New social practices and organization models

Fair supply chains, climate-friendly production, or creating jobs for disadvantaged people –and keeping a keen eye in particular on the impact this has – is what makes social innovation remarkable. Social innovations are new social practices and organizational models which offer viable, sustainable solutions to current challenges. Examples include new nursing care strategies, applications for technical devices, novel networks or transport schemes. Such new developments can originate at universities, in businesses and in civil society, for example.

Social innovations with a capital “S”

The Federal Government has agreed to write “Soziale Innovationen” with a capital “S”, as the double capitalization of the term indicates a very broad type of innovation. Like in terms such as “social media” or “social networks”, the social aspect of social innovations refers to human-to-human interaction. It includes more than innovations in the social sector. We see social innovations as twinned with technological innovations and thus as a substantial element of our provision for the future.

BMBF Commissioner for Social Innovation

Social entrepreneur and start-up founder Zarah Bruhn was appointed Commissioner for Social Innovation at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research on 1 April 2022. We created the new position with a view to strengthening social innovation. As Commissioner for Social Innovation, Zarah Bruhn supports the BMBF in the creation of space and networks for social innovations and their implementation. Quote: “Being a social entrepreneur is my passion, this topic is what I am about. My aim is to support social innovators and help them realize their ideas. These people help shape advances in our society and work to address the challenges of our time with dedication and commitment every day. As Commissioner for Social Innovation, I want to play my part in enabling the full development of this vast potential in our society. I look forward to my new tasks and am ready to get to work.”

Promoting social innovation

The Federal Government’s Future Research and Innovation Strategy adopts a holistic definition of innovation, which also includes social innovations. Funding measures are often open to, or even specifically target, the development of social innovations.

• Through the Society of Ideas – Competition for Social Innovations we fund the research-based development of social innovations. The “Gesellschaft der Ideen” (Society of Ideas) competition targets projects that develop, test and implement social innovations while providing them with guidance and scientific support.
• We support the transfer of research results into practice through the Society of Innovations – Impact Challenge funding measure at universities. We want to motivate students and doctoral candidates to develop solutions to challenges facing society, create spin-offs and to scale their solutions.
• Our 10,000 days – skilled workers for a climate-positive society contest makes awards for innovative ideas to win over disadvantaged groups of society in particular to engage in training or further training for climate occupations. These approaches are being jointly implemented by alliances comprising companies, training employers, Chambers of Crafts and Trades, Chambers of Commerce, foundations and other players.

A platform for social innovations and social enterprises

The Platform for Social Innovations and Social Enterprises is the first contact point for all people who want to develop, test and be part of the implementation of social innovations. See here for an overview of funding and support and new networking opportunities as well as skills development programmes.

​​What is the “Gesellschaft der Ideen” competition about?

The “Gesellschaft der Ideen” (Society of Ideas) competition of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research looks for the best ideas for social innovations that spark an exchange between the virtual and the real, the urban and rural, or the young and the old.​​

How are the projects supported?

In addition to financial assistance, the funded teams receive guidance from the birth of the idea through to its trialling and application in real life!​​

What is the competition process?

30 ideas were selected from among more than 1,000 submissions to receive the social innovation ideas award. Based on the proposals which were subsequently drafted, ten teams were selected for the roughly two-year trial phase and each funded with up to 200,000 euros.​​ The four finalists moved into the roughly three-year practical phase in February 2024. All four teams will receive further funding of up to 250,000 euros as well as professional support and coaching in scaling their idea and stimulating changes.​​

Which teams receive funding in the practical phase?

​The teams in the practical phase are:​

• Cancer advice app which supports patients and their relatives
• ​ViVerA - Virtual events in geriatric care​
• Credible Messenger – mentoring for a crime-free life
• ​ReliefVR – Virtual Reality for the treatment of chronic pain

Editorial deadline for this text: 01.11.2024