Funding of projects on the topic "Open Innovation – Open Tools for Research and Teaching in Quantum Technologies and Photonics"

The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) supports nationwide pioneering projects in companies, educational institutions, research institutions, and universities through the initiative "Open Innovation – Open Tools for Research and Teaching in Quantum Technologies and Photonics." The focus is on pre-competitive individual projects and collaborative projects that develop open hardware and software solutions based on open-source principles. The goal is to create reproducible, cost-effective instruments with open interfaces that are usable across disciplines and can be further developed openly. This funding aims to reduce barriers to access to quantum technologies, strengthen the training of skilled personnel, and intensify collaboration between industry, research, and teaching.

Project outlines can be submitted electronically via the easy online portal from January 22, 2026 to April 30, 2026. Eligible for funding are companies and educational institutions based in Germany whose projects have a clear connection to first- or second-generation quantum technologies. Evaluation criteria include reproducibility, usability in terms of open innovation, easy availability, robustness, and a concrete focus on application and target group. The application requires a project outline, a sample outline, and a financial annex. By supporting open tools, the aim is to make scientific instruments and software components sustainably freely accessible and thereby decisively advance the development of new quantum technology applications in research and teaching.