Innovationen: Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft verlangen von der Regierung ein neues Innovationsverständnis

Berlin - Businesses and academia are pressuring the government to adopt a new understanding of innovation, according to a position paper jointly released by the German Industry Federation (BDI) and the Fraunhofer Society. The six-page document, obtained by the Handelsblatt, outlines extensive measures needed to "enable the complete innovation pathway from research to demonstration, piloting, and industrial scaling within Germany."

The paper urges for easier access to funding programs and reduced bureaucratic hurdles. Instead of complex funding rules and controls, the BDI proposes that grants be "flexible and managed without minute-by-minute project adjustments." Holger Lösch, deputy chief executive of the BDI, told the Handelsblatt, "Innovation requires trust, not control." Fraunhofer Society President Holger Hanselka added, "We must dismantle bureaucratic obstacles along the entire innovation pathway."

At a cabinet meeting in Neuhardenberg, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) praised his government for promoting innovation and competition. He declared, "We are and remain the land of inventors and doers. With modern tools, we want to remain a model for our European and global neighbors" in the future. The government claims its aim is to create the "preconditions for a second economic miracle."