SPRINT Grant for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This program helps small and medium-sized businesses improve their business processes and make their operations smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable. 

The program covers, among other things, business processes related to digitization, sustainability, circularity, and labor productivity. The following themes are eligible for funding:

  • Digitization of business processes.
  • Sustainability measures, such as energy conservation or more efficient use of raw materials.
  • Circularity, such as the reuse of materials or waste streams.
  • Labor productivity, such as automation or more efficient organization of work processes.

The solution to be implemented must be new to the company. It is also important that the process improvements be supported by a quantitative estimate. For example, estimating upfront the extent of energy savings or the degree of reuse of waste streams.
Furthermore, the project must be completed within 24 months.

In terms of accountability, the program is straightforward: Within two months of the project’s completion, a written report with photos must be submitted, demonstrating that the project was carried out in accordance with the grant agreements.

There will be another round this year on September 21, but there will be two more grant rounds in 2027.

Specific examples of funded projects

  1. From paper receipts to a digital weighbridge

    Sector: earthmoving | Topics: digitization, circularity, labor productivity
    Until recently, a Limburg-based earthmoving company recorded freight movements at the recycling center manually  a time-consuming and error-prone process. With the Sprint Grant, the company is implementing a digital weighbridge system with license plate recognition and digital waybills, integrated with its logistics administration.
    Result: less administrative time per freight movement and much more precise sorting and quality control of construction waste streams, allowing more material to be recycled into high-quality products.
     

  2. A robotic cell that takes the load off the CNC machining center

    Industry: Metalworking | Topics: Labor Productivity, Digitalization
    At a metalworking company in Limburg, loading and unloading the CNC machine was done entirely by hand. By implementing an existing industrial robot cell and linking it to the CNC machining center, the machine can now run longer and more efficiently without requiring employee assistance. Result: higher machine utilization, fewer errors, and more time for employees to focus on other tasks.
     

  3. Automated warehouse instead of walking around and searching

    Sector: Manufacturing | Topics: digitization, labor productivity
    A Limburg-based manufacturer of technical materials was struggling with a manual, space-inefficient warehouse process. With the Sprint Grant, the company is implementing an automated storage system based on the “goods-to-person” principle, integrated with its existing business software. The result: significantly shorter picking times, fewer picking errors, and more efficient use of space at the facility.

Discuss a project idea

If you would like to submit your project idea to see if it has potential, please email m.boers@leudal.nl.