BMBF supports industry 4.0 projects

The advancement of digitization in German industry is an important concern of The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Therefore, the BMBF has published guidelines for the promotion of measures for “Industry 4.0 – Collaborations in dynamic value creation networks (InKoWe)”. Interested parties can submit a project outline until the 31 July 2017.

With the introduced guidelines, the BMBF is pursuing the goal of advancing digitalization in German industry. The focus here is on collaboration between companies, their customers and suppliers, and on strengthening this through networked technologies and processes. The collaboration is to be regarded as a socio-technical system in which internal and cross-company procedures and processes are to be developed. The basis for this is an intelligent and networked system which is used for successful cross-company collaboration in a dynamic value chain. Thus, a new dimension of flexibility and individualization in production is to be achieved. The protection of the data and the respective know-how of customers, suppliers and producers is to be protected and thus a long-term cooperation is to be secured.

A need for action is seen in the following areas:

  • Developing intelligent cooperation to make production more flexible
  • Implement secure methods for exchanging and storing production data between companies.
  • Develop smart products for use in production (plant and machinery)
  • Introduction of data-driven description and business models in manufacturing companies

Until the 31 July 2017, companies have the opportunity to submit their project outlines to the project-executing agency. The date of the postmark will be taken as the date of submission. If the project outline is submitted via the internet portal easy-Online, one copy should nevertheless be sent to the project management organisation in written form and signed by the deadline stated above, otherwise the online version is not legally binding.

After a project outline has been evaluated positively, a formal application for funding must be submitted. Only after this a final review is carried out to decide whether funding is eligible.

How to reach us:

Do you have any questions about Industrie 4.0 or would you like to know whether your project idea can be funded? Contact us or fill out our free funding check! We will be happy to assist you with the preparation of your project outline and the entire application process.