Consulting for Forschungszulage
We secure the maximum funding for your development projects
- success-based
- 100%success-based paysuccess-based
- companies supported
- 100+companies supportedcompanies supported
- avg. funding per year
- €400kavg. funding per yearavg. funding per year
Trusted by leading companies
Who is it for?
From software to steel: funding reaches every industry
What matters isn't your industry, but whether you do technical development with new approaches. This is how applications break down nationwide:
And no matter your size:
86%of applications come from SMEs and startups
Tap an industry for matching examples
Your industry not listed? Get it checked for free in 15 minutes →
Results
More funding. Less effort. No risk.
You secure more funding on average than you'd ever claim on your own — at a 95 % success rate, while the industry sits at around 75%. And you barely lose your technical team along the way: the entire BSFZ submission runs in just 4 calls. Plus, you only pay on successful funding.
- Success rate
- 95 %Success rateSuccess rate
- More costs found
- +25%more costsMore costs found
- Secured so far
- €25MSecured so farSecured so far
Successfully funded projects
280,000€ Forschungszulage
for MedTech
From AI to hardware to SaaS — these types of projects get funded through the Forschungszulage.
Mobile body scanners: a virtual copy of the body, posture analysis, and health-related parameters in a single measurement process. 280,000€ in Forschungszulage for developing the 3D body scanners.
8 benefits
Why is the Forschungszulage a good funding option?
Compared to traditional funding programmes, the Forschungszulage is the better choice for most companies.
- 1
Legal entitlement
No competition for budgets: if the criteria are met, funding must be granted.
- 2
Up to 4 years retroactive
Even completed projects can still be funded.
- 3
Open to all industries
Software, mechanical engineering, MedTech, construction: R&D is R&D, whatever the industry.
- 4
Even without profit
No tax burden needed, the allowance is paid out as a credit.
- 5
Less bureaucracy
No upfront project plan, no interim reports, no proof of use.
- 6
Fully digital process
Application via BSFZ portal and ELSTER, no paper, no postal mail.
- 7
Thematically open
No rigid topic catalogue: product development, process innovation, everything counts.
- 8
Broad cost base
Personnel costs, contract research and capital assets are eligible.
Free presentation to download
Need to make the case internally? Take our slides.
6 slides for your management, board or tax advisor: does this apply to us, what is it worth, what does it cost and what would the next step be. With room for your logo top right, as PowerPoint to adapt or as PDF to forward.
Sources: BSFZ and the German government's 2026 evaluation report
Why now?
For 2022, the deadline runs out on 31 December 2026
The Forschungszulage can be claimed up to four years retroactively. For 2022 that means the application has to reach the BSFZ this year, after that the year is gone for good.
Funding years you can still apply for
79 days left
until funding year 2022 expires (deadline 31 Dec 2026)
Still open after that
- 2023Deadline 31 Dec 2027
- 2024Deadline 31 Dec 2028
- 2025Deadline 31 Dec 2029
And it pays more than ever, since 2026
€12M
Assessment base
raised from €10M
+20%
Overhead flat rate, new
for projects starting from 2026
35%
Funding rate for SMEs
25% for larger companies
What counts is your company's assessment period. A non-calendar fiscal year or a late tax return can shift the deadline, which we clarify in the intro call, with your tax advisor if in doubt.
15 min to find out whether 2022 still worksHow we work
4 calls to a finished application, under 5 hours of your time
The founders of Zeitmaker: Daniel Höpfner and Erich Lehmann.
We are technical ourselves and understand your projects. We write, you just provide input. You talk to someone who understands the tech and knows exactly how applications pass at the certification body.
Learn more about usUp front · 15 min
Intro call
You find out whether your projects qualify and what funding is realistic.
Call 1 · 30 min
Finance checklist
We clarify which documents you need — as a company-specific checklist. You get the documents from your tax advisor, nothing more to do on your side.
Call 2 · 30 min
Finance review
We structure your data ourselves (employees, salaries, contractors), work through your payroll journal and filter out clearly ineligible items straight away. Then we clear up any final questions. For you, it's just a review.
Call 3 · 45 min
Product & innovation
We identify your innovation projects, allocate employees by percentage, and discuss novelty and technical risk.
Call 4
Final review & submission
You get an asynchronous review in advance. If everything fits, we submit to the BSFZ — otherwise we use call 4 as a deeper product call.
Your partner for the Forschungszulage
100% success-based — 0% risk for you
We carry the risk with you. Payment only after funds have arrived — not two flat fees upfront like typical agencies.
From project check to certificate, incl. revisions at the BSFZ
A template, you handle BSFZ questions yourself
We write — you just provide input in calls
Questionnaires for self-completion
Under 5 hours of your time
Weeks of own effort
Digital timesheets, fully traceable
Excel lists without templates
100% success-based
Fixed upfront fees, costs even if rejected
Founder & developer — understands your project
Generalist without technical background
Scope of service
From project check to certificate, incl. revisions at the BSFZ
A template, you handle BSFZ questions yourself
Who writes the application?
We write — you just provide input in calls
Questionnaires for self-completion
Time required
Under 5 hours of your time
Weeks of own effort
Documentation
Digital timesheets, fully traceable
Excel lists without templates
Cost structure
100% success-based
Fixed upfront fees, costs even if rejected
Technical understanding
Founder & developer — understands your project
Generalist without technical background
Software that structures
Fully documented applications, no Excel chaos, everything on German servers.
