Simone Testino

DBU Funding for Luna

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title: DBU Funding for Luna date: 2025-11-22 draft: false

ABSTRACT

The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) is one of Europe’s largest environmental foundations. This page details our strategy for securing funding based on Luna’s significant ecological benefits.

Funding Status

  • Current Status: Proposal Phase.
  • Primary Grant: FESR Azione 1.3.3. EU Grant (Secured July 2025).
  • Secondary Target: DBU Project Funding for environmental innovation.

The Pitch to DBU

Luna aligns perfectly with DBU’s mission to support innovative, exemplary environmental projects.

Key Alignment Points

  1. Climate Protection:

  2. Resource Efficiency:

    • Luna uses < 2kg of material vs 400kg+ for traditional towers.
    • Radical dematerialization of infrastructure.

  3. Health & Safety:

    • Eliminates noise and diesel fumes from work sites.
    • Reduces light pollution through directed, shielded optics.

Next Steps

  1. Finalize Prototype: Use FESR Azione 1.3.3. EU Grant funds to build the “Luna Type One” MVP.
  2. Gather Data: Collect real-world emissions data from pilot tests.
  3. Submit Application: Target DBU’s “SME Innovation” track.

See Growth Strategy for the broader funding roadmap. “Funding for international projects beyond CEE is possible in individual cases.” Our application will be based on this exception, arguing that Luna’s high degree of innovation and its exemplary model character for environmental relief make it a strong candidate.

Target Funding Programme: Green Start-up

We have decided to focus our application on the DBU Green Start-up programme. This programme is much more suitable for our current liquidity situation. It offers a non-repayable grant of up to €125,000, which covers up to 100% of the costs.

This funding is primarily intended as a “living allowance” for founders (max. €2,000/month per person) but also covers material costs and external services to a lesser extent. This aligns perfectly with our strategic needs. The existing FESR Azione 1.3.3. EU Grant grant can be used for material procurement, while the DBU grant would be strategically used to cover personnel costs (e.g., funding a salary for a new team member). This is a highly efficient use of the combined funds, as the FESR grant is not well-suited for covering salaries.

Project Suitability & Thematic Alignment

The Luna project is a strong candidate for DBU funding due to its high degree of innovation and its potential for significant environmental relief.

The project’s primary alignment is with Topic 6: Renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency. Luna is fundamentally an energy-efficiency technology. Its high-efficiency, low-consumption LEDs, combined with a novel helium-based cooling system, are designed to directly reduce energy consumption in industrial applications, such as construction sites and event management, which currently rely on inefficient, often diesel-powered, light towers.

A secondary alignment is Topic 3: Environmentally-friendly products. The project focuses on the complete life-cycle design and development of a sustainable alternative to existing industrial products.

Funding Conditions

We have considered two key exclusion criteria and determined they do not represent a conflict for this application.

  • Projects Already Started: The DBU normally does not fund projects that have already begun. This is not an issue, as the core research and development phase of the Luna project, for which this funding is sought, has not yet commenced.

  • Multiple Funding Sources: The DBU lists “Accumulation of funds from other sponsors” as a potential exclusion criterion. Although a FESR Azione 1.3.3. EU Grant grant was secured, those funds are allocated exclusively for real estate purposes (associated with ColivingLiguria) and do not finance the core business, R&D, or operational activities of the Luna project. The DBU “Green Start-up” funding is, therefore, necessary specifically for the operational costs (founder subsistence and development) that the Fesr grant does not cover.

Application Process

The application process for the Green Start-up programme is a multi-stage selection. It begins with a detailed online application. As all legally binding documents and the application itself must be submitted in German, this entire process will be handled by Simone Testino.

The application must be submitted with supporting documents, including CVs and a specific cost plan (using the DBU’s Excel template). This written application is the basis for the first selection round, which may be followed by an in-depth interview. All official guidelines can be found on the DBU’s download page.

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