Innovation/research and development

Innovation means growth and progress. But no matter whether new products or new processes, the development and introduction of innovation mean time, costs and risk. ILB offers various innovation support programmes to support start-ups and their new technologies.

Our promotional programmes for innovation as well as research and development:

(If you are interested in more detailed information regarding the programmes and the application process, please click the respective links in the table.)

Core programmes

ProgrammeSupport subjectsSupport types
ProFIT Brandenburg 2023 Individual and collaboration projects involving technologically new products, services and processes during the following phases:
  • Industrial research (grant)
  • Experimental development (loan)
  • Market preparation and market launch (loan), max. implementation period: 3 years
  • Process and organizational innovations (grant), max. implementation period: 3 years (Funding is generally awarded only through a competitive process)
  • feasibilty studies (Grant), max. implementation period: 6 months
Loan/grant-Funding through grants is limited to a total of EUR 3 million per application. (Funding rate for total project up to 80%)-Funding through loans is limited to a total of EUR 3 million per application.
Gründung innovativ 2022
  • Start-up salary:
    • personal costs for managing persons in an employment relationship
    • private withdrawals by owners
  • Innovation stimulus:
    • investments in tangible fixed assets
    • Personnel costs for new jobs
    • technical advice and development services
GrantFor each funding item EUR 30,000 to 180,000(Support rate of up to 60%)
Brandenburger Innovationsfachkräfte Employment of:
  • Working students
  • Innovation assistants (university graduates)
Grant- Working students: up to EUR 645 per month for up to 12 month- Innovation assistants: up to EUR 1,650 per month for up to 24 months
Brandenburger Innovationsgutschein (BIG-Digital)Preparation and implementation of Digitalization measures (BIG-Digital)GrantConsulting module: max. EUR 50,000Implementation module:max. EUR 250,000Training module:max. EUR 50,000(funding rate up to 50 %)
Brandenburgischer Innovationsgutschein 2025 -BIG (Applications accepted since September 2025)- Preliminary scientific work in the early stages of research; here, feasibility studies conducted by R&D (Small-scale BIG Transfer) - Planning-, development-, and implementation-oriented research and development activities for the development or further development of product, process, service, and organizational innovations conducted by R&D (Large-scale BIG Transfer)- Research and development (R&D) projects that result in new products, processes, or services for the applicant company (BIG-R&D).GrantSmall BIG-Transfer Module - Funding rate of up to 100% of total eligible expenses, max. 5,000.00 EUR, and a project duration of 6 monthsBIG Transfer Module - Funding of up to 50% of total eligible expenses, max. 15,000 EUR, and a project duration of 6 months,BIG-R&D Module - Funding rate of up to 50% of total eligible expenses, max. EUR 100,000.00, and a project duration of 24 months
Early-phase financing
  • Company foundation
  • Innovation as well as technology and product development
  • Market and product tests
  • Market launch
Equity financingOpen equity and/or equity-like investment for technology-oriented small enterprises (SMEs) in Brandenburg in the seed and start-up phase (max. EUR 1.5 million)
Financing for growth
  • Market launch and further development of products
  • innovation
  • Company growth
  • Strengthening competitiveness Opening up new markets
Equity financingActive investments and/or participation-like investments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Brandenburg during the growth and expansion phase within the scope of co-investments with private investors(max. EUR 6 million)

Other suitable programmes

ProgrammeSupport subjectsSupport types
Brandenburg-Kredit Gründung (based on ERP-Förderkredit KMU or KfW-Förderkredit großer Mittelstand)
  • within 5 years after foundation:
  • Investments, working capital, stock of goods
  • Start-up
  • Company acquisition and participation
Loan- up to EUR 3 million per project (Higher financing amounts are also possible upon agreement)- Application via the principal bank

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