Forschungsmittel

Forschungsmittel helps German enterprises, startups, and research institutions access public R&D funding and innovation grants. Our goal was to translate a highly specialized B2B service into a modern, trustworthy, and conversion-ready online system — combining credibility with startup-grade performance.

Challenge

The company's existing site no longer reflected its scale or expertise. We needed to create a modern digital experience that:

• Presents complex funding programs in a simple, approachable format.
• Builds trust and authority for decision-makers at corporations and research institutes.
• Complies fully with GDPR and accessibility standards.
• Delivers high-speed, mobile-first performance and multi-language content (German / English).
• Supports advanced lead funnels with CRM and payment integrations.

The mission: build a professional, enterprise-grade web system that feels as polished and data-driven as a SaaS product — not a brochure.

Approach

1 — Architecture & Stack

The platform was built on Next.js 15 (App Router) and React 19, using TypeScript for reliability and Tailwind CSS for maintainable design. Framer Motion powers scroll-based animations and modular transitions that bring clarity and motion to the storytelling. Deployment via Vercel with full CI/CD automation ensures stability and fast global delivery.

2 — Design System & UX

We developed a clean, conversion-optimized interface inspired by SaaS and fintech products. Each section guides the user through the process:

• Fördermittel-Check → quick self-assessment form
• Beratung & Antragstellung → service explanation
• Referenzen & Erfolgsgeschichten → social proof
• Kontakt → structured, validated multi-step form

Typography, contrast, and iconography were adjusted for clarity and authority — important in consulting for high-value clients.

3 — Data Privacy & Legal Compliance

• GDPR-compliant cookie system with full consent management.
• Secure contact and payment forms with NextAuth.js and Stripe integration.
• HTTPS-first infrastructure and HSTS security enforcement.
• Dynamic CMS for multilingual content (MDX-based blog, DE/EN localization).

4 — Performance & SEO

Every component was optimized for speed and visibility:

• WebP image optimization, lazy-loading and code splitting.
• Structured metadata, Open Graph tags and dynamic sitemaps.
• Lighthouse scores consistently above 95 / 100 for Performance, SEO and Accessibility.

Results

• Launch of a production-ready B2B platform aligning perfectly with the company's consultancy model.
• +42% increase in conversion from contact forms within the first month after deployment.
• Full compliance with GDPR and accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1).
• Significant improvement in SEO rankings for Fördermittel Beratung, Zuschuss Antrag, and Förderung Startups.
• Flexible architecture enabling integration with HubSpot CRM and marketing automation tools.

Insights

• Even traditional consulting businesses can adopt SaaS-style UX patterns to communicate expertise more clearly.
• Fast, secure, and transparent digital journeys directly improve trust in regulated industries like finance and innovation.
• A scalable front-end stack (Next.js 15 + React 19 + Tailwind) lets professional-services firms iterate like startups — without technical debt.

Tech Stack