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Matchmaking: IGSTC Call-2025 on Advanced Materials

Virtual, India

2+2 Projects Call 2025

IGSTC intends to catalyse innovation centric R&D&I projects by synergising the strength of research/academic institution and public/private industry from India and Germany. This Call for proposals is aimed at supporting joint R&D&I projects of industrial relevance by means of “2+2 Mode of Partnership” i.e. involvement of at least one research/academic institute and one public/private industry from both the countries. Project proposals are expected to provide insights and exploitable research results leading to new technologies, products, processes, patents and/or services.

Applicants from public and private non-profit research organisations, public and private institutions of higher education, universities and public or private companies having R&D bases are eligible to submit an application. Principal investigators should be holding a regular/permanent position. Applications of SME´s are encouraged.

Funding will be provided in the form of grants amounting up to ₹ 350 Lakhs per project for Indian partners (including up to INR 150 Lakhs for industry subject to the matching contribution from industry) and up to € 500.000 per project for German partners, for a period of up to three years, to cover project related costs including research staff. An additional funding period of up to two years maybe granted in exceptional cases.

Basic Guidelines:

To apply, applicants have to build a consortium consisting of at least one research/academic institute and one public / private industry from both of the countries. A maximum of three partners from each side is acceptable. Each consortium shall determine one coordinator. All correspondence of IGSTC will be channeled through the coordinator.

The project proposal is expected to provide insights and exploitable research results leading to new technologies, products and/or services. The benefits of partnership should be clearly identifiable.

The project proposal should ensure that all the project partners contribute substantially to and benefit from an equitable and balanced cooperation with adequate protection for intellectual property rights used in and generated during the joint efforts.

IGSTC will execute a two-step evaluation process with the support of a Joint Scientific Committee. Each evaluation step might take up to three months. The projects which are finally selected will be supported by IGSTC initially for a maximum period of three years. An additional funding period of up to two more years may be granted in exceptional cases.

IGSTC intends to catalyse innovation centric R&D&I projects by synergising the strengths of the research/academic institutes and the public/private industries in India and Germany. This Call for proposals is aimed at supporting the joint R&D&I projects of industrial relevance by means of the “2+2 Mode of Partnership” in the overall thematic area of Advanced Materials with subtopics:

New Energy Materials
Sensor Materials and Technologies
Sustainable and resilient buildings
Alternate energy storage systems

The project proposal should have already reached at least Technology Readiness Level 3 (TRL 3).

The funding is provided in the form of grants amounting about Euro 500.000 per project to the German partners and INR 350 Lakhs to the Indian partners (this includes up to INR 150 Lakhs for the Indian industry) including overheads / Projektpauschale. The entire projectfunding will be provided under the umbrella of Indo-German Science &Technology Centre (IGSTC). Financial support for the Indian partners will be released by IGSTC in India and financial support for the German partners will be released through DLR-PT in Germany.

Indian Partners:

Academic/research partner: 100% of its eligible costs in the form of grant to the institutional partner (research/academic).
Industry partner: Upto 50% of its eligible costs in the form of a grant (with a limit of INR 150 Lakhs) to the industry partner. Eligible cost for Indian industry partner means up to INR 150 Lakhs plus matching contribution from industry’s own funding sources.

German Partners:

In principle 100% of the eligible costs in the form of grant to the institutional partner (research/academic). Eligible costs for industry partners are funded in the form of a grant based on De-Minimis or AGVO. For the calculation of the funding quote, the rules by the AGVO have to be applied. For details, see the German Call text. For the research establishments, which receive basic funding from the Federal or State Governments, project funding to cover additional expenditure can be granted only under certain conditions.

Costs for personnel involved in the project
Specific equipment/ demonstration unit/pilot plant including software licensing for the project (equipment that is not part of the applicant’s basic equipment)
Consumables/materials
Mobility costs (international/domestictravel and hospitality cost). Long term (up to three months) exchange visits of young researchers are encouraged.
Networking events (organising project related workshops/brain-storming meetings)
Outsourcing/subcontract
Contingency
Overheads

Indian Partners: Contingency and overhead amounts should be limited to 5% and 10% of the eligible cost, respectively excluding cost of Equipment. The industry partner is not eligible for overhead cost from IGSTC grant.

German Partners: In accordance with German funding procedures, cost-based proposals will be able to ask for overheads, whereas the German Universities are eligible for 20% “Projektpauschale” in case it is a non-profit research project.

IGSTC will execute a two-step evaluation process. Initially, the First Stage Proposals will undergo an eligibility check by the project management team, followed by an evaluation by the Joint Scientific Committee.

In the second step, shortlisted consortia will be requested to submit a more detailed Second Stage Proposals. Consortia will be invited to present their project in front of the Joint Scientific Committee. Based on the written proposal and the presentation the Joint Scientific Committee will give a final recommendation for funding.

The evaluation process will consider:

Compliance to the formal criteria
Scientific quality and originality of the project idea
Feasibility of the project
Scientific credentials and global competitiveness of the partners
Level of contribution of each partner / collaborative interaction and added value
Innovative potential for industrial application(prospects for commercial success / commercial exploitability)

Each evaluation step is expected to take two to three months time.

Applicants from public and private non-profit research organisations, public and private institutions of higher education, universities and public or private industries having R&D bases are eligible to submit an application. Principal investigators should be holding a regular/permanent position. Applications of SME´s are encouraged. One PI from one organization will be considered for an application.

An Indian industry is defined as one which is registered in India with 51% or more ownership held by the citizens of India.

German industry partners need to have a branch office or a commercial unit in Germany.

Also please note:

It is preferred to have a DSIR recognized Indian industry partner in the consortium. In the absence of DSIR recognition certificate, IGSTC shall perform check for technical competency and financial stability of the Indian industry partner following IGSTC’s own norms.
Those who are already having an ongoing 2+2 project with IGSTC (on the Call deadline) are not eligible to apply.

German Applicants: German applicants are strongly advised to read the German call text “Richtlinie zur Förderung von Vorhaben der strategischen Projektförderung mit der Republik Indien unter der Beteiligung von Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft (2+2-Projekte) zum Thema „Neue Werkstoffe und Materialien“ im Rahmen des Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC) which is published in the website of BMBF or in the „Bundesanzeiger“. The German call text forms the legal basis for applicants from Germany.

Indian Applicants: An industry is required to make a matching contribution – at least 50%, as a rule – towards its eligible project costs. The remaining funding up to 50% of the projected cost (with a limit of INR 150 Lakhs) can be supported as a grant (on prevailing terms and conditions), depending on the project’s orientation towards application. Grants for universities, research establishments and similar institutions are calculated on the basis of its eligible project related cost which can be funded to a maximum of 100%.

It is recommended that applicants contact IGSTC Secretariat in India or Project Office in Germany for any clarifications prior to submitting the application.The contact addresses are:

INDIA

Dr Rupak Bhattacharya
Indo-German Science & Technology Centre
Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road
Phone: +91011-26543500
E-mail: rupak.bhattacharya@igstc.org

GERMANY

Mr Hans Westphal
German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
Project Management Agency
Phone: + 49 228 3821 1473
E-mail: hans.westphal@dlr.de

How to Apply?

To apply, kindly visit the following:

Apply Online

Basic Guidelines

Application must be submitted no later than 20 May 2025 / 13:00 PM CET. No legal claims can be derived from the submission of a proposal.