You don't have to realise your idea on your own. Research and development projects in the commercial sector can be financially supported by funding from the federal government, the Länder and the EU – through grants, loans or equity capital. If you would like to take advantage of these, you should consider which funding options exist and how you can make the best use of them for your project before you start planning. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular, there are a number of funding opportunities that are specifically designed to meet their needs.