German Future Prize 2026: Two Bavarian companies nominated – BayFOR successfully supported both in securing millions in EU funding

The Bavarian companies Reverion and ADVITOS have reached the final of the German Future Prize 2026 with pioneering innovations for the energy transition and intensive care medicine. The Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR) successfully supported both companies in securing EU funding to further develop their technologies.

The German Future Prize (Deutscher Zukunftspreis) is the Federal President’s Award for Technology and Innovation and ranks among Germany’s leading innovation awards. In 2026, it will be presented for the 30th time and carries prize money of €250,000. The award recognises technical, engineering and scientific innovations that address pressing societal challenges while also demonstrating the potential for commercial success and the creation of new growth markets.

The jury will select the winning team on 18 November 2026. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will present the award in Berlin that same evening.

Reverion: A reversible power plant for the energy transition

The team comprising Dr.-Ing. Stephan Herrmann and Felix Fischer from Reverion GmbH, together with Prof. Dr. Hartmut Spliethoff from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has been nominated for its project “Dunkelflaute und Hellbrise – Das reversible Kraftwerk schließt die letzten Lücken der Energiewende” (“Dark doldrums and bright breezes – the reversible power plant closes the final gaps in the energy transition”).

The cleantech company from Eresing has developed a reversible high-temperature fuel cell system that combines electricity generation and energy storage in a single system. When energy is needed, the system can convert biogas, natural gas or hydrogen into electricity with high efficiency. When surplus wind or solar power is available, the plant can switch to reverse operation within minutes and produce green hydrogen or synthetic methane.

These energy carriers can be stored for months using existing gas infrastructure and subsequently converted back into electricity. In this way, the technology links the electricity and gas grids and can help make renewable energy available even during prolonged periods with little wind or sunshine.

The technology is already being deployed in practice: according to Reverion, seven systems are currently in field operation. In 2025, a pre-series system installed at a biogas plant in Mühlacker achieved an electrical efficiency of 74.2 per cent. Reverion is currently preparing the transition to industrial series production.

BayFOR successfully supported Reverion in its application to the EU Innovation Fund. The company was awarded €19.5 million in EU funding to further develop its technology and bring it to market.

ADVITOS: A new therapy for multiple organ failure

ADVITOS GmbH from Munich is the second BayFOR-supported company to reach the final. Dr. Claus Jessen, Dr. Tobias Bingold and Christoph Hüßtege have been nominated for their project “Wenn jede Stunde zählt – Der neue Therapieansatz bei Multiorganversagen auf der Intensivstation” (“When every hour counts – a new therapeutic approach to multiple organ failure in intensive care”).

Developed in Munich, ADVOS multi therapy (ADVanced Organ Support) takes an integrated approach to treating severe multiple organ failure. The therapy system simultaneously supports the detoxification functions of the liver, kidneys and lungs while helping to regulate the body’s acid-base balance. Rather than supporting individual organ functions in isolation using different procedures, ADVOS addresses several key mechanisms of multiple organ failure within a single system.

The technology is already in clinical use: according to ADVITOS, more than 11,500 treatments have been performed to date. ADVOS multi therapy is used in 30 intensive care units in Germany and Austria.

The further development of the technology received €3.64 million in EU funding under the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 (2014–2020) and the