The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space Travel of Germany (BMFTR) has announced a competition under the program "German-Ukrainian Partnerships for the Structural Strengthening of the Ukrainian Research and Innovation System".
The program "German-Ukrainian Partnerships for the Structural Strengthening of the Ukrainian Research and Innovation System" aims to improve the structural conditions for research, development, and technology transfer in Ukraine, joint development of market-oriented solutions, and the use of innovative potential, which will contribute to the integration of Ukraine into the European research and innovation area.
It is expected that this program will promote the intensification of research cooperation with Ukraine and the long-term reconstruction of the country, as well as open opportunities for German innovation entities to learn from Ukraine's experience in resilience and flexibility.
Within the framework of the program, support will be provided to structurally and strategically oriented German-Ukrainian joint projects that, through the development of concepts and methods, as well as their implementation, will contribute to achieving the program's goals. These may include measures related to the following aspects:
Contribution to strategic development in the field of transfer, including the development of recommendations on legal frameworks and incentives for transfer activities.
Creation of structures related to technology transfer and optimization of processes, as well as management of scientific activities in the involved institutions.
Development of pilot models for effective technology transfer between science and the economy, which will serve as examples of "best practices" that can be applied in other areas and used for policy advice.
Engagement of enterprises through the creation of joint structures and formats, as well as the development of mechanisms for more effective cooperation between science and the economy (e.g., regarding contract conclusion, intellectual property rights distribution, joint investments).
Creation and strengthening of innovation networks, science and technology parks, as well as regional clusters, using international cooperation to create a common space for exchanging proven management practices, joint search/attraction of investments, and integration into global innovation and value creation chains.
Contribution to the creation of local and regional innovation ecosystems, in particular strengthening regional technology transfer centers, including within the framework of the so-called "smart specialization" (S3) strategies of the European Union.
Improvement of the starting positions of Ukrainian institutions for searching/attracting public and private orders for scientific research, as well as for public-private partnerships in research and development.
Creation of structures and tools to support the creation of innovative startups and spin-offs, as well as their access to financing, particularly in the field of "deep technologies." Application of digital solutions, such as digital twin technology, in managing startup projects at various development stages (idea, launch, testing phase, growth, scaling). Creation of structures for exchanging advanced experience between the two national startup ecosystems.
Mediation in acquiring relevant promising professional competencies and skills, involving students in transfer activities, and promoting the development of entrepreneurial skills.
Support in conducting testing, prototype development, and demonstration, especially in areas of key economic and social importance. These include Living Labs, testing platforms, joint prototype development and product testing centers, including FabLabs and engineering laboratories.
Criteria for evaluating the success of funded measures from the perspective of funding policy goals include, for example:
Development and publication of so-called analytical documents/notes (Policy Papers, Policy Briefs), best practice guides, as well as learning and qualification concepts and other knowledge transfer formats for scaling project results and their consideration in Ukrainian policy programs.
The number of collaborations with industrial sector enterprises, as well as established technology transfer offices, FabLabs, startups, prototypes, etc.
The number of created innovation networks and specialized local and international clusters.
The number of established long-term partnerships between German and Ukrainian entities (e.g., joint laboratories, doctoral programs, etc.).
Eligible to apply are German public and state-recognized higher education institutions and non-university research institutions, as well as commercial sector enterprises.
The consortium must consist of at least one higher education institution and one non-university research institution from Germany and include at least one Ukrainian partner. The involvement of multiplier networks (e.g., cluster organizations), industry associations, and industrial sector enterprises from the German side, as well as as diverse participation as possible from the Ukrainian side (higher education institutions, research institutes, SMEs, science parks), is welcomed.
Ukrainian consortium partners can also receive support as final grant recipients; this applies exclusively to costs that are also eligible for funding for German grant recipients. Funds may be allocated for personnel, travel and stays in Germany, seminars, material resources (consumables, office supplies, equipment, literature, rent, patents, transportation of materials, etc.), equipment and third-party services, scientific communication, participation in international events.
Within the program, grants are provided as non-repayable aid, usually up to 500,000 euros per project and generally for a period of up to 36 months.
Projects must be submitted to the Project Management Agency DLR PT by June 24, 2026 inclusive.
The full text of the competition can be found at this link.
Contact person in Ukraine
Erich Bistriker
Tel.: +38 044 3777961
E-mail: erich.bistriker@ukraine.ahk.de