innovationsfördernder

Innovationsfördernder is a German term used to describe an actor, policy, or measure that promotes innovation. The word combines Innovation and fördern (to promote) with the participle ending -nder, and can function as a noun meaning “innovation promoter” or as an adjective describing actions or environments that stimulate innovative activity.

In policy and economics, innovationsfördernder designates institutions, programs, or practices intended to reduce barriers to innovation. Typical examples include research funding, tax incentives, regulatory sandboxes, public–private partnerships, and knowledge-transfer mechanisms. Actors commonly labeled innovationsfördernder include universities and research institutes, funding agencies, incubators and accelerators, industry associations, and strategic government initiatives.

The concept emphasizes both the generation of new ideas and the conditions that enable their development, testing, and diffusion. It is frequently used in discussions of innovation ecosystems and regional development, often contrasted with innovationshemmende factors that impede progress.

Critically, the term is broad and context-dependent; its precise meaning depends on who uses it and in which policy framework. In practice, it serves as a shorthand for a cluster of policies and actors intended to foster technological and organizational innovation.

See also: innovation policy, innovation ecosystem, technology transfer, research funding, entrepreneurship policy.