Global Business Innovation Programme - Additive Manufacturing, Germany

Successful applicants will benefit from an intensive 9-12 month, three phase programme with bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist throughout.

• Get ready: A two-day preparation workshop to build knowledge and understanding of the market and opportunities, including cultural aspects, how to do business, protecting Intellectual Property, and support to better articulate your value proposition.
• Visit the market: Explore the innovation opportunities first-hand through pre-arranged matchmaking events, meetings with key contacts, research organisations and potential collaborators and partners.
• Exploit the opportunity: An exploitation workshop and one-to-one bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist to help you follow-up and maximise the opportunities identified through the programme.

To apply for this GBIP, you must be:

• a UK-based innovation-led company with ambitions to grow and scale globally
• a company with fewer than 250 employees
• the CEO, founder, or senior decision maker in the business
• able to attend all workshops and complete all activities

This GBIP is targeted at technology providers with the capability to deliver innovative solutions for the manufacturing sector. This is one of five GBIPs running between now and end March 2026 as part of the Made Smarter Innovation Challenge (MSI). The four other GBIPs are focused on:

• Robotics and Automation in Manufacturing, Japan (visit 17-24 Jan 2026)
• Manufacturing Digital Supply Chain Ecosystem, Singapore (Visit late Jan 2026)
• Robotics & Automation in Manufacturing, South Korea (Visit early Mar 2026)
• AI Enhanced Manufacturing – US (date tbc)

A business can apply to the five MSI GBIP’s but can only, if selected, participate in a maximum of two of the five. The representative from the business for each GBIP needs to be able to complete all stages of the GBIP.

Businesses that have been on a previous GBIP (in the same market and/or technology area) will need to demonstrate they have exploited the previous opportunity to be considered and how this programme will add significant additional benefit. Preference may be given to businesses that have not participated previously.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, a business can only take part in two GBIPs in any rolling 12-month period (measured by the date of the Get Ready Workshop).

Innovate UK is committed to improving the diversity of who we support. We welcome applications from under-represented groups.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.

You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this GBIP’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the application deadline.

You can contact Innovate UK by email (support@iuk.ukri.org) or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Manufacturing is a cornerstone of the German economy, contributing around 20% of GDP and serving as a major driver of exports and employment. Germany has long been recognised for its engineering excellence and industrial strength, and in recent years, the government has intensified efforts to modernise the sector through digital transformation and sustainable innovation.

Germany’s industrial strategy prioritises R&D in areas such as advanced design technologies, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platforms, software-integrated operations, smart sensors, robotics, and data-driven manufacturing systems. National initiatives like Industrie 4.0 are fostering the development of smart factories and digital ecosystems across the country.

To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the German government has introduced a range of funding programmes, innovation networks, and technical support services. These efforts aim to accelerate the adoption of smart manufacturing technologies and ensure that SMEs remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global market.

With a strong emphasis on SME innovation, international collaboration, and UK-Germany bilateral funding opportunities, the German market presents significant potential for UK SMEs offering advanced manufacturing technologies.

Germany is a global leader in AM with a well-established ecosystem of research institutions, industrial users, and technology providers. AM is playing a key role in Germany’s transition to more flexible, sustainable, and digitally integrated production systems.

Applications of AM in Germany span a wide range of sectors, including aerospace, automotive, medical devices, and industrial tooling. The technology is being used for rapid prototyping, customised production, lightweight component design, and spare parts manufacturing.

The German government supports the development and industrialisation of AM through initiatives such as the Additive Manufacturing Roadmap and funding programmes under the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). These initiatives aim to strengthen Germany’s position as a hub for AM innovation and to promote the integration of AM into traditional manufacturing workflows.

For UK companies specialising in AM technologies – such as metal and polymer 3D printing, design software, materials development, and post-processing solutions – Germany offers a mature and innovation-driven market with strong demand for international partnerships and advanced solutions.

We welcome applications from new or established innovative technology providers with capability to deliver digital manufacturing solutions in the following technology areas:

• Additive manufacturing – spanning the 7 categories of AM (7 ASTM F42 definitions)
• AI opportunities in AM
• Associated technologies that form part of the AM process chain such as:
  • Build design and data preparation – plus AMoptimised materials and management through multiple cycles
  • Planning, Process and Quality Assurance – including in-process monitoring and assurance
  • Build plate / part handling, Powder removal, Removal from build plate, Support removal
  • Post-processing: Heat and pressure treatment, Machining and smoothing, Surface treatment
  • Qualification & Testing: Non-destructive evaluation, verification and validation
  • Material, support and part recycling/circular manufacturing
  • Whole process chain modelling, and optimisation – including digital twins
  • Integration and interoperability

The scope of the above contributes to the delivery of the following aim:
“World-class production – develop digital technologies for manufacturing factories to become more efficient, sustainable, productive, flexible and resilient through the development of digital approaches to better optimise performance within production operations.”

• Build market knowledge and intelligence
• Seed new business partnerships, develop RD&I collaborations, and identify partners for bilateral funding calls
• Introductions to senior figures and influential contacts
• Raise your profile and stimulate new business opportunities and ideas
• Improve your value proposition, hone your skills, and grow in confidence to tackle global markets
• Connect with peers, expand your network, and learn from like-minded, ambitious businesses

• Applicant briefing – 14th August 2025 (see video above or watch on Vimeo)
• Application deadline – 10 September 2025
• Application outcome – 18 September 2025
• Get ready workshop – 15-16 October 2025
• Market visit – 16-21 November 2025
• Exploit the opportunity workshop – 26 February 2026

• Introductory briefing with the British Embassy
• Visits to research and technology organisations
• Attending Formnext – Hub for Additive Manufacturing
• Company site visits and meetings with key contacts
• High quality networking opportunities

Innovate UK will fund and organise flights, accommodation, inmarket travel and conference fees for successful applicants. Innovate UK will also pay for any reasonable adjustments throughout the initiative. Only one representative from each company will be funded and the same person is required to participate in all parts of the programme.

On acceptance to the programme, a commitment fee of £1000 will be obtained from each participant. This will be refunded on completion of the full activities (Get ready workshop, Visit, Exploit the opportunity workshop, and active engagement with an innovation and growth specialist) and agreed work plan.

Non-completion after formal acceptance may result in forfeiting some or all of the commitment fee.

“I would absolutely recommend going on a GBIP as they are a unique way to learn about opportunities in other countries and how to enter new markets.” GBIP – 2023 AI Transport and Logistics, Germany

To find out more about the programme, watch the briefing above or on Vimeo.

If you have any questions, we are happy to help, email us at enquiries2@iukbg.ukri.org . To make a complaint please follow the Innovate UK complaints procedure.