GrantLift

What GrantLift does

GrantLift GmbH is a Hamburg-based grant and subsidy consulting firm founded in December 2022 by Marius Löwe and Gabriel Kienberger. The company provides end-to-end advisory services to help German and European businesses identify and secure government funding, covering both R&D-oriented programs (Forschungszulage, ZIM, KMU-Innovativ, EIC, Eurostars) and investment-oriented programs (BAFA Modules 1-6, BEG, GRW, Invest BW). The company positions itself as offering examiner-perspective expertise, drawing on a team that includes former subsidy reviewers, active EU evaluators, and consultants with doctoral-level technical backgrounds who have collectively facilitated over 1,000 applications achieving a 90%+ approval rate and €100M+ in cumulative applied funding volume.

The business model is a pure success-based fee structure where compensation is contingent on funding approval, eliminating client financial risk. GrantLift operates a sales-led GTM with a free eligibility assessment as the primary lead generation tool, supplemented by trade fair attendance, content marketing via case studies, and referral partnerships with certified energy consultants required for BAFA energy efficiency projects. Customer segments span SMEs, large enterprises, startups, and deep-tech companies across diverse industries including biotechnology, telecommunications, medical diagnostics, autonomous robotics, adtech, and measurement technology.

The company has scaled to 30+ named professionals organized across partner management, grant consulting, business development, HR, and executive functions, with a notable Vienna-based contingent indicating DACH-wide operational footprint beyond the Hamburg headquarters. GrantLift is privately held with no disclosed external institutional funding, growing organically from operating cash flow. There is no proprietary technology platform—the service is human-delivered consulting.

Name

GrantLift

Legal name

GrantLift GmbH

Website

https://grantlift.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GrantLift GmbH is a Hamburg-based grant and subsidy consulting firm that helps German and European businesses secure government funding across R&D and investment programs, operating on a success-fee model with 1,000+ applications facilitated and €100M+ applied funding volume.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grant Consulting Services

NAICS

Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Results-Based Financing (RBF) & Performance-Based Grants (BPADAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lottery Beneficiary/Fund Administration & Grant Management Services (MPAEAFAN), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Grant consulting services
• Government funding advisory
• R&D subsidy consulting
• EU funding applications
• Innovation grant advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Success-Based Consulting Fees: GrantLift operates on a success-fee basis where the honorarium is only charged when funding is secured. This aligns the company's incentives with client success and eliminates financial risk for clients. The company states: 'Das Honorar wird erst fällig, wenn die Förderung steht' (The fee is only due when the funding is approved).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GrantLift provides end-to-end grant and subsidy consulting services to businesses, identifying suitable German federal (Forschungszulage, ZIM, KMU-Innovativ, BAFA, BEG, GRW, Invest BW) and EU-level (EIC, Eurostars) government funding programs, and managing the complete application process from eligibility check through approval, disbursement, and compliance. The company operates on a success-based fee model where clients pay only when funding is secured, and serves SMEs, large enterprises, and startups in research, development, innovation, energy efficiency, and investment projects across the DACH region.

Product overview

GrantLift is a consulting services company (not a software product company) offering comprehensive grant and subsidy advisory services for German and European government funding programs. The company's primary offering is its consulting expertise to help companies identify suitable funding programs, prepare applications, and manage the complete process through disbursement. Their service portfolio encompasses German federal programs (Forschungszulage, ZIM, KMU-Innovativ, BAFA, BEG, GRW, Invest BW) and EU-level programs (EIC, Eurostars). GrantLift operates on a success-based fee model where compensation is only received when funding is approved.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GrantLift Fördermittelberatung (Grant Consulting Services) Comprehensive grant and subsidy consulting services that help companies identify suitable government funding programs and manage the complete application process from eligibility check through submission, approval, and disbursement. Service operates on a success-based fee model where payment is only required when funding is secured.
• Forschungszulage (Research Allowance) Consulting Consulting service for Germany's tax-based research subsidy program (steuerliche Forschungsförderung) providing up to €4.2 million annually for R&D projects, available retroactively from 2020 through 2027, with 35% funding rate for SMEs. Service includes BSFZ certification support and tax authority submission.
• ZIM (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand) Consulting Consulting service for Germany's largest SME innovation funding program supporting R&D projects through non-repayable grants, with funding rates up to 45% for individual projects and up to 55% for cooperation projects with research institutions.
• KMU-Innovativ Consulting Consulting service for the BMBF program supporting high-risk breakthrough innovations in SMEs with up to €1.5 million funding per partner at up to 70% funding rate for projects in key technology fields up to TRL 5.
• Eurostars Consulting Consulting service for the EUREKA program enabling innovative SMEs to pursue international R&D collaborations with minimum 2 partners from two EUREKA countries, offering up to €0.5 million at 50% funding rate for 2-year projects.
• BAFA Module 1-6 Consulting Consulting service for six modules of BAFA (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle) subsidies supporting energy efficiency investments in businesses, with grants up to €10 million per year at up to 60% funding rate. Partnered with certified energy consultants for technical project descriptions.
• BEG (Bundesförderung für effiziente Gebäude) Consulting Consulting service for the federal support program for energy-efficient buildings covering insulation, windows, heating technology, and renovation measures with subsidized KfW loans, grants, and repayment subsidies.
• GRW (Gemeinschaftsaufgabe zur Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur) Consulting Consulting service for the Gemeinschaftsaufgabe regional economic development program supporting companies in structurally weak regions with grants between 10-40% based on region and company size for productive capital investments.
• Invest BW Consulting Consulting service for the state funding initiative of Baden-Württemberg supporting company investments to promote economic growth and innovation, offering grants up to €0.5 million at up to 45% funding rate for R&D projects.
• European Innovation Council (EIC) Consulting Consulting service for the EU funding program supporting Deep-Tech innovations through three programs: Pathfinder for early-stage research, Transition for industrial research, and Accelerator for market readiness and scaling, with up to €4 million grant at up to 100% funding rate.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90%+ approval rate on facilitated applications
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Zertifizierte Energieberater (Certified Energy Consultants)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor BAFA module projects, GrantLift partners with certified energy consultants who are experts for specific modules and have accompanied numerous clients. These consultants provide technical project descriptions required for applications. The partnership is essential for BAFA eligibility as certified energy consultants must calculate concrete measure effects for the application.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EurA AG: EurA AG is a German consulting firm specializing in R&D and innovation funding (ZIM, KMU-Innovativ, EU programs). Christoph Köpke, GrantLift's Head of Strategic Funding, was previously a team leader at EurA AG, making it the closest direct competitor.
• arexa Beratungs GmbH: arexa is a Hamburg-area German consulting firm focused on R&D tax credits and innovation grants (especially Forschungszulage). Operates in the same geographic and program footprint as GrantLift.
• PNO Consultants: PNO Consultants is one of the largest European consulting firms for public funding and R&D grants across Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK. Direct competitor for ZIM, KMU-Innovativ, EIC, and Eurostars applications.
• ZENIT GmbH: ZENIT is a North Rhine-Westphalia-based innovation consulting firm and EU Enterprise Europe Network partner advising SMEs on German and EU R&D funding. Directly comparable grant-advisory offering.
• VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH: VDI/VDE-IT is a federally backed German innovation consulting and project management firm supporting applicants for high-tech and R&D funding programs in Germany and the EU, including similar client profiles.
• Ramboll ManagEnergy: Ramboll's German energy and climate practice advises on BAFA, KfW, and BEG subsidy applications for energy efficiency investments. Direct competitor in the investment-focused subsidies vertical.

Emerging players

• FFG (Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft): The Austrian national research promotion agency administers many of the same grant programs (FFG, AWS, Vienna Business Agency) referenced by GrantLift employees Ekin Yalcinkaya and Marco Strobl. Strong partial overlap but public/non-profit rather than private consultancy.
• aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice): Austrian federal promotional bank providing grants and subsidies to Austrian companies; overlapping target market with GrantLift's Austrian operations but acting as the funding body rather than advisor.

Broad incumbents

• KPMG R&D Tax Credits Practice: Big Four firm offering R&D tax credit and innovation funding advisory across Europe, serving the same enterprise and mid-market clients as GrantLift but as part of a much broader portfolio of consulting services.
• PwC R&D and Government Incentives: Big Four firm with dedicated R&D incentives and grants advisory teams across Germany and the EU, competing for enterprise clients seeking Forschungszulage, ZIM, and EU program support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grantlift

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GrantLift