Funding & grants in Berlin
Grants, investment funding, ProFIT, GRW and much more: an overview of funding programs for companies in Berlin.
Berlin offers companies a wide range of funding programs to support investment, innovation and growth – from grants and low-interest loans to tax benefits. Whether start-up, digitalization or research: there is suitable funding for almost every project in Berlin, at federal or EU level.
Grant & funding programs in Berlin
Overview, state and regional
Forschungszulage
Forschungszulage is a funding instrument aimed specifically at German companies that invest in research and development (R&D). Since 2020, the Forschungszulage Act (FZulG) has enabled companies to deduct up to 35% of their R&D costs from their tax burden and thus gain valuable liquidity. This applies to both in-house research projects and contract research.
GründungsBONUS Plus
Young start-ups in Berlin can receive a grant of up to €50,000 for innovative business ideas with the GründungsBONUS Plus. Funding is available for technology-oriented or creative projects in the early growth phase, e.g. product development, market entry or scaling.
GRW
GRW (Joint Task for the Improvement of Regional Economic Structures) promotes investments in structurally weak regions. Grants of up to 50% are available for small companies from an investment sum of 60,000 euros. Medium-sized and large companies can receive funding for investments of 2 million euros or more. Eligible projects include production facilities, tourism projects and job creation.
KMU-innovativ
The program is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises that are active in research. Funding is provided for high-risk, technology-oriented R&D projects in future-oriented fields such as bioeconomy, medical technology or IT security. The funding rate is between 40% and 60%, depending on the topic and company size.
ProFIT
ProFIT supports research and development projects of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Berlin and Brandenburg, also in cooperation with research institutions. Funding is provided as a grant or loan with a funding rate of up to 80 percent.
Transfer BONUS
The Transfer BONUS promotes cooperation between Berlin companies and scientific institutions. R&D services (e.g. feasibility studies, prototypes) are funded with up to €45,000 as a grant to strengthen knowledge transfer and implement innovative ideas.
ZIM
ZIM promotes technology-open research and development projects in SMEs and in cooperation with research institutions. Funding is provided as a grant of up to 45%, with maximum funding depending on the type of project and number of partners. Innovation networks are also supported.
