The third call for funding for joint Saxon-Czech research and development (R&D) projects starts tomorrow, Thursday, with publication in the Saxon Official Gazette. Thematically, it addresses the areas of life sciences, semiconductor technologies and intelligent and sustainable mobility. The Free State is providing a funding budget of five million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and state funds for this purpose.
The call is part of the "ERDF/JTF Technology Funding 2021 to 2027" funding guideline and is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Saxony. SMEs in Saxony can also carry out the research and development projects together with large companies and research institutions in Saxony. The application and approval centre for the Saxon project parts is the Sächsische Aufbaubank - Förderbank - (SAB). The Czech partners are being funded as part of a synchronous call for funding by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TACR) from the Czech funding programme "SIGMA".
Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Panter: "The current Europe Weeks are a good occasion to launch the third call for funding for further R&D cooperation between Saxony and our neighbouring country, the Czech Republic. In this way, we are intensifying cooperation in strategically important areas of technology. Cross-border cooperation not only strengthens the innovative power and internationalisation of our companies, but also lives the European idea of a common, competitive economic region in the middle of Europe."
For Saxon applicants, the call is open until 9 July 2025. Saxon partners can find more information on the call, the funding requirements and conditions and the option to submit a digital application via the SAB funding portal on the SAB website (see link).Under the two previous calls from 2023 and 2024, ten cross-border project consortia have received funding to date. These are dedicated, for example, to researching methods for utilising waste heat during the charging process of electric cars, developing new methods for increasing efficiency in the manufacturing process through the use of artificial intelligence or developing a hydrogen-powered small vehicle. The Free State of Saxony and the European Union are funding the 22 participating companies and research institutions from Saxony with a total of 6.35 million euros."Saxony is using funds from the European Regional Development Fund as part of Saxony's technology funding programme to strengthen cooperation between industry and science. Both countries will benefit in the long term from cooperation between Saxon and Czech companies on joint innovations," said Dirk Panter.
Background: Saxon technology funding
Saxony has been supporting companies in the Free State for many years with technology and sector-open technology funding for research and development of new, innovative products and processes, technology transfer to companies and the development of personnel capacities, providing a total of around 700 million euros for this purpose. In the 2021 to 2027 funding period, Saxony is supplementing the application process with calls for thematic or regional priorities.
The R&D project funding programme provides Saxon companies with support for innovative, technology-oriented R&D projects that serve to develop new or improved products and processes. Collaborative R&D projects support the co-operation of Saxon SMEs with other companies, research institutions or universities in the Free State of Saxony. Further information on the support options offered by Saxony's technology funding programme can be found on the SAB website (see link).
Press release from "Medienservice Sachsen" from 07/05/2025
