Funding of research projects to improve the exploration and integration phases of ICT research
Grants for exploratory method, technology, and software tool development in the field of ICT research to improve exploration and integration phases. Project outlines can be submitted at any time.
Discover your potential with AI support
- Find out if this grant matches your project
- Develop your application together with AI
- Get matched with many more suitable grants
Grant criteria
Funding objective
Funding of demand-oriented research projects and technology alliances that exploratively investigate or integratively develop innovative and cross-cutting ICT methods and tools to create interoperable, adaptive, and marketable software solutions for future application scenarios in research, industry, and society.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel costs
- Instrument and equipment costs
- Costs for contract research and consulting
- Overhead costs
- Costs for science communication
Non-eligible expenses
- Usual basic equipment
- Retroactive costs
- Costs before project start
Eligible to apply
- Companies
- Educational Institutions
- Public Institutions
Funding requirements
- Company headquarters or branch in Germany
- Assignment to the ICT research sector
- Submission of a project outline via easy-Online
- Cooperation agreement for joint projects
- Compliance with state aid regulations (GBER)
Documents required for application
- Project outline
- Project description
- Financing plan
- Cooperation agreement
- Research data management plan
Evaluation criteria
- Strategic contribution to solving the challenges
- Innovative content of the solution approach
- Relevance for industrial applications
- Sustainability and standardization potential
- Quality of the exploitation plan
- Preliminary work and research competence
Description
The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) supports exploratory research and technology alliances in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) with non-repayable grants. The objective is the methodological and technological advancement of basic technologies that enable interoperable, adaptive, and marketable software solutions for future application scenarios in business, science, and society. Funding is provided both for freely basic-oriented projects exploring complex cross-sectional technologies and for consortia of research institutions and companies for the integrative development of convergent software tools. Special emphasis is placed on open standards, modular architecture, and the interplay of different disciplines to ensure long-term technological sovereignty and practical implementation.
Eligible for funding are companies of all sizes, especially SMEs, universities, as well as non-university research institutions with headquarters or branches in Germany and a clear affiliation to the ICT sector. The funding rate ranges between 25% and 100% of eligible expenses depending on the project phase – from personnel costs to instrument and equipment costs, as well as contract research, consulting, and science communication. Project outlines can be submitted electronically at any time via easy-Online; consortium projects require a cooperation agreement. Evaluation criteria include the degree of innovation, strategic contribution to solving practical challenges, exploitation plan, sustainability potential, and research competence. Continuous support by the DLR Project Management Agency ensures professional advice and efficient handling of the two-stage application process.
Ready to secure your funding?
Register now and let our AI guide you through the application process – from eligibility check to finished application.