Zeitmaker's own software keeps the application process structured and well thought out.
More about our Forschungszulage consulting →
Common doubts
Does one of these thoughts sound familiar?
“We don’t even do research.”
Most companies do research & development every day without calling it that. New products and improvements almost always involve technical innovation — so you very likely meet the eligibility criteria for the allowance.
“Why have I never heard of this?”
9 out of 10 companies leave money on the table — bad experiences with other grants, or simply never having heard of it. Yet the Forschungszulage has been a legal entitlement since 2020. We’re happy to send you the official documents first.
“It’s not worth it.”
Many had applied before and were disappointed by the amount. Once we scope the projects cleanly together, capture every cost and structure the process, that changes — on average 400k € paid out per year and company.
What our customers say about working with us
Founders and finance leads from YC companies and established mid-market businesses — on what working with us has meant for them.
“Erich secured €350k per year in funding, exceeding our expectations by +€75k per year.”
Kai Klasen
Head of Finance · Ona
“Erich supported us very well and we could focus on our product. Extremely efficient in just 4 calls.”
Sascha Lang
Founder · YC S23 · AiSupervision
“Super fast and efficient support with the Forschungszulage. The process was completed in just 4 calls.”
Fabio Schmidberger
Founder · YC W22 · voize
“We put it off for years, afraid we'd end up wasting time on it. Erich organized everything so we had to invest as little time as possible.”
Nikolay Leons
Co-Founder · Scaneca
“Excellent support. We were able to advance our airborne wind power systems faster. Only 3 calls needed.”
Florian Bauer
Founder · YC W22 · KiteKraft
“Excellent work and documentation. I had very little effort, everything was done in 3 calls.”
Marc Metz
Founder · YC W23 · MeetAnyway
Check your Forschungszulage, free and success-based
Send us a line about your work and we'll come back to you with an initial assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Working together & costs
Requirements & eligible projects
Application, deadlines & combining
Documentation & person-months
15-minute intro call
Choose a slot that works for you. 15 minutes over video.
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Go deeper on the Forschungszulage
The most-read guides, industry pages and articles, for when you want to dig deeper.
Guides
Calculation
Forschungszulage calculation: rates & base 2026
Which costs are eligible, how the funding amount is composed, and what ends up in your account.
Read the guide →Requirements
Forschungszulage requirements: who is eligible?
Who is eligible, which projects count, and what the BSFZ actually checks.
Read the guide →Application
How do you apply for the Forschungszulage in 2026?
Step by step through the BSFZ portal and tax office — deadlines and common pitfalls included.
Read the guide →Industries
Mechanical engineering
Forschungszulage for mechanical engineering: your development work is eligible
Forschungszulage for mechanical and plant engineering: eligible projects, cost types, common pitfalls. Recover 25%, or 35% for SMEs, of your eligible R&D costs.
View industry →
Construction
Forschungszulage for construction companies: your development work is eligible
Forschungszulage for construction companies: eligible projects from concrete formulations to AI scheduling, claimable costs and how it differs from ZIM, KfW and state programs.
View industry →
MedTech & HealthTech
Forschungszulage for MedTech & HealthTech: fund the R&D, separate the regulatory work
Forschungszulage for medical technology and digital health: eligible projects, R&D versus regulatory work. Recover 25%, or 35% for SMEs, of eligible R&D costs.
View industry →
Software & AI companies
Forschungszulage for software and AI companies: fund your R&D without giving up equity
Forschungszulage for software and AI teams: which projects are eligible and why applications fail. Recover 25%, or 35% for SMEs, of your eligible R&D costs.
View industry →
Food industry
Forschungszulage for the food industry: what you call product development is often R&D
Forschungszulage for food manufacturers: eligible recipe, process and packaging development. Recover 25%, or 35% for SMEs, of your eligible R&D costs.
View industry →
Automotive
Forschungszulage for automotive suppliers: liquidity out of your development work
Forschungszulage for automotive suppliers: what is eligible, how to separate series launch and OEM contracts. Recover 25%, or 35% for SMEs, of eligible R&D costs.
View industry →
Defense tech & dual-use
Forschungszulage for defense tech and dual-use: technology-neutral, but not trivial
Forschungszulage for defense tech and dual-use: why the FZulG is technology-neutral, and how secrecy, dual-use demarcation and public procurement contracts play out in the application. 25%, 35% for SMEs.
View industry →Strategy & market
Basics
Forschungszulage: 8 Benefits over Classic Funding Programs
Legal entitlement, retroactive claims, payout without profit: 8 benefits of the Forschungszulage, each with its FZulG section and figures from the 2026 evaluation report.
Read the article →Funding Comparison
ZIM or Forschungszulage: Which Funding Fits in 2026?
ZIM has stopped accepting new applications since July 2026. This comparison shows what sets the two instruments apart, how to combine them and what it means for your 2026 and 2027 funding plans.
Read the article →News & Updates
Forschungszulage 2026: All Changes at a Glance
What is changing about the Forschungszulage in 2024 and 2026? KMU funding rate 35%, overhead flat rate 20%, higher assessment basis. Wachstumschancengesetz explained.
Read the article →