The grant and startup-funding glossary
14 evergreen explainers of the terms that show up across our eligibility rules and programme pages — each one sourced to the official regulation, agency or registry it describes, with a last-reviewed date so you can tell how fresh it is.
What is de minimis aid?
The EU rule that lets small public grants skip full State-aid approval — and the ceiling that comes with it.
SBIR vs STTR: what actually differs
Same US federal small-business R&D funding pot, two different rules about who has to do the research.
Co-funding and match funding, explained
Why almost no public grant pays 100% of a project — and what "co-financing rate" actually commits you to.
The EU SME definition (Recommendation 2003/361)
The employee, turnover and balance-sheet thresholds that decide whether "SME" applies to your company under EU rules.
The EIC Accelerator, explained
How the EU's flagship deep-tech funding instrument actually works: the grant, the equity, and the four-step process.
R&D tax credit vs. grant: the difference that changes your claim
A grant and a tax credit reward the same R&D spend differently — and in the UK, taking one can block the other.
What is non-dilutive funding?
Money for your company that does not cost you equity — grants, some tax credits, and where the term gets stretched.
UEI and SAM.gov registration, explained
The one number every company needs before it can receive a US federal grant, contract or SBIR/STTR award.
SIREN and SIRET numbers, explained
The two French company identifiers that grant forms ask for — and which one you actually need.
The Companies House number, explained
What a UK company registration number looks like, what it proves, and how fast you can get one.
DPIIT recognition for Indian startups, explained
The government certification that unlocks tax breaks, self-certification and faster patents for Indian founders.
Germany's Forschungszulage (research allowance), explained
How the German R&D tax credit is calculated, what caps apply, and who has to certify your project first.
How to read a grant eligibility rule
The handful of questions that decide whether a published rule actually excludes you — before you spend an afternoon on the form.
How grant deadlines actually work
Cut-off dates, rolling calls and annual rounds are not the same thing, and mixing them up costs a real deadline.