Germany : ZIM – Central Innovation Programme for SMEs

  • Action type: SME funding programme
  • Opening date: 27 May 2026
  • Closing time: 27 May 2027 00:00 (Europe/Brussels)
  • Budget: N/A
  • Official website

Scope

Deadline : Open call all year round. Relevant for German SMEs developing heritage-tech, tourism-tech, XR, AI, digital platforms or data services.

ZIM funds innovative companies with business operations in Germany which want to develop new or significantly improve existing products, processes or technical services. Public and private non-profit research and technology organisations (RTOs) acting as a cooperation partner of an SME are also eligible for ZIM funding. The programme is open to all sectors and fields of technology. Funded projects must be highly innovative, market-oriented and entail a substantial technological risk.

Since ZIM strictly focuses on the needs of SMEs, it offers easy application and quick decision-making processes. Another feature which accommodates the needs of SMEs is that ZIM offers a range of possibilities to structure innovative activities in various project forms. They also include various possibilities for transnational cooperation.

– Feasibility Study (including Transnational Activities)
– Individual Projects (only National Activities)
– Cooperation Projects (including Transnational Activities)
– Innovation Networks (including Transnational Activities)

Remarks

Das Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE) bietet Antragstellern im Zentralen Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM) seit dem 3. November 2025 eine neue Möglichkeit, Anträge komfortabel, volldigitalisiert und rechtskonform für alle ZIM-Projektformen und ergänzenden Leistungen (Projektskizzen, Durchführbarkeitsstudien, FuE-Einzelprojekte, FuE-Kooperationsprojekte, Innovationsnetzwerke, Leistungen zur Markteinführung) über die Förderzentrale Deutschland (FZD) einzureichen.

Nutzen Sie ab sofort die Möglichkeit Ihren ZIM-Antrag über die Förderzentrale Deutschland zu stellen.

Die für die Projektbegleitung und den Projektabschluss notwendigen Formulare sowie inhaltliche Hilfen und Hinweise stehen weiterhin auf der Unterseite der jeweiligen Projektform im Formularcenter zur Verfügung.

https://foerderzentrale.gov.de

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