Healthtech companies in Luxembourg can benefit from a wide array of national and European funding tools for research, development and innovation. Benjamin Questier, Director R&D and Innovation Support at national innovation agency Luxinnovation, provides an overview of existing support measures and how Luxinnovation can help.
Mr Questier, what is the first step for a healthtech business looking for funding?
Benjamin Questier: For us, the starting point is always the company itself – not the different funding programmes. We always begin with discussing the company’s strategy, development plans and R&D and innovation projects. After assessing its size, maturity, ambitions and means, we are able to determine the funding tools that would be most interesting and relevant in each specific case.
For companies that want to launch projects in the short term in order to get results relatively quickly, national support measures are often the right match. The Ministry of the Economy offers a range of funding measures, including R&D projects and programmes, innovation aid for SMEs and aid for young innovative enterprises, to mention just a few examples. Applications can be submitted at any time and all eligible projects can be funded.
European funding tools such as Horizon Europe, the EU’s framework programme for research and innovation, can be very interesting for companies with a longer time perspective that are willing to work with partners in other countries. The application process is longer as it implies finding the right thematic call for proposals and setting up an international partnership, but funding rates are very attractive and often go up to 100% of real project costs. Participants also benefit from the expertise and experience of their project partners.
In many cases, a combination of different tools is the best solution: the company can launch its first R&D and innovation project with national funding, and then work in parallel on preparing a subsequent European project that would help it take the next step forward.
What are the most interesting funding opportunities for healthtech companies in Horizon Europe?
There are a multitude of opportunities, but the funding provided under “Cluster 1: Health” is of course highly relevant. Calls for proposals cover topics related to health throughout the life course, environmental and social health determinants, non-communicable and rare diseases, infectious diseases, health care systems, and tools, technologies and digital solutions for health and care. Another relevant Horizon Europe component is the Innovative Health Initiative, which funds projects aimed at translating health research and innovation into tangible benefits for patients and society and ensuring that Europe remains at the cutting edge of health research.
The Horizon Europe-funded European Innovation Council is particularly interesting for start-ups. It supports the commercialisation of high-risk, high-impact technologies and game-changing innovations, and focuses on healthtech and deeptech. Selected start-ups can receive up to €2.5 million of funding as well as a potential equity investment of up to €15 million, and the application process is fast and simple.
Horizon Europe, the Digital Europe programme, the European Defence Fund and the European Defence Agency all provide funding in the field of defence that can be interesting for healthtech businesses. Their focus is often on dual-use applications, notably related to health, which are relevant for both defence and civil society. Topics can include prevention, diagnostics and treatment as well as transport and the monitoring of contaminations and injuries, for example.
How can you help companies looking for funding?
In addition to identifying the most suitable funding tools, which I already mentioned, we can explain how to prepare complete and well-structured national funding applications that have high chances of being funded. For Horizon Europe, we can help identify calls for proposals that correspond to what the companies want to do, find the right international partners and review draft proposals to ensure that they fulfil all requirements. We also have a team member who focuses specifically on informing Luxembourg organisations about European defence funding programmes.
Are there any funding opportunities for companies that want to conduct national R&D and innovation projects in partnership with Luxembourg’s public research organisations?
Yes, for sure: the Ministry of the Economy can provide additional funding to companies carrying out their R&D projects or programmes in cooperation with a public research centre. In 2021, the Ministry of the Economy, the Luxembourg National Research Fund and Luxinnovation also initiated joint calls for public-private research projects. These calls focus on topics that are of national interest, and the very first one focused on digital health technologies. It provided an opportunity for innovative companies and researchers to do clinical tests together with hospitals in order to validate new solutions that could have a real impact on society. This new tool proved to be a real asset in our efforts to create a national ecosystem that favours healthtech innovation.
This article was first published in the Silicon Luxembourg magazine. Get your copy.
