All Forschungszulage Statistics and Data (2026)

Why This Article Matters (and What You Should Understand)

If you use the Forschungszulage, it is not just about "submitting an application". In practice, two things determine success, funding amount, and later security in a potential tax audit:

• Which costs can actually be claimed (and how to derive them correctly)
• How airtight project logic and documentation are (BSFZ logic, novelty, uncertainty, systematic approach)

I am Erich Lehmann (zeitmaker.com) – and this post aims to give you a clear, concise overview of the most important figures, rates, and patterns, so you can make better decisions.

1) How Widely Is the Forschungszulage Used by Now?

The BSFZ updates its figures quarterly. Current status from 16.09.2020 through 30.06.2026: 26,042 applicant companies and 63,718 projects applied for. The trend points clearly upward: 16,723 projects were submitted in 2025, roughly twice as many as in 2022.

My take: If you are still hesitating, you should know that a standard instrument is emerging here. The more applications the BSFZ processes, the clearer its expectations around reasoning and delineation become – and the less a weak application is forgiven.

Source: bescheinigung-forschungszulage.de, data as of 30.06.2026, retrieved 26 August 2026

What That Adds Up To in Funding

The BSFZ also estimates how much Forschungszulage results from the certified projects of a given submission year. For 2025 that is roughly 3.16 billion €, almost three times the figure for 2022 (1.12 billion €).

Source: bescheinigung-forschungszulage.de, data as of 30.06.2026, retrieved 26 August 2026

2) Success Rate: How Often Is the Forschungszulage Approved?

Rejections are not the exception for the Forschungszulage. According to a BMBF document (24.06.2024), the success rate (per project, BSFZ) averages 74.55% – meaning roughly 3 out of 4 applications are approved.

What does that mean in practice? In 2024 (through May), the success rate is 71.11% (BSFZ). And that is where it gets interesting: with professional support, the success rate in practice is 92% (corresponding to an 8% rejection rate).

Source: BMBF document dated 24.06.2024

3) Applications by Industry: Who Applies Most Frequently?

A look at the industries shows: the Forschungszulage is far from being "classical industry" only. What is counted here are applicant companies, not individual projects. My take: This is exactly where you can see why I deliberately speak of innovation in my wording: many eligible projects are product, process, or software innovations – not "lab research".

Source: bescheinigung-forschungszulage.de, period 2020–2025, retrieved 26 August 2026

4) Company Sizes: Is the Forschungszulage Only for Large Corporations?

No. The statistics show broad usage across all size categories: 33% of applicant companies are micro enterprises and 31% small enterprises, while medium-sized companies account for 22% and large enterprises for 13%.

So there is no "only corporations" or "only startups". The core insight is: what matters is not size, but sound R&D reasoning (novelty/uncertainty, systematic approach) plus correct cost logic.

The same holds for company age: among the 2025 applicants, 34.9% had been founded no more than ten years before submission, 22.6% between ten and twenty years, and 42.4% had existed for more than twenty years. Young tech companies and the established Mittelstand use the Forschungszulage to roughly the same degree.

Source: bescheinigung-forschungszulage.de, period 2020–2025, retrieved 26 August 2026

5) Applications by Federal State: Where Do the Most Come From?

Interpretation: The distribution roughly follows economic and industrial strength – and at the same time shows: the Forschungszulage is relevant nationwide.

GrafikTabelle

Source: bescheinigung-forschungszulage.de, period 2020–2025, retrieved 26 August 2026

6) What zeitmaker.com Has in Terms of Statistics (and Why It Matters)

I am frequently asked: "Do you really need a consultant?" My answer is pragmatic: if you want to save time, reduce risk, and optimize your funding amount – yes. Because the biggest levers are rarely in the "form", but in cost logic and project justification. Whether a DIY application is realistic in your case is covered in apply for the Forschungszulage yourself or use consulting?

Our Process: Lean Instead of "4 Weeks of Application Pain"

Instead of weeks of self-directed work, many teams get there with us in 4 calls:

1. Call 1 (Finance, ~30 min.): Document checklist tailored to your company (not a generic list)
2. Call 2 (Finance Review, ~30 min.): We structure the data and clarify any open questions
3. Call 3 (Product/Innovation, ~45 min.): Structure projects + assign employees/contractors per project
4. Call 4 (Final/Submission): Review, finalization, submission

If you want to understand the process, start here: zeitmaker.com.

7) Official Sources: Where You Can Reliably Read More

For official information and procedures, the BSFZ is particularly relevant. If you want to start the process directly, the Bescheinigung platform is central: bescheinigung-forschungszulage.de.

Conclusion: The Forschungszulage Is Powerful – but Statistics Clearly Show: Documentation Decides

The Forschungszulage is an excellent option for claiming innovation expenses as a tax benefit. At the same time, the statistics show: rejections are common. Those who cleanly hit the BSFZ logic, clearly delineate projects, and correctly derive costs will significantly improve their chances – and additionally protect themselves for a potential future audit.