What does the BSFZ specifically want to see for the "systematic" criterion?

A traceable project structure: objectives, work packages, time/work plan, resource planning and expected (interim) results.

Do I have to use classic project plans (waterfall)?

No. Scrum/Kanban can also be systematic, as long as the roadmap, hypotheses, sprint goals, milestones and results documentation are clearly described.

Is a Jira board sufficient as evidence?

It can help, but a brief, clear presentation is better: objective → technical uncertainties → work packages → milestones → expected results. Jira is then "evidence", not the sole explanation.

Is the systematic criterion still met even if the approach changes during the project?

Yes. Innovation is uncertain. What matters is that changes are justified and the process continues to be documented systematically.

What is the most common mistake with "systematic"?

Too much business language ("We are building feature X") and too little technical structure ("Which technical hurdles are we solving – how – in which work packages – with which interim goals?").

Where can I get support with formulating the project description?

At dieforschungszulage.de – or directly through the official information from the BSFZ and BMF (application/process).

What Does the Criterion "Systematic" Mean for the Forschungszulage?

Date: February 19, 2026•Author: Erich Lehmann

TL;DR – Summary

Systematic in the BSFZ sense means: your innovation project is not "trial and error without structure", but follows clearly defined technical tasks, objectives and a traceable project plan (e.g. work packages, schedule, resources/team, milestones and expected interim results). This traceability is often the key to having a project certified as eligible for funding.

Terms & context: BSFZ · Personenmonat · Requirements

Why This Criterion Matters

Many companies fail not because of the idea, but because of the presentation: the Forschungszulage promotes above all innovation in companies – but only if it is recognisable as a systematic, goal-oriented project. "Systematic" is therefore crucial because the BSFZ uses it to assess whether there is a genuine innovation project with technical substance – and not routine, support or pure day-to-day operations.

Definition: What Does "Systematic" Concretely Mean?

According to the BSFZ, a systematic approach requires that the work contains precisely defined tasks of a scientific or technical nature with clearly established objectives. The planning is typically evidenced by:

Schedule or work plan (roadmap, sprint/release plan, project phases)
Resource and personnel planning (who does what, with what hours/budget)
Work packages (WPs) and, where applicable, milestones
Description of process steps and the expected (interim) results
Documentation of the approach and results (so that the procedure remains traceable)

Resource & personnel planning (context):

Forschungszulage Personalkosten

Important: Systematic does not mean "rigid". Agile projects can also be systematic – as long as objectives, hypotheses, iterations and results are clearly described.

What "Systematic" Is Not (Common Misconceptions)

Not systematic (or at least difficult to justify) are e.g.:

"We'll try out a few tools and see what works."
Pure production start-up, pure routine optimisation without technological uncertainty
Routine debugging or support of existing systems (without technical innovation)
Pure market analysis or data evaluation using standard methods

Debugging context:

Can I get public funding for my software project?

Practical Examples: How "Systematic" Looks in Real Innovation Projects

Practical examples:

Example projects

Example 1: AI/Camera Real-Time Analysis in Production (Industrial AI)

Systematic, if you define e.g.:

Objective: detection of cycle problems/overload/process deviations in real time under production conditions
Work packages: data collection & labelling (only as far as needed for the innovation objective), model approach, edge deployment, validation against defined KPIs
Milestones: prototype running in test environment → pilot at the line → robustness/latency target achieved or falsified

This makes it visible: it is a budgeted, structured innovation process – not just "training a model".

Example 2: New Search Technology / New Algorithms in Software

Software can be eligible for funding when it addresses technical progress. Systematic means here:

clear technical question (e.g. novel ranking/retrieval logic, new architecture, new encryption/security method)
defined experiments (comparative design, benchmarks, test data, abort criteria)
documentation of results (why approach A was discarded, why B is being pursued)

Example 3: Prompting Techniques for Consistent Image Styles (Creative Tech)

Here too, a systematic approach counts, if you set it up like an innovation project:

hypotheses (which prompt structures increase style coherence?)
test matrix (parameters, templates, evaluation criteria)
reproducible templates/library as a result

Then it is systematic and traceable rather than "we just prompt around".

Mini Checklist: How to Formulate "Systematic Approach" in Your Application

Application process:

Application process

If you want to check in 10 minutes whether your project comes across as "systematic", answer:

Target picture: What is the technical objective (not just the business goal)?
Technical tasks: Which specific sub-problems need to be solved?
Approach model: Which steps/phases are planned (agile also possible)?
Resources: Who is working on it (roles) and over what timeframe?
Milestones: Which verifiable interim states are planned?
Results: Which artefacts will be created (prototype, tests, specification, documentation)?

Why the Forschungszulage Is So Attractive for Innovation

The Forschungszulage is one of the strongest, technology-neutral innovation incentives in Germany – precisely because it is not tied to funding calls and works even when a project fails (uncertainty is explicitly part of the logic).

Official Classification & Process (Brief)

Step 1: BSFZ checks whether the project meets the criteria (incl. novelty, risk/uncertainty, systematic approach).
Step 2: Application to the tax office via ELSTER (with BSFZ certificate).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Check out our guides about applications and funding