Invest BW – Innovation III

The Invest BW – Innovation III program supports companies and research institutions with their registered office or planned branch in Baden-Württemberg. It targets individual projects by companies as well as collaborations between companies and research institutions. The aim is to strengthen the innovative power and future viability of Baden-Württemberg as an economic location.

The program supports research, development, and innovation projects, including process, non-technical, and service innovations, aimed at new products, services, business models, and processes. Particular focus is placed on future technologies and fields. Funding covers project-related personnel and external service expenses, as well as a flat-rate for overheads, but excludes certain cost categories such as project management and investments.

The Invest BW – Innovation III program offers non-repayable grants. The funding amount varies depending on company size and the nature of the project, with up to 650,000 Euros available for individual projects and up to 1.3 million Euros for collaborative projects. Research institutions can, in justified cases, receive up to 100 percent of their eligible expenses. The maximum duration for funded projects is 24 months.

To receive funding, applicants must meet certain legal and operational conditions. These include the predominant execution of the project in Baden-Württemberg, proof of sufficient creditworthiness, and qualified personnel. For collaborative projects, specific cooperation agreements and a majority share of funding for companies are required. The program is subject to EU state aid rules, particularly the GBER and the De Minimis Regulation, which affects the cumulation of aid and the funding amount. Furthermore, there are restrictions on budgeted expenses and obligations to cooperate in evaluations and ensure public visibility of the funding.

The application procedure for Invest BW – Innovation III is two-stage. First, interested parties submit project outlines via an electronic portal. After a positive evaluation, selected projects will be invited to submit a formal funding application. The evaluation is carried out by an assigned project management agency, possibly involving external experts, and is based on predefined funding priorities and criteria.

The Invest BW – Innovation III funding program is based on the administrative regulation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs dated October 23, 2023. The legal framework includes the State Budget Code, the State Administrative Procedure Act, and specific EU state aid regulations such as the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) and the De Minimis Regulation. These regulations form the basis for the lawful granting of subsidies, although there is no legal entitlement to funding.