Innosuisse Call for Projects: Financial Support for SME Innovations
In light of current economic challenges – including declining demand, geopolitical uncertainty, a strong Swiss franc, and global trade tensions – Innosuisse is expanding its support for small and medium-sized enterprises. A dedicated call for projects aims to significantly reduce participation costs for innovation initiatives.
Eligible for funding are projects submitted in collaboration with a Swiss research partner between 10 August and 10 September 2025. Companies with fewer than 500 full-time equivalents are eligible to apply.
Financial Support for SMEs
The financial model is particularly noteworthy: the required cash contribution from implementation partners can be reduced or waived entirely, according to the Innosuisse factsheet. The aim is to enable science-based innovation without financial barriers.
Focus Areas: Digitalisation and Efficiency
Priority is given to projects in the fields of automation, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence – key areas for competitiveness. Incremental innovations are also explicitly welcomed, as they can lead to substantial performance improvements.
Mandatory Collaboration with Research
Projects must be submitted in cooperation with a Swiss research institution, to effectively translate technological know-how into new products, processes, or business models.
Funding decisions will be made by the end of October 2025. Approved projects can officially start from December 2025.
Contact at Innosuisse: innoprojects@innosuisse.ch
Ahead supports companies in shaping their innovation projects and finding the right research partner.
If you’re interested, register here:
https://ahead-zh.ch/kmu/innovationsberatung/anmeldung