Central innovation program for medium-sized companies
The Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM) is a funding program of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (BMWi) with which the innovative strength and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including the skilled trades and the liberal professions , are to be supported. Funding is not limited to specific technology fields or industries.
history
ZIM was started on July 1, 2008 and combines the previous BMWi programs for cooperation and network promotion (PRO INNO II, NEMO, InnoNet, INNO-WATT ). The aim is to offer companies more transparent and more targeted funding with uniform funding conditions. Initially, support was given to SMEs that cooperate with one another or with research institutions on research and development projects. In a further step, the program was expanded on January 1, 2009 to include individual project funding (ZIM-SOLO) for the "new" federal states, which replaced the INNO-WATT program.
As part of the 2009 economic stimulus package II, applications for individual company projects could also be submitted by SMEs from the old federal states by December 31, 2010. In addition, companies with up to 1,000 employees from all over Germany could submit applications in all three ZIM modules by December 31, 2010. These projects must be completed and settled by December 31, 2011. The work packages could therefore only be planned to run until October 31, 2011, so that the final billing and the proof of use can be made by the end of 2011.
Validity period
A new guideline has been in effect since April 15, 2015. Applications from SMEs from all over Germany can be submitted to the respective project management bodies in all three ZIM modules.
Type of promotion
ZIM individual projects
- Individual R&D projects in companies
ZIM cooperation projects
- R&D cooperation projects between at least two SMEs
- R&D cooperation projects between at least one SME and at least one research institution
ZIM cooperation networks
- Development of innovative networks with at least six companies.
internationalization
Foreign cooperation or network partners can also participate in cooperation projects or networks; they have to ensure their own financing, e.g. B. through national funding in their country. To support the internationalization of cooperation projects, bilateral tenders and networks exist with European and non-European countries.
Launch services
In addition, services for the market introduction of the project results for SMEs, which are closely related to the R&D project in terms of content and timing and are to be awarded to qualified external providers based on economic aspects, are also funded.
Amount of funding
The grant is granted as a non-repayable grant (project funding) in the form of a share financing.
- Individual projects and cooperation projects are supported with a funding rate of between 25% and 55% of the eligible costs, depending on the size of the company, location and type of project. The funding rate for research institutions is 100%. The eligible costs are limited to € 380,000 per project (in the case of collaborations per sub-project). An upper limit of € 190,000 applies to research institutions.
- Network projects are funded with up to € 380,000, whereby phase 1 (establishment of the network, development of a technological roadmap) may not account for more than € 160,000. Phase 1 is funded for a maximum of 12 months with up to 90% of the eligible costs. In phase 2 (implementation of the R&D projects and preparation for market launch) the maximum funding varies as follows: 1st year 70%; 2nd year 50%; optional 3rd year 30%
- Market launch services are supported with up to 50% of the eligible costs, up to a maximum of € 25,000.