Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE) logo
Funder · Federal agency

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE)

Administers German federal research and innovation financing with ministries and partner agencies to drive competitiveness, energy transition, and growth.

Germanywww.bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de
Key stats
Annual funding—
Programs13
Active grants12
Total grants15
About

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE) is Germany’s federal ministry for economic and energy policy. It was renamed from BMWK in May 2025, and its remit spans growth, competitiveness, innovation, regional policy, energy security, hydrogen, industry, foreign trade, and SME support.

Its funding toolkit is broad. ZIM backs individual and cooperative R&D projects and innovation networks …

Programs & grants under this funder
8th Energy Research Programme (8. Energieforschungsprogramm)

Funds German teams solving energy missions in hydrogen, heat, power, and systems integration.

1 grant
8. Energieforschungsprogramm — Projektförderung
Between cycles
€623M pool
EXIST — Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft

Funds knowledge-based spinouts in Germany to launch technology companies from research environments.

2 grants
EXIST-Forschungstransfer — Research Transfer Grant
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
EXIST Start-up Grant (EXIST-Gründungsstipendium)
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
Joint Task for the Improvement of Regional Economic Structures — GRW (Gemeinschaftsaufgabe Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur)

Funds German regions with structural challenges through shared-state investments and infrastructure-backed development.

1 grant
Joint Task for the Improvement of Regional Economic Structures — GRW (Gemeinschaftsaufgabe Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur)
Open
€2.1B pool·Rolling submission
Germany BMWK Industrial Collective Research (Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung, IGF)

Funds BMWK Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung for pre-competitive collaborative research between industry associations and enterprises.

Regional Transformation Networks and Transformation Hubs

Funds German companies, associations, universities, and research institutions strengthening automotive and supplier industry competitiveness through BMWE regional network and technology-transfer hub grants.

2 grants
Transformation Hubs (Module B)
Closed
— pool
Regional Transformation Networks (Module A)
Closed
— pool
WIPANO – Knowledge and Technology Transfer through Patents and Standards

Funds German companies and research organizations securing patents, transferring research into standards, and joining standardization committees through the BMWE WIPANO directive.

3 grants
WIPANO Standards Participation for Companies
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
WIPANO Patenting for Companies
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
WIPANO Knowledge Transfer through Standardization
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
Germany BMWK WIPANO — Schutzrechte und Normen

Provides BMWK WIPANO support for converting innovation into intellectual property, trademarks, designs, and practical standards development.

Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand, ZIM)

Funds German enterprises with innovation aid for projects, partnerships, and commercial pathways.

5 grants
Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand, ZIM)
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
ZIM R&D Cooperation Projects
Open
€280M pool·Rolling submission
ZIM Feasibility Studies
Open
€50M pool·Rolling submission
ZIM Individual R&D Projects
Open
€250M pool·Rolling submission
ZIM Innovation Networks
Open
€40M pool·Rolling submission
Germany EXIST

Offers EXIST Business Startup Grant EXIST Research Transfer covers living material costs through the Germany EXIST.

EXIST Forschungstransfer

Supports EXIST Forschungstransfer to help university spin-outs convert research results into venture-ready deep technology companies.

EXIST Modellprojekte

Funds EXIST Modellprojekte that build regional founder ecosystems through focused support for deep technology model initiatives.

EXIST Women

Supports women founders from German research institutions preparing ventures with advisory and stipends.

High-Tech Founders Fund (High-Tech Gründerfonds, HTGF)

Helps largest German seed investor in innovation through the Germany HighTech Gründerfonds.

1 grant
High-Tech Founders Fund (High-Tech Gründerfonds, HTGF)
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
Last verified: 28 May 2026Source: www.bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de