A breakthrough innovation is an innovation that changes our lives for the better in the long term. It can create a completely new market, fundamentally change an existing market to create a completely new ecosystem, or solve a massive technological, social or environmental problem.

German breakthrough innovations range from radio and television to aspirin and electron microscope, as well as the automobile. While most breakthrough innovations that shape our lives today - such as the Internet or the smartphone - did not derive from Germany, there is tremendous potential. The mRNA vaccine, which was partially developed in Mainz and Tübingen and has helped people around the world on their way out of the Corona crisis, proves this.

Examples of projects with breakthrough innovation potential can be found here on our website. For more explanation and information on the definition of breakthrough innovations, see our first podcast episode #1(in German): Rafael Laguna de la Vera (15 March 2021).

Breakthrough innovations should be differentiated from incremental innovations. In general, incremental innovations improve existing products incrementally while maintaining the principle functionality, which may be a product or service. An example is the increase in camera resolution or image quality in a smartphone.

We are looking for people who are strongly committed to the motivation that their research and expertise can change the world for the better. As an expert or scientist, they should be very interested in their work having a profound impact beyond the academic community: in government, business and society. This requires a fundamental openness and curiosity to step out of their comfort zone and learn from others. Our experience shows that with a good combination of scientific experts, entrepreneurs and targeted support, road blocks can be removed and the seemingly impossible can be made possible.

We consider and evaluate each application.

Until October 2024, we received 2111 applications. After an initial in-depth analysis, about 6% of the projects were found to have potential for breakthrough innovation. After further analysis and a decision based on the findings of our experts, about 1% of the projects were pursued further. Many ideas or submissions appeal to us, but have no potential for breakthrough innovation after a thorough examination.

We kindly ask for you to understand that due to the large number of project submissions and in order to ensure equal opportunities, we are not able to provide initial project evaluations.

To submit your project proposal, please use the submission form below. Be sure to fill in all fields that are required. Since the current state of your submission is regularly cached in your browser, it is not necessary to complete the entire submission in one session.

To describe your project, please use the guiding questions provided in the form. You can also find them listed here:

PRIVACY POLICY BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATIONS

With this data protection policy we inform you about which of your personal data we process, how and why we use it. An evaluation of your submission is only possible with your declaration.

Breakthrough innovations are complex answers to even more complex challenges and accordingly rare. Currently only about four percent of the submissions are being further pursued. While we receive a large number of project proposals, a detailed review of your submission is extremely important to us. Therefore we need sufficient time. At the moment, the selection process takes of an average of 12 weeks. Depending on external factors, a decision may take longer in some exceptional cases. We will contact you to request further information if necessary.

THE SELECTION PROCESS STEP BY STEP

You submit your project to us. We are open in our choice of topics as long as they serve civil purposes. We will record the project and contact you if we have any questions. Each project submission is presented to our experts and assessed by them in a multi-eye process. All submitted documents will be considered and a careful research will be carried out. If it turns out that the idea does not fit into SPRIND's field of activity, we will inform you.

If the project fits, we will pursue it together with you. Experienced SPRIND Innovation Managers will be at your side. Afterwards, the decision-making committee looks at your project again. If we come to the conclusion that it has potential to become a breakthrough innovation, it is presented to the SPRIND supervisory board. The board finally decides whether and in what form a cooperation is to be established.

SPRIND is not a traditional funding agency and therefore does not have dedicated funding guidelines. Funding guidelines normally require a standard program according to which grants are awarded. SPRIND, however, is a new kind of instrument that aims to identify and support potential breakthrough innovations. This requires deviating from the norm and finding individual answers and bespoke solutions to questions and problems in relation to the projects it supports.

Our support is comprehensive:

FINANCING We want to support projects in the best possible way and therefore look for the right financing structure for each individual project. 
 COUNCIL AND ACT For the further development of an idea we can bring in technological and entrepreneurial expertise. Our experts are successful founders and entrepreneurs themselves.

BUSINESS SERVICES Very few founders are well positioned in all disciplines right from the start. Therefore we support – if necessary – in everything a business needs, e.g. in accounting, controlling, legal advice, product management or marketing.

TEAMBUILDING If required, we help our innovators* to put together teams. We search, find, connect.

NETWORK EXPANSION We provide an excellent network of science and business. A fruitful environment that offers both information and inspiration.

TAILOR-MADE COOPERATION We have to standardize some processes in order to be efficient. The core of our work, however, is the personal interaction, the individual design of the cooperation.