The KMU-innovativ funding programme
Funds R&D projects at German SMEs and research institutions with rates up to 100%.
The KMU-innovativ funding programme is run by Germany's Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) for R&D projects at SMEs and research institutions in named technology fields only — including bioeconomy, biomedicine, electronics and autonomous driving, medical technology, ICT, climate research, materials research, and photonics and quantum technologies — at funding rates of up to…
KMU-innovativ backs projects in named technology fields only, including bioeconomy, biomedicine, electronics and autonomous driving, medical technology, ICT, climate research, materials research, and photonics and quantum technologies. It is not open to any topic outside these fields.
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