Especially for small and medium sized companies there exist many interesting funding possibilities in Germany. A lot of programmes offer subsidies which do not have to be paid back by the benefitting companies. Among the mentionable programmes are:
ZIM/Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand. The innovation programme
of the federal ministry of economy and technology (BMWi) aims at increasing
the innovation ability of SMB as well as their competitiveness and by this
means wants to set impulses for growth.
IKT 2020 – Forschung für Innovation. Research for Innovation is a programme
of the ministry of education and research (BMBF). The programme funds
innovations in the area of information and communication technology. Through
innovation alliances and technology networks a bridge between the
development and the appliance of technologies is built up.
ZUTECH für KMU des BMWi promotes future technologies for small and medium
sized enterprises.