Promotion of Innovations in Rail Freight Transport (Z-SGV)

The program Promotion of Innovations in Rail Freight Transport (Z-SGV) supports companies, start-ups, founders, and research institutions nationwide in forward-looking innovation projects related to rail freight transport. With a focus on research & innovation as well as infrastructure and urban development, the grant provides financial incentives for SMEs and educational institutions to develop, test, and bring to market novel technical or organizational concepts. The ongoing application process allows for flexible project planning, while the requirement of having a registered office or place of business in Germany and the focus on concrete innovations in rail freight transport ensure the targeted nature of the funding measure.

The evaluation is based on the degree of innovation, economic viability, and environmental compatibility to reward approaches that are both economically sustainable and environmentally friendly. For the application, a detailed project description and a financing plan must be submitted to ensure transparency regarding project objectives, implementation schedule, and budget. The funding measure is administered by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV), with technical supervision provided by the Federal Railway Authority (EBA) in Bonn. Thanks to continuously open deadlines, interested parties can submit their applications at any time and benefit from the EBA’s expert knowledge, which includes safety and approval procedures. This initiative aims to sustainably strengthen rail freight transport as an environmentally friendly and efficient logistics solution and to rapidly transfer pioneering technologies into practice.