Zentrale Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)

Zentrale Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM) is sponsored by Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) (Germany). ZIM is a nationwide funding program open to all technologies and sectors, designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany.

Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM) | FUNDED Strengthen innovation sustainably and secure a lasting competitive edge Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM) Receive funding for eligible expenses for a total amount of up to €1. 83 million Internal and external personnel costs and other costs of up to €1.

83 million are supported by grants High approval rate of 62% compared to other funding programmes, e.g. EIC with 7% Payment is made in quarterly installments during the project term and not only after project completion "Working with Alex and his team was very pleasing for us.

The structured process helped us to present our research and development activities as efficiently as possible and to successfully apply for and receive approval for the FZuL. We look forward to working with Alex and his team in the future." "The collaboration with FUNDED was outstandingly good, incredibly professional and efficient.

We have already worked with several grant consultancies and FUNDED stands out in particular with its extremely efficient communication with all parties." "It took us 6 weeks from kick-off to application, which is definitely due to the good communication, structure and collaboration with the team. The quality of each draft for application materials was very accurate despite the deep tech domain and saved me a lot of time."

"FUNDED played a crucial role in helping us navigate the FZuL application process efficiently and successfully. Their structured approach, combined with attention to detail and deep expertise, made even complex requirements manageable, saving us valuable time. We’re excited to continue working with FUNDED by making use of their SaaS solution FundedOS to streamline our grant application process."

“The combination of expertise, attention to detail, and high responsiveness from the FUNDED team is impressive. We really enjoyed working together, even during stressful phases. “ Ranging from stealth start-ups to decacorns The Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM) is a cross-industry funding program that supports innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany .

Its aim is to strengthen the economic stability and competitiveness of the Mittelstand. With ZIM, internal and external personnel costs, as well as other eligible expenses, can be funded through grants – for a total amount of up to €1. 83 million.

Funding is provided for the development of new products , processes , and services that offer significant improvements over existing solutions. Funding is provided from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) focused on SMEs carrying out ambitious research and development projects – without any thematic restrictions to specific technology fields or industries.

With more than 40,000 approved projects to date and an annual funding volume of €447 million (as of 2023), ZIM is the most important and comprehensive national funding program for innovative projects. Requirements for fundable ZIM projects Eligible projects under ZIM must meet R&D and economic specific requirements to be able to receive funding.

Projects must be directed toward the generation of new knowledge and must be founded on original concepts and non-obvious hypotheses. Projects must involve uncertainty regarding the outcome, particularly in the form of technical, scientific, or conceptual risks that could influence the successful completion of the project.

Projects must be conducted systematically, following a defined plan and budget, and must lead to results that are reproducible. After allocating personnel to the R&D project, the remaining staff capacity must be sufficient to ensure the continued operation of the company's regular business activities.

Companies should have completed their establishment and must be able to provide the necessary financial contribution required for the project. The project cannot be realized, or can only be realized with delays, without the funding – or the funding enables the inclusion of additional project elements or the expansion of expenditures. Not sure if you meet the criteria for ZIM funding?

The application process for ZIM funding The ZIM application process involves numerous complex requirements and formalities, which can result in a significant time investment without the right expertise. Submitting the application Examination and approval of application We assess whether your project meets the ZIM eligibility criteria.

This includes analyzing its level of technical risk, innovation, and market potential – ensuring that the application has strong prospects for approval. Following a positive assessment, we prepare the complete funding application, including the detailed project description, cost planning, and formal compliance.

We support you throughout all three possible application types for individual ZIM projects: Feasibility analysis to evaluate innovation potential and technical solutions. We provide precise and well-structured documentation. Development of new products, processes, or services.

We prepare the complete project description. Submitting the Application We handle the digital submission of your application via the ZIM portal. We ensure completeness and error-free forms to prevent delays in the approval process.

Examination and Approval of Application The project management agency reviews the application, and we handle all communication in case of follow-up questions. Once approved, we support you through the contract process and the start of your project. The maximum project duration is 3 years.

ZIM funding is generally open to all companies and industries. There are only a few requirements regarding the company's size: SMEs with fewer than 500 employees Companies with up to 1,000 employees if cooperating with an SME Open to all industries and technological fields Not sure if you meet the criteria for ZIM funding?