LuFo VI is the sixth State aid scheme in the framework of the German Aeronautical Research Programme. The scheme fosters industrial R&D activities in the German aeronautics sector by investing in both small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and large companies. The period covering LuFo VI is 2020 to 2026. LuFo VI was preceded by LuFo V (SA.37528) which expired at the end of 2018. The scheme has an overall budget of EUR 1,379.8 billion and the scheme is implemented through grants tendered in three calls in 2020, 2021/2022 and 2023/2024. Last date for granting of aid under the scheme is thus 31 December 2024. The individual calls follow a two-step selection process. In the first step, interested parties must submit project proposals. Only if the project outlines are positively evaluated, the successful candidates are then invited to submit a formal aid application in the second step. The German authorities expect the number of beneficiaries to be between 500 to 1,000 beneficiaries. Authorised beneficiaries in the first two calls have been 543. Applications in third call have been 301.
