IT Security – Privacy Platform

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports nationwide collaborative projects through the initiative "IT Security – Privacy Platform" that further develop digital technologies with regard to privacy and informational self-determination. The goal is to research and implement privacy-preserving systems and business models as well as to strengthen democratic values in the digital realm. Funding is provided for interdisciplinary collaborations involving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), commercial enterprises, universities, non-university research institutions, municipalities, associations, clubs, and non-profit organizations. The project duration can be up to 36 months, with the funding rate ranging from 40% to 100% of eligible costs depending on the application and funding body, supplemented by a flat-rate funding of 20% for non-commercial research projects.

A prerequisite for funding is an establishment or facility in Germany as well as the exclusive use of the results within the Federal Republic, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland. The project must entail a high scientific-technical and economic risk, exceed the current state of the art, and be governed by a written cooperation agreement within the consortium. Applicants submit a project outline and, in the second step, a formal funding application. The submission deadline for project outlines is March 15, 2027. Interested research institutions and companies can thus specifically set new impulses for data protection-compliant innovations in the digital age.