Little knowledge about state subsidies

18.09.2025

Source: E & M powernews

Only around 30 percent of companies are aware of and use relevant government funding programs. A recent Yougov survey shows which sectors have the most insight.

25 percent of decision-makers in German companies have hardly any overview of possible government funding opportunities. This is the result of a survey of 524 company decision-makers conducted by the market research company Yougov on behalf of the funding consultancy EPSA Deutschland in August.

According to the survey, 30 percent of companies across all sectors are aware of and use many of the government funding programs that are relevant to them. However, this contrasts with 40 percent who use their funding opportunities only partially or not at all. 12 percent stated that they had no overview at all.

Broken down by sector, companies from industry (mining, production, energy and water) have the greatest overview: Here, 35 percent knew and used many to all programs. Just under a quarter stated that they only use a few programs specifically. 4 percent of decision-makers in industry do not know at all which subsidies are available to them.

Large companies use more funding opportunities

In the construction industry (31%) and in the health, education and administration sector (31%), as well as in the private service sector (28%), slightly less than a third of the companies surveyed make use of the funding opportunities on offer. The greatest lack of awareness can be seen in the construction industry: According to Yougov, more than a quarter of the companies surveyed do not know at all which programs are available to them.

The size of the company also plays a role: while 37% of SMEs and 35% of large companies make use of many funding opportunities, only 19% of micro and small companies do. When asked about the accessibility of funding, 38% of respondents said that bureaucracy was the biggest hurdle. Respondents criticized complex verification requirements (27%) and long processing times (24%) as well as a lack of overview (21%), a lack of advice (18%) and concerns about reclaims (13%). Only 10 percent felt that funding was easily accessible.

The data for this survey is based on online interviews with members of the Yougov panel who agreed to participate in advance. A total of 524 company decision-makers were surveyed between August 11 and 20, 2025. The survey was quota-based and the results weighted. The respondents are representative according to the proportion of employees per company size, gender and age groups of company decision-makers, economic sectors and regional distribution of companies.

Among the participants, 44 percent were decision-makers in large companies (more than 250 employees), 21 percent in medium-sized companies (50 to 249 employees) and 25 percent decision-makers in micro or small companies. Around a quarter of respondents came from industry and public service providers (healthcare, education, administration). Low-skilled private services - such as trade, mobility, logistics or gastronomy - accounted for 20 percent. Highly qualified private services such as ICT, finance, insurance, the housing industry or science accounted for 17%. Other sectors such as agriculture and forestry, art, entertainment or personal services accounted for a further 10 percent. The construction industry accounted for 6 percent.

Author: Katia Meyer-Tien