Aug 02, 2024
Congratulations on 2nd place!
Congratulations on 2nd place! We at innoscripta would like to congratulate the Indian Jump Rope Team on their outstanding success in the Double Under Relay event at the Asian Jump Rope Championships! This great achievement fills us with pride and we are honored to be partners with such talented athletes.
Our commitment to elite sport goes beyond mere support. At innoscripta, supporting top athletes and giving them the opportunity to pursue their goals is a core part of our company values. We know how important it is to have a strong partner at your side in order not to lose focus and to achieve top performance.
A strong team needs strong partners, and that's exactly what we want to be for the Indian Jump Rope team. We look forward to the future together and to continuing to support the team on their journey. Congratulations again to the whole team on this impressive achievement!
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Sep 30, 2025
How does the BSFZ assess R&D projects for Forschungszulage certification?
Introduction to the BSFZ and its role regarding ForschungszulageThe Bescheinigungsstelle Forschungszulage (Research Allowance Certification Office) is the official authority designated to determine if a project is eligible to claim the research allowance. The BSFZ evaluates if the activities defined in the research allowance application fall under the category of research and development (R&D). The preliminary decision is then forwarded to the relevant tax office for assessment and settlement with the income tax liability.BSFZ functions under the technical and legal supervision of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and is operated by a consortium of experienced project sponsors:VDI Technologiezentrum GmbHAiF Projekt GmbHDLR Project Management AgencyWith the objective of ensuring an optimum and professional review of the applications, an interdisciplinary team is established with staff from various scientific fields who hold extensive experience in validating R&D projects. The application process with the BSFZ is fully digital, which increases convenience. The application is submitted through a web portal that is custom-developed by the BSFZ. BSFZ offices are present in various cities such as Bonn, Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Dresden with the scientific experts from multiple fields evaluating the R&D project applications. The BSFZ review is a key step for applicants as it is the first step in seeking the research allowance and the approval is crucial. Without BSFZ approval the project cannot advance to the tax authority stage.Assessment basisWhile assessing the research project, the BSFZ reviews if it falls into any of the defined categories under the Research Allowance Act (FZulG) and adheres to the EU’s General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) and the OECD’s Frascati Manual. Criteria for approval involve:Basic research: The experimental or theoretical research project that is focused on acquiring new knowledge without any direct commercial application.Industrial research: The planned research projects aim to gain new knowledge and skills in order to develop new products, processes, or services and also to make significant improvements to the existing ones. Examples of industrial research include prototype construction and validation of technological concepts.Experimental development: Experimental development involves research based on using existing scientific and technological knowledge to develop a new product or improve the existing ones. As per the Frascati Manual, a research project must include the following features:Novelty: The project must generate new know-how that is not available in the state of the art and the research work needs to be original without similarity to existing work.Uncertainty: The outcome of the R&D work should not be known to the public yet. It should be uncertain and not predictable. Additionally, there must be an element of risk involved.Systematic approach: The research work should be conducted according to a systematic plan and methodology.Creativity: The work should consist of an innovative approach and an element of non-obviousness.Reproducibility: The results of R&D work should be verifiable and reproducible with the scope of obtaining the same results. Evaluation processOnce a company submits its application for the certificate from the BSFZ in the process of seeking the research allowance, there are three potential results they can expect.1. ApprovalThe positive response and issuance of the certificate stating that the research project is eligible to claim the Forschungszulage. The BSFZ office validates the R&D nature of projects using the pre-defined criteria and indicates the approval for the company to proceed with the application to tax authorities to claim the research allowance.2. RejectionAn application can get rejected if the BSFZ office finds that the project lacks the necessary characteristics to be considered as R&D. In certain instances, the application of an excellent R&D project may get rejected if the application is not clear due to any of the following reasons:Vague project documentationMissing important information in the project descriptionInclusion of unqualified activities in the application Using vague terminology to describe the project elements.When an application gets rejected, the applicant company has two options as corrective measures:a. Appeal:It is allowed to submit an appeal within 4 weeks after receiving the rejection from the BSFZ. The appeal should be submitted if the company finds that its application is wrongfully rejected due to misunderstanding and incorrect assessment. The objective of the appeal should be to provide additional information and proof supporting its claim and not merely to question the previous assessment result.b. Reapplication:In case an application is rejected due to shortcomings in the application preparation, as