Is the Forschungszulage only intended for "research"?

No. Many eligible projects are innovations in product, software, or process. What matters is novelty, technical uncertainty, and a systematic approach, among other things.

Do we need to be profitable to receive the Forschungszulage?

No. The Forschungszulage works as a tax credit and – depending on the situation – can also be relevant as a refund.

How high is the typical funding amount?

That depends on the project and costs. You can use our calculator to get an initial estimate.

How much time does this really take internally?

Without support, collecting all documents typically takes several days to weeks before submission. With us, it comes down to approximately 4 calls until submission. We write, structure, and prepare – you primarily contribute your expertise and validation.

What is the difference between the BSFZ and the tax office?

The BSFZ reviews the substantive eligibility of the project (Bescheinigung). The tax office reviews the costs/calculation/formalities and sets the Forschungszulage.

How secure is this in a later tax audit?

That is exactly what we make "airtight": strong documentation, traceable reasoning, audit-oriented. That is why we achieve a 92% success rate instead of the average 75%, and build the application so that it also holds up later.

Does dieforschungszulage.de also support throughout the entire process until disbursement?

Yes – our goal is complete support: from project logic through documentation and submission to the disbursement logic in the tax process. We are also fully success-based – meaning we only get our share when you get your money.

How Do I Get Up to €4.2M Forschungszulage Per Year in Just 4 Calls?

Date: January 30, 2026•Author: Erich Lehmann

TL;DR – Summary

Process Overview

1Call 1: Finance checklist
2Call 2: Finance review
3Call 3: Product & innovation
4Call 4: Final review & submission

The Forschungszulage is Germany's most powerful tax-based innovation incentive: legal entitlement, retroactive by up to 4 years, and (for SMEs) up to €4.2M per year. I (Erich Lehmann) guide you through dieforschungszulage.de in a lean process with typically around 4 calls until submission – with an average of €300k in funding, on average +€75k more funding through our expertise, and a 92% success rate thanks to clean, audit-proof documentation.

Why This Article Matters

Many companies leave six-figure amounts on the table every year because they think: "That's only for classical research" or "That's too bureaucratic." The truth is: innovation work (e.g. new software, new processes, new data methods, new hardware approaches) can be eligible – if it is properly structured, justified, and documented. This is exactly where applications frequently fail: not because of the project itself, but because of the way it is presented.

What Is the Forschungszulage – and Why Is It So Attractive?

The Forschungszulage is a tax incentive for eligible R&D/innovation projects in Germany. The central advantage: there is a statutory legal entitlement. If your project meets the criteria, funding must be granted – regardless of funding budgets.

The key points at a glance:

Retroactive by up to 4 years
Open to all industries: startups, SMEs, and larger companies
No equity dilution (no shares, no dilution)
Two-stage process: first BSFZ, then the tax office (Finanzamt)
Disbursement as a tax credit/refund within the tax assessment

Official contact point for the Bescheinigung: BSFZ (Bescheinigungsstelle Forschungszulage): bescheinigung-forschungszulage.de

Why a Consultant (and Why dieforschungszulage.de)?

In practice, two things determine success and funding amount:

Which costs can actually be claimed (and how to derive them correctly)
How airtight the project logic and documentation are – especially for a potential tax audit

That is exactly what we are here for.

More Money: Average €300k in Funding – and on Average 25% Higher Funding Through Us

Many teams claim too narrowly (or leave positions out) because they lack the experience of knowing which expenses can be claimed in which form. We typically find additional, legitimate potential – which is why companies working with us frequently achieve +€75k more in funding.

Less Effort: Instead of 4 Weeks of "Application Pain", Typically Just Around 4 Calls

Our approach is deliberately not "fill in a questionnaire and write it yourself". We conduct structured interviews, take over the writing – and you only contribute your expertise.

The typical process (realistic and lean):

Call 1: Finance Checklist (~30 min.)

We clarify which documents you actually need – as a company-specific checklist (not a generic list). Example: depending on the founding date, business statistics may only be needed for 1 year instead of 3; additionally, depending on your setup, payroll tax documents, contractor invoices, or affiliated company details may be needed. Important: no homework between calls – you simply forward the checklist to your tax advisor.

Call 2: Finance Review (~30 min.)

Once the documents are available, we structure the data ourselves (employees, time periods, salaries, contractors, etc.) and clarify any remaining questions. For you this is typically not work, just review. Goal: after this call, nothing should be missing for the application.

Call 3: Product & Innovation (~45 min.)

We identify and structure your innovation projects and carry out the most important step for documentation: we allocate employees and contractors per project by percentage (practical estimate in a clear table). Novelty/technical risk is discussed at a "high level" at this stage.

Call 4: Final Review & Submission

You receive an asynchronous review in advance (a link with a complete summary). If everything checks out, we submit. If things are more complex or feedback remains open, we use Call 4 as an in-depth product call – and submit afterwards.

Higher Success Rate: 92% Instead of ~75% Market Average

Many rejections result from weak justification of novelty, uncertainty, and systematic approach – or from an unclear delineation of the project. Our documentation is designed for BSFZ logic and tax audit requirements. Result: 92% success rate.

Proven Track Record: €8M+ Funding Volume, 35+ Clients

We have already realized €8M+ in Forschungszulage with clients – from startups to mid-sized companies. This experience feeds into structure, formulations, risk argumentation, and evidence.

What Changes from 1 January 2026?

From 01.01.2026, the Forschungszulage becomes even more attractive (including a higher assessment base, higher maximum funding for SMEs, additional flat rates/simplifications). If you are planning to invest in 2026 anyway, strategic planning now is worthwhile – and if you have already been working in an innovation-driven way: check for retroactive eligibility.

For Which Innovation Projects Is the Forschungszulage Typically Interesting?

Not only "lab research". Frequently eligible (when genuine uncertainty and a methodical approach are present):

Software/AI (e.g. new model/data pipelines, robust real-time processes, novel system architectures)
Production & processes (new methods, material or quality innovations)
Hardware/IoT (new prototypes, measurement/control methods)
B2B platforms with genuine technical uncertainty (scalability, latency, security, interoperability)

What matters is not the buzzword, but: What was technically unclear – and how did you proceed systematically to resolve it? You can find more concrete examples in our overview of example projects.

Why Act Now?

Retroactivity: The sooner you check, the less deadline risk.
2026 improvements: Higher potential, better planning.
Cash effect: Relief for exactly the phase when innovation is expensive.

If you want to find out whether your project is a good fit: start with a quick check at dieforschungszulage.de – I will give you an honest answer on whether the application is worthwhile.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Check out our guides about applications and funding