This call by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) promotes research projects aimed at improving exploration and integration phases within the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector. It replaces previous regulations and is aligned with the federal government’s “Future Strategy for Research and Innovation.”

The core objective is to support foundational and integrative research to address structural weaknesses in Germany’s ICT innovation landscape, particularly the tendency to develop isolated solutions restricted to narrow market niches. The aim is to stimulate the development of cross-cutting, interoperable, and adaptive technologies that support digital sovereignty, open-source ecosystems, and cross-sector collaboration.

The call supports two main project types:

1. Explorative research projects: These focus on long-term, mostly academic pre-research in algorithms, software methods, and data structures with high potential for general digital applicability. Projects must outline a strategic research roadmap.

2. Technology alliances: These emphasize integrated development involving academia and industry. They should deliver standardized, interoperable solutions applicable across multiple sectors, especially emphasizing SME participation and open standards. A technology roadmap is required, and the focus should lie on enhancing Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) beyond the project scope.

Eligible institutions include universities, non-university research institutions, and industrial consortia (especially SMEs). Applications must be submitted via the electronic portal “easy-Online”. A two-stage application process applies, starting with the submission of a project outline.

The call supports a wide range of ICT-driven fields such as mechanical engineering, mobility, sustainability, health, public administration, and software-based services. The thematic focus includes AI, adaptive and resilient systems, hybrid modeling and learning systems, standardization efforts, and digital transformation aspects including ecological sustainability and legal frameworks.

Projects are expected to contribute to open access and open-source strategies, implement FAIR data principles, and include public engagement and science communication measures.