topic 

Information and communications technology

The information and communications technology (ICT) sector is an important factor in the German economy. Germany can point to excellent research results in the ICT field but there is evidence of unused potential in the conversion of these results into industrial applications and products. The ICT sector is particularly strongly characterised by SMEs, which account for 90% of IT companies in Germany. These are an important driver of innovation and an important interface for the transfer of research results from the scientific to the business community.

The KMU-Innovationsoffensive IKT funding programme run by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is aimed at strengthening the potential for innovation among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in world-class research, and at structuring research funding under of the specialist ICT funding programme in a way that is particularly attractive to SMEs that are first-time applicants for research funding. To this end the BMBF has simplified and speeded up the application and approval process and extended the advisory services available to SMEs. The aim of the measure is to get SMEs to better utilise the potential of ICT.
With the assistance of this funding measure SMEs should establish themselves in the ICT market and become more competitive. It should support SMEs active in the field of ICT or that wish to expand and strengthen their line of business through the application of ICT.

Procedure

Skilled advisers are available to answer your questions. The support service will help with basic funding questions. Just call +49 800 26 23 009. Detailed technical questions will be answered by the competent project management organisation for that area of technology. For the submission of project outlines a special online tool is available.

Information on submission

Project outlines can be submitted at any time. Evaluation cut-off dates for project outlines are 15 April and 15 October.

Funding criteria

Important criteria for a positive decision on funding are excellence, the degree of innovation, and the contribution the research will make to the solution of current socially relevant issues. The detailed evaluation criteria can be found in the funding regulations. Submitted project outlines will be assessed competitively.

Technology and application areas

In line with the published funding regulations for the BMBF's KMU-Innovationsoffensive Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie (IKT) funding programme, support is provided for cross-cutting R&D projects within three technology areas directed at particular applications or sectors. Eligible are projects in the following application areas or sectors:

• Automobile and mobility
• Mechanical engineering and automation
• Health and medical technology
• Logistics and services
• Energy and environment
• ICT business sector.

Research should be performed in the following three fields of technology in which, to clarify areas concerned, a number of examples of current research issues are cited:

• Electronics and microsystems
• • Metrology and analytics
  • Measurement, instrumentation and automation technology
  • Logistics, Fab/supply chain management
  • Chip and circuit design
  • Electronic microsystems
• Software systems and knowledge processing
• • Usability
  • Voice technology
  • Software for high-performance computing
  • Bioanalog information processing
• Communications technology and networks (wireless and fixed)
• • Reliability of networks (robustness) and network security
  • Network components, especially for simplified network management (self-configurability and re-configurability, plug-and-play capability) and for increasing energy efficiency
  • Fabrication and connection technologies
  • Network monitoring

Outlining tool

An easy-to-use, effective online tool is available for you to submit your project outlines. Please select from the following list the tool corresponding to the technology area on which your research is focused. If you have difficulty deciding which area is appropriate to your research, please contact the support service.

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  Shortcuts to funding

  Are you planning an ambitious research project in a small or medium-sized company? Then you probably have an excellent idea, but don't have much time to look for the right funding option. Through its KMU-innovativ scheme, the BMBF is trying to make access to funding as simple as possible for you.
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