Innovative projects and processes can only be successfully implemented if all the necessary scientific, technical and financial resources are available and used efficiently. Measures that serve to prepare appropriately before the start of the project are often associated with considerable costs and require special know-how.

In advance, services to check the feasibility of an intended R&D individual or cooperation project can therefore also be funded. It is possible to involve up to two external service providers with the relevant specialist knowledge.

Learn more about the feasibility studies

Funding of research and development (R&D) projects carried out by one SME. Innovative companies with business operations in Germany and with fewer than 500 employees can receive funding of up to 45% of their costs.

Contact: EURONORM GmbH

Funding of cooperative R&D projects between SMEs or between SMEs and public and private non-profit research and technology organisations (RTOs).

There are several ways to set up a ZIM cooperation project:

• R&D cooperation projects between at least two companies
• R&D cooperation projects between at least one company and at least one RTO

including the possibility for companies within their subproject to award a R&D contract to a research partner (min. 30% and max. 70% of the eligible person-months) and for companies and RTOs to involve a subcontractor for external services (max. 25% of the eligible personnel costs).

Within ZIM there are various ways to cooperate with transnational partners. German companies working with foreign partners in a ZIM project receive a bonus of 10% on top of the regular funding rates, up to a maximum funding rate of 60% .

Participation of transnational partners of eligible German companies:

• As a subcontractor or by being awarded a R&D contract (but without the bonus for the German companies)

• As a "non-applying partner" in cooperation projects. Transnational partners need to arrange financing for their subproject through local funding programmes or from their own financial resources.

  Necessary documents from "non-applying partners":

  • Description of the subproject
  • Working plan with person-months
  • Short portrait of business and technical experience of the partner
  • Letter of intent with signature
  • Cooperation agreement including all partners (draft)

Only German SMEs are eligible; foreign companies or partners need to obtain funding within their national innovation programmes or fund their activities on their own.

Contact: AiF Projekt GmbH

Funding of management of innovative company networks and R&D projects generated by them (minimum requirement for national networks: six German SME partners mandating an organisation to manage the network).

To encourage partnerships between German and international companies as well as, optionally, research and technology organisations (RTOs), international networks have now become part of the regular ZIM funding scheme after the completion of a successful pilot project. Eligible international ZIM cooperation networks must involve at least four German SMEs mandating a German organisation to manage the network and at least three partners from other countries (two SMEs and an organisation serving as coordinator providing network management services abroad).

However, the ZIM programme provides financial support only for the German partners involved. International organisations (coordinators, companies, RTOs and others) are responsible for their own funding.

Contact: VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH