Innovationsförderung Hessen

What Innovationsförderung Hessen does

Innovationsförderung Hessen is the innovation funding division of HA Hessen Agentur GmbH, a wholly state-owned economic development company (Landesgesellschaft) of the State of Hessen (Land Hessen), headquartered at Mainzer Str. 118 in Wiesbaden. The organization administers publicly funded innovation support programs on behalf of Hessian state ministries (HMWVW, HMWK, HMDI) and the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE), and has distributed over €300 million across approximately 1,900 funded projects since 2004, currently maintaining roughly 450 active projects (as of mid-2025). Its core activity is advising applicants and disbursing non-repayable grants across roughly twenty funding lines, including LOEWE-Förderlinie 3 (applied research cooperation between SMEs and universities, up to €500,000 per project), F&E-Vorhaben in Unternehmen (SME R&D grants up to 50% of eligible expenses, maximum €500,000, EFRE 2022–2027), Smarte Kommunen (smart-city/municipality funding), Energietechnologien and Wärmenetze/Abwärmenutzung (energy innovation), Elektromobilität and Elektrobusse (e-mobility), the push! startup stipendium (up to €40,000 per scholarship, administered with StartHub Hessen), Kreativwirtschaft (creative industries), and Entwicklungszusammenarbeit (development cooperation).

The business model is non-commercial: all consulting and advisory services are provided free of charge, with the organization funded by Hessian state budget allocations and EU co-financing. Go-to-market operates through consultation days (Beratungstage, held roughly every two weeks, offering 45–60-minute free advisory sessions), direct individual advisory, partner referrals through IHK Hessen innovativ, HTAI, LEA, StartHub Hessen, and Bürgschaftsbank Hessen, plus a content/website presence under the hessen-agentur.de brand. The team of approximately 20 is organized into three thematic teams (I: Technology/Digitalization; II: Energy/Mobility/Sustainability; III: LOEWE/Creative/Trade-fair funding), with project managers covering biotech, ICT/software, production/materials, environment/energy, mobility/logistics, and culture/creative industries. Technology infrastructure consists of the WIBank electronic customer portal for digital applications and Matomo self-hosted web analytics; no public API, mobile app, or proprietary AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

Name

Innovationsförderung Hessen

Legal name

HA Hessen Agentur GmbH

Website

https://innovationsfoerderung-hessen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Innovationsförderung Hessen is the innovation funding division of the state-owned HA Hessen Agentur GmbH in Wiesbaden, administering publicly funded R&D grants for Hessian SMEs, universities, and municipalities across roughly twenty programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Innovation Funding Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Innovation funding advisory
• Public R&D grants
• SME innovation support
• Government funding programs
• Technology consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public funding administration: The organization administers publicly funded innovation support programs on behalf of the Hessian state government. As a department of HA Hessen Agentur GmbH, a state-owned economic development company, it does not generate commercial revenue. Services are provided free of charge to applicants. Funding comes from Hessian state ministries, European Regional Development Fund (EFRE), and LOEWE program funds.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Innovationsförderung Hessen is the innovation funding division of HA Hessen Agentur GmbH, providing free advisory services and administering approximately 20 public funding programs for the State of Hesse. The organization supports companies, universities, research institutions, and municipalities in Hesse with non-repayable grants (Zuschüsse) for innovative R&D projects, from initial idea to project completion.

Product overview

Innovationsförderung Hessen is a unified public funding advisory service operated by HA Hessen Agentur GmbH for the State of Hesse. It offers a portfolio of approximately 20 distinct funding programs spanning research & development, energy technology, electromobility, smart municipalities, start-up support, creative industries, and development cooperation. The core offering combines program administration with expert advisory services, guiding applicants from project ideation through successful implementation. Key programs include LOEWE-Förderlinie 3 (applied research cooperation), F&E-Vorhaben in Unternehmen (SME R&D grants), Energietechnologien (energy innovation), Elektromobilität (e-mobility), and the Start-up-Stipendium push! (up to 40,000 EUR per scholarship).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LOEWE-Förderlinie 3 Applied research and development funding line supporting cooperation between SMEs and universities/research institutions in Hesse, open to all industries and technologies. Maximum funding per project can reach €500,000. Funded by the Hessian Ministry for Science and Research (HMWK).
• F&E-Vorhaben in Unternehmen R&D project funding for SMEs in Hesse, supporting development of new products, processes, and services with grants up to 50% of eligible expenses and a maximum of €500,000 per project. Funded by EFRE and state funds for the 2022-2027 period.
• Smarte Kommunen Funding program for municipalities in Hesse implementing smart city and digital transformation projects.
• Energietechnologien Funding for innovative energy technology projects including heat networks and waste heat utilization, supporting CO2 reduction and energy efficiency in Hesse.
• Start-up-Stipendium (push!) Start-up stipend program offering up to €40,000 per scholarship for innovative, sustainable business models from Hesse-based start-ups up to 5 years old.
• Elektromobilität Funding program for electromobility projects including charging infrastructure, electric vehicles, and sustainable transportation solutions in Hesse.
• Mobilitätspläne Funding for municipalities to implement integrated mobility plans, supporting personnel and implementation management for sustainable transport in Hesse.
• Kreativwirtschaft Funding and support for creative industries businesses and projects in Hesse.
• Beratungstage Regular consultation days providing free, confidential guidance on funding opportunities, application procedures, and project development for innovative projects. Sessions are 45-60 minutes each.
• Wärmenetze Funding program supporting heat network projects in Hesse.
• Abwärmenutzung Funding program supporting waste heat utilization projects in Hesse.
• Start-up-Projekte Funding program for start-up projects in Hesse, supporting young companies in developing innovative business models.
• Elektrobusse Funding program for electric bus deployment in Hesse.
• Logistik und Mobilität Funding program for logistics and mobility innovation projects in Hesse.
• Messeförderung Trade fair funding program supporting Hessian businesses' participation in trade fairs.
• Entwicklungszusammenarbeit Funding program supporting development cooperation projects.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen (WIBank)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022WIBank serves as the approval authority (Bewilligungsbehörde) and administers funding payments for EFRE-funded R&D projects. The organization works in tandem with Innovationsförderung Hessen: HA provides technical consulting while WIBank handles formal application processing and fund disbursement.
• Hessisches Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Energie, Verkehr, Wohnen und ländlichen Raum (HMWVW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary ministerial sponsor for EFRE-funded innovation programs and R&D funding initiatives. The ministry sets funding priorities and provides policy direction for the Innovationsförderung Hessen programs.
• Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung, Kunst und Kultur (HMWK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry responsible for the LOEWE research funding program (Landes-Offensive zur Entwicklung Wissenschaftlich-ökonomischer Exzellenz), including LOEWE-Förderlinie 3 which funds collaborative R&D projects between SMEs and research institutions.
• Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH (HTAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development company of the State of Hesse and subsidiary of HA Hessen Agentur GmbH. HTAI provides complementary services including the StartHub Hessen startup program and the Fachzentrum Nachhaltige Mobilitätsplanung Hessen.
• LEA LandesEnergieAgentur Hessen GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState energy agency and subsidiary of HA Hessen Agentur GmbH. LEA supports energy transition, climate protection, and energy efficiency initiatives, working in conjunction with Innovationsförderung Hessen on energy-related funding programs.
• StartHub HessencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral startup hub operated by HTAI that provides support for startups, cooperation opportunities, and financing guidance. StartHub Hessen administers the push! startup stipendium program in cooperation with Innovationsförderung Hessen.
• Fraunhofer-Institut für Molekularbiologie und Angewandte Oekologie IMEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFraunhofer IME, based in Gießen, is a frequent research partner in LOEWE-Förderlinie 3 projects, collaborating with SMEs on applied biotechnology research.
• Hochschule DarmstadtmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences Darmstadt partners with industry through LOEWE-Förderlinie 3 projects. Participated in the CohyBA composite materials project.
• Philipps-Universität MarburgmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarburg University partners with local industry through LOEWE-Förderlinie 3, contributing research expertise in materials science and physics for collaborative innovation projects.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hamburg Innovation: Hamburg's innovation agency providing funding advisory, technology transfer, and SME-research collaboration support. Direct functional peer in another German city-state.
• Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen (WIBank): Hesse's state development bank that handles formal approval and disbursement for EFRE-funded R&D projects. Sister organization within the Hessian economic development ecosystem, splitting funding administration duties with Innovationsförderung Hessen.
• NRW.BANK: North Rhine-Westphalia's state development bank administering innovation and SME funding programs. Comparable state-level funding administration role in Germany's most populous state.
• Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie: Berlin's economic development agency providing funding advisory, innovation support, and SME services to Berlin-based companies. Direct functional peer in a different German federal state.
• Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH (HTAI): Sister company within HA Hessen Agentur GmbH providing economic development services, internationalization support, and startup programs (StartHub Hessen). Shares parent entity and serves overlapping Hessian customer base.
• Bayern Innovativ: Bavaria's state innovation agency offering technology and knowledge transfer, innovation funding advisory, and SME-research collaboration support. Direct functional peer operating the same model in a different German federal state.
• Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH: Saxony's economic development corporation providing innovation funding advisory and SME support. Direct functional peer operating the same model in eastern Germany.

Broad incumbents

• SPRIND-D Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen: Federal agency funding breakthrough innovations across Germany. Comparable innovation funding role but with federal scope rather than regional focus.
• VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH: Federal-level innovation consultancy supporting BMBF and BMWK programs. Operates across multiple German states with broader federal mandate, while Innovationsförderung Hessen focuses on a single state.
• European Innovation Council (EIC): EU-level innovation funding body providing grants and equity to breakthrough innovators. Comparable grantmaking function but at supranational scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Innovationsförderung Hessen