innovate! fund
With our “innovate! fund,” we support interdisciplinary groups of researchers who work together to develop application-oriented solutions to existential challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity.
The next call for proposals will take place from January 12 to March 31, 2026.
We are particularly looking for projects that are no longer classified as basic research, but are not yet developed enough to be implemented directly by profit-oriented companies—because this is precisely where we see great potential for innovation that often remains untapped.
Background
While traditional third-party funding programs are often limited to basic research, the “innovate! fund” builds a bridge between basic research and the practical application of research results.
We specifically promote interdisciplinary projects that are application-oriented and pursue a clear transfer approach. It also offers researchers the opportunity to develop high-risk and groundbreaking approaches that are often not considered in traditional funding programs.
What does the funding offer?
Each project will receive up to €1,000,000 in funding over a maximum period of five years. We also grant a high degree of research freedom, especially with regard to administrative costs and reporting.
Eligible costs include personnel and material costs, infrastructure rental, and travel expenses. Pure administrative costs of the institution involved in the project (overhead) are not eligible for funding.
Who is the funding aimed at?
Teams of at least three researchers with doctorates from different disciplines with a focus on natural sciences or engineering who work at universities or other research institutions in Germany (public or private non-profit institutions) are eligible to apply.
The call for proposals is focused on the northern federal states:
- Brandenburg
- Berlin
- Bremen
- Hamburg
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Lower Saxony
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Saxony-Anhalt
Selection process
The selection process places particular emphasis on transfer- and innovation-oriented criteria. In particular, it promotes ideas with high social and economic exploitation potential that are still in the early stages of technological development.
The evaluation and selection of applications is carried out in a two-stage process:
- In the first step, written applications are reviewed by a jury of experts and transfer specialists appointed by the Joachim Herz Foundation, and a preliminary selection is made.
- The pre-selected applicants are then invited to the Joachim Herz Foundation for a pitch, on the basis of which the above-mentioned jury makes its final selection recommendation.
Criteria
The evaluation criteria include at least the following:
- Innovation potential: The project outline demonstrates an innovative research approach with the aim of developing groundbreaking solutions to specific societal challenges. The project is characterized by a high degree of originality.
- Scientific transfer: The project outline demonstrates a clear strategy for exploiting the research results for social or economic benefit.
- Interdisciplinarity: The project described in the project outline pursues an interdisciplinary approach that recognizes the joint potential of the different disciplines.
- Scientific quality: The project outline contains a clear research question derived from the current state of research. The applicants' methods and approach are sound and suitable for answering the research questions.
- Qualifications of the applicants: Applicants demonstrate outstanding knowledge and promising development potential in their field. Their previous work and activities provide an excellent foundation for their future research projects.
- Social relevance: The research project makes a socially relevant contribution to sustainable development in the area of a fossil-free future within the key topic area.
- Sustainability: The research project supports a holistic approach to sustainability that reconciles economic aspects with the preservation of planetary boundaries and social concerns, and takes a long-term perspective.
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