a next step it is ideal to submit a revised and well-prepared application instead of submitting an appeal as the BSFZ is obliged to review the reapplication within three months. The revised application should include all the crucial information with clear technical details of the projects. It is important to submit the details supporting the claim and to ensure the project meets BSFZ guidelines and criteria mentioned in the Frascati Manual.3. Request for additional informationIt is common to receive a request from BSFZ to submit certain additional details about the project to continue the review process. This is not a rejection but it occurs when the submitted information does not suffice to make a final assessment. Note: BSFZ application process is done through the web portal and there are different character limits in the sections where the applicant needs to submit the project details. It is necessary to phrase the details clearly and concisely so that all required information can be provided for the review process. Best practices for applicantsTo obtain a positive response from the BSFZ and receive the certificate on the first attempt, the applicant should follow our best practices that include:1. Early documentation of R&D projectsThe documentation and recording of necessary information, technical and financial, helps in the submission of the well-prepared application and increases the chances of approval.2. Defining the innovationClear definition of newness and technical innovation of the project without the use of vague terminology is an important factor for the approval. It is required to mention details of the problem being solved, novelty of the R&D approach, and addressing uncertainties and risks during the project.3. Knowledge of deadlinesIt is possible to claim research allowance retroactively for up to four years. But, early application to the BSFZ and to the tax authorities ensures an early inflow of funds even in the event of stricter assessment guidelines.4. Seeking expert adviceFor companies, especially first-time applicants, the advice of external consultants who have expertise in Forschungszulage guidelines and the documentation process can be effective in submitting a successful application. The external advisors can help with documenting R&D projects and preparing well-structured applications in alignment with the statutory requirements.Considering applying for Forschungszulage? Connect with innoscripta to streamline your documentation with expert guidance and the intelligent software platform.
Oct 09, 2025
What is the BSFZ seal? Recognition for R&D in Germany
Innovation is a crucial factor contributing to economic growth and development, especially in a competitive and highly evolving global environment. In Germany, the BSFZ seal acts as a prestigious symbol for organisations that are actively pursuing innovative research and development (R&D). The BSFZ seal is issued by the Research Allowance Certification Office (Bescheinigungsstelle Forschungszulage) and represents innovation capabilities in addition to improving a company's credibility among stakeholders, investors, and customers. The BSFZ seal highlights that the company is a contributor to forward-thinking and futuristic ecosystems, enhancing Germany's position as an international innovation hub.Classification of the BSFZ sealFor a company engaging in research and development, the BSFZ seal is awarded in two different types, indicating the nature of a company's research and development initiatives.Red seal for in-house R&D projectsThe red seal certifies that a company has efficiently carried out its own R&D activities using its internal resources. Involvement of a third party at any stage of the particular R&D project is facultative. It demonstrates the company's ability to initiate and manage the entire R&D process.Orange seal for contract researchThe orange seal is given to a company when they execute a R&D project in collaboration with external partners. Research projects can be outsourced to external parties such as a research institution, university or private organisation. This seal reflects the company's commitment to nurturing innovation and facilitating collaborative R&D projects. Both of these versions of the BSFZ seal act as proof for qualified R&D projects under Germany’s Research Allowance Act (FZulG), which was introduced to financially support companies with eligible R&D projects across industries and sizes. The monetary support is provided for the qualified projects in terms of tax credits on the basis of their eligible R&D expenditure. Criteria for receiving the BSFZ sealTo receive the BSFZ seal, the R&D project must obtain a BSFZ certificate confirming that the project qualifies as research and development. The certificate is issued based on criteria defined in accordance with established international standards, specifically those outlined in the OECD’s Frascati Manual. These criteria include:Novelty: The R&D project must bridge a gap by generating new knowledge or by developing a new product, process or service that is beyond the existing ones.Creativity: The project should have an innovative problem-solving approach that is different from existing standard practices. Systematic approach: The research should be conducted as per a defined and systematic methodology.Uncertainty: The final results or outcome of the R&D project should not be known in advance and should include an element of technical risk. Reproducibility: The results of the R&D project should be documented in a way that allows verification and reproduction of the results, enabling further validation of the outcomes.Once an R&D project meets these standards and acquires the BSFZ certificate confirming its eligibility to claim the research allowance, the company gains access to the BSFZ seal via the application portal. Clear instructions regarding its usage and design guidelines are made available to the company to ensure the correct representation.
