participant is still required to submit to the Initiator within the period mentioned above an interim project report relating to the use of the first instalment of the aid of EUR 50,000. Refusal of / non-compliance with the submission of such interim project report may result in the loss of eligibility for this state aid and the immediate reimbursement of the amount of the grant paid, plus applicable legal interest.
By submitting an application, the Participant accepts that, in the event of a voluntary early exit from or abandon of the Programme by the Participant, participation to the Programme will cease as from the date of such event and any outstanding aid payments be immediately suspended.
By submitting an application, the Participant accepts that, in the event of a compulsory exclusion of the Participant from the Programme, participation to the Programme will cease as from the date of such event and any outstanding aid payments be immediately suspended.
By submitting an application, the Participant accepts that any voluntary early exit from or abandon of the Programme by the Participant or any compulsory exclusion occurring after the receipt of any instalment of the aid still requires the submission to the Initiator of an interim project report detailing, among others, the use of the aid instalment(s) received. Such project report should be submitted by the Participant within one month following the date of the relevant exit event. Refusal of / non-compliance with the submission of such interim project report may result in the loss of eligibility for this state aid and the immediate reimbursement of the amount of the grant paid, plus applicable legal interest.
By submitting an application, the Participant accepts that, in the event of bankruptcy, judicial or voluntary liquidation of the Participant, participation to the Programme will cease as from the date of such event and any outstanding aid payments be immediately suspended.
By submitting an application, the Participant accepts that any misuse and/or the disbursement of the aid received in discord with the budget submitted and/or the categories of eligible costs described here below may result in the loss of eligibility for this state aid and the immediate reimbursement of the amount of the grant paid, plus applicable legal interest.

Regarding the appropriate accounting and/or tax treatments of the grant, Participants should consult their fiduciary/accountant and/or tax advisor.

When do I need to conduct the fundraising of EUR 50.000 related to the second instalment (EUR 80.000)?

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.

What are the categories of eligible costs in the scope of Fit 4 Start?

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.

What are the deadlines for submitting my grant applications to the Ministry of the Economy?

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?’.

At a glance, what are the relevant steps to take in the grant application process?

Incorporate your company in Luxembourg and obtain your business permit;
Send your grant application and all relevant documents to Luxinnovation for review;
Submit your complete grant application file to the Ministry of the Economy once you have received feedback from Luxinnovation.

FAQs

🆕 On the HPC & Data Analytics track

On the eligibility requirements

Useful contacts and references

On the initial 6 months of the programme (The "Coaching Phase")

On the pitching sessions

On the public grant

Still have questions ?

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