Announcements of the BayVFP funding line "Digitization"

14.11.2025

The Free State of Bavaria is announcing four central funding calls for 2026, inviting companies, research institutions and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to submit collaborative projects.

1st "Artificial Intelligence - Data Science"

The funding program is intended to promote open-application innovation projects in the field of data analysis, data science and artificial intelligence. The aim is to drive forward the digitalization of processes, products and business models in Bavaria and to address social challenges. Prerequisite: Industry-driven collaborative projects with at least two partners, including at least one company - only projects with implementation in Bavaria. The announcement will follow in spring 2026.
The exact information can be found in the full text of the pre-announcement.

2 "Communication networks of the future"

The call for funding for innovative communication technologies is also part of the program. Funding is provided for pre-competitive collaborative research and development projects that contribute to the technological sovereignty of Germany and Europe and promote digitalization. The following also applies here: at least two partners, at least one company, projects carried out exclusively in Bavaria.
Detailed information can be found in the full text of the pre-announcement.
Thinknet 6G at Bayern Innovativ GmbH is offering a free information and matchmaking event on the planned announcement "Communication Networks of the Future" on 17.11.2025 at 16:00: https://www.bayern-innovativ.de/events-termine/detail/foerdercall-25-kommunikationsnetze-der-zukunft-information-und-matchmaking/

3. "Cybersecurity"

An announcement is also being prepared for 2026 to promote technological innovations in the field of cybersecurity. Funding will be provided for projects for industry as well as for the state, society and individual citizens. Here, too, collaborative projects with at least two partners are required and the work must take place in Bavaria.
Detailed information can be found in the full text of the pre-announcement.
The Cybersecurity innovation network division at Bayern Innovativ GmbH is offering a free information and matchmaking event on the planned "Cybersecurity" announcement on 18.11.2025 at 16:00: https://www.bayern-innovativ.de/events-termine/detail/foerdercall-25-cybersicherheit-information-und-matchmaking

4. "Electronic systems and process technologies"

A further announcement is being prepared under the Elsys Bayern funding program: application-oriented innovations in intelligent electronic systems and the underlying process technologies will be funded. As with the other programs, the following applies: joint projects with at least one company, implementation in Bavaria, participation of research institutions possible.
Detailed information can be found in the full text of the pre-announcement.

The specific funding requirements are set out in the guidelines valid at the time of publication. The current guideline of the "Bavarian Collaborative Research Program (BayVFP)" expires on 31.12.2025.
The final announcement will be made after the new guideline has been established - probably in spring 2026.

Further information on submission and the process will be published shortly on

• https://www.iuk-bayern.de/ for Artificial Intelligence & Data Science, Communication Networks of the Future and Cybersecurity as well as in the newsletter of the R&D Program Information and Communication Technology Bavaria (https://www.iuk-bayern.de/newsletter); and on
• https://www.elsys-bayern.de for Electronic Systems and Process Technologies

and in the newsletter of the R&D funding program Electronic Systems (https://www.elsys-bayern.de/newsletter).

Information events for interested parties on the planned series of announcements for the digitization funding line are also planned. Details can be found at: https://www.elsys-bayern.de/bkm-info-25-26