Funding of grants for "SME-innovative: Bioeconomy"

SME-Innovative: Bioeconomy promotes innovative R&D projects of small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Germany. The focus is on biotechnological processes and products that offer sustainable alternatives to fossil raw materials and reduce environmental impact. Funding is provided, for example, for resource-conserving processes in the chemical and manufacturing industries, new biorefinery concepts for biofuels and fine chemicals, as well as bio-based recycling methods and environmental technologies. In addition, applications in agriculture and nutrition are gaining importance: companies in plant breeding develop climate-resilient crops, while biotechnological processes help manage agricultural land more efficiently. In the healthcare sector, experts support new therapeutic approaches, diagnostic platforms, and active substances for anti-infective and personalized medicine. The funding is provided in two stages: initially, companies submit concise project outlines, which are selected by an interdisciplinary panel of reviewers regularly in spring and autumn. In the second stage, positively evaluated projects are invited to submit full proposals, which are processed via the electronic system easy-Online. Funding is granted as a non-repayable grant and covers up to 100% of eligible costs depending on the project and participation. The project duration is up to 36 months; eligible costs include personnel expenses, material costs, and contract research. The maximum funding amount is 1 million euros per project. With a simple and fast procedure as well as attractive funding rates, SME-Innovative: Bioeconomy supports SMEs in advancing future-proof, bio-based solutions, strengthening competitiveness, and establishing key technologies for a sustainable, bio-based economy.

Biotechnological innovations are indispensable for the transformation to a climate-friendly bioeconomy. SMEs gain access to high-tech tools such as high-throughput analysis systems or microfluidic platforms through competitive funding programs, enabling efficient testing of compound libraries and characterization of complex biological processes. Research networks and partner tools facilitate the formation of collaborative projects between SMEs, universities, and research institutions. National and international declarations such as the 2030 Agenda and the National Bioeconomy Strategy provide the framework within which SME-Innovative: Bioeconomy supports the development of a sustainable, bio-based value chain—from the bioresource to the market-ready product. The continuous revision of the funding guidelines and accompanying monitoring in close coordination with the federal government, states, and civil society ensure that SME-Innovative: Bioeconomy always remains aligned with the most important needs and new scientific insights.