MCube is growing and you can be a part of it – apply now for Funding Phase III (2027 – 2030). Here it goes to the Flyer)
Germany's Future Cluster for Mobility Innovations MCube enters its next phase and is looking for 4–6 strong innovation projects, that not only think about the future of mobility, but implement and scale.
For the Phase III period November 2027 to October 2030 creates a unique framework for ambitious, application-oriented projects – funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space with a total of €15 million in funding with a €15 million contribution.
Developing Innovation – With Funding and Real-World Application
MCube offers partners the opportunity to specifically further develop new products, services, business models, and research projects and to test them in a real-world environment.
You don't work on concepts, but on solutions that work in practice.
Become part of a leading mobility ecosystem
MCube is Germany's largest mobility cluster - supported by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and a network of over 80 partners.
As part of MCube, you benefit from:
Innovations here arise not in isolation, but in collaboration among all relevant stakeholders.
Looking for Consortia, which stems from a clear mobility problem statement:
The focus is on projects with:
Projects should be aligned with our thematic areas. (More on this:) https://mcube-cluster.de/themen/)
Other topics are possible if they make a clear contribution to the sustainable future of mobility.
The path from idea to project is clearly structured:
Only the most convincing consortia will proceed to the final funding phase.
Now is the time to launch the next mobility innovations together.
FAQ: MCube Phase III
What is the goal of the idea call?
The goal of the call is to identify mobility projects that solve a concrete problem as part of Germany's leading mobility cluster, MCube. We are looking for innovations that can be tested in a real-world environment and scaled beyond Munich. Furthermore, the cluster aims for deep integration and immediate cooperation between science, industry (companies, SMEs, startups), and societal stakeholders. Here is the detailed funding guideline from the BMFTR: https://www.bmftr.bund.de/SharedDocs/Bekanntmachungen/DE/2020/11/3229_bekanntmachung.html
What is MCube?
MCube is Germany's leading future cluster for sustainable mobility innovations. In MCube – the „Munich Cluster for the Future of Mobility in Metropolitan Regions" – funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) and led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), we are shaping the future of mobility together with over 80 partners from science, industry, administration, and society. Our ambition: to not only develop the best innovations but also to test, scale, and make them usable for other regions. More information: https://mcube-cluster.de/
Who is eligible to apply?
Research institutions, companies of various sizes, and public sector actors are eligible to apply. Only institutions with a registered office in Germany can be funded. This combination should also be reflected in the composition of the consortia. Project leads can be seconded by any of these institutions.
What is the runtime of the projects in the third funding phase of MCube?
The third funding phase of MCube begins on November 1, 2027, and ends on October 31, 2030, with a duration of three years.
What are the funding rates?
The innovation projects are funded by the BMFTR. Funding from the BMFTR entails a 50%%contribution from the respective project consortium. The project sponsor determines the funding rates based on the type of research (e.g., industrial research vs. experimental development) and the size of the company (SME vs. large enterprise). As a rule, companies can expect a funding rate of approximately 25–35%, and research institutions up to 100 %.
What options are available for financing the personal contribution?
The co-payment can be made through financial resources as well as infrastructure and in-kind contributions. This includes, for example, personnel costs, as well as infrastructure and in-kind contributions.
What is the funding amount for individual projects?
A total of up to 30 million euros in project volume is available for Phase III. Individual project proposals should have a total volume of between 3 and 8 million euros (of which 50% is the own contribution). A total of approximately six projects are expected to be funded.
What is the submission procedure?
The submission process is multi-stage. First, idea sketches are submitted. If positively evaluated by the MCube Strategy Team, an invitation to further develop the sketch is issued. In the second step, consortia will pitch their project idea to an external jury in autumn '26. Subsequently, the selected projects will jointly develop the project description for the BMFTR with the Strategy Team. Based on this, each project partner will submit their own formal funding application to the BMFTR (easy-Online).
When is the submission deadline?
Idea sketches can be submitted by 14.06.2026 to be submitted. Deadlines for further steps up to the formal submission of the application will be communicated via email upon positive selection.
How are the idea sketches to be submitted?
For the submission of idea sketches, the provided template must be completed.
On what criteria are the idea sketches evaluated?
The selection of idea sketches will be based on the level of innovation and relevance, feasibility (e.g., Technology Readiness Level), scalability and transfer potential, quality and complementarity of the consortium, as well as contribution to a model region for mobility innovations in Munich.
Further
Unsure if your project idea is a good fit for MCube? Feel free to contact the MCube office directly for a quick assessment: info@mcube-cluster.com
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Imagine something: There is more space for people. The streets have more trees and plants. Everyone can get around better. That's how your Schwabing-West district could be in the future. How would you like your district to be? We want to talk to you about it!
The project is called MOSAIQ. MOSAIQ is a research∙project. MOSAIQ means: Mobility and urban climate in the future city∙part. The Technical University of Munich is leading the project.
What is MOSAIQ about?
MOSAIQ wants to make the streets in the city∙part more beautiful. People should feel comfortable there. There should be more space. For meetings and plants, for example. You can help decide what is tried out in the Stadt∙teil. The ideas come from you. Some ideas will be tried out on the streets for a certain period of time.
The aim of MOSAIQ is to make urban districts good places to live.
At the same time, the climate in the city should improve. And people should be able to move around the city easily.
What is happening in the district?
