Collaboration between research and SMEs - rapid and simple support

Through its Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand, ZIM), the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) is encouraging small and medium-sized firms toward greater efforts in research, development and innovation. ZIM integrates existing collaboration and networking programmes into the R&D support programme for individual enterprises in eastern Germany (INNO-WATT). ZIM is now a nationwide funding programme for SMEs, open to all technologies and sectors, which puts the emphasis on collaboration between individual firms and between companies and business-oriented research institutions as well as on the formation of networks.

The programme has been in exceptional demand. In March 2009 alone the programme received over 600 applications for funding while in the first quarter of 2009 the number of applications regarding collaboration projects was up 50% on the same period in the previous year. The leverage of these support measures is proven. The support provided by the state triggers twice that amount of investment in R&D on the part of the companies receiving the support.

To plug the increased gap in R&D financing being experienced by SMEs as a result of the current crisis, the Federal Government took the decision in its second economic stimulus package (Konjunkturpaket II) in January 2009 to put an additional EUR 900 million into supporting R&D projects of individual firms in western Germany within the framework of the ZIM programme for 2009 and 2010 as well as into support under the overall programme for companies employing up to 1000 people in both western and eastern Germany. With the extension of the ZIM programme under its second economic stimulus package, the Federal Government is pursuing two goals; providing economic and employment support in the short term while improving the prospects for future economic growth through its market-oriented research and innovation policy expenditure.
www.zim-bmwi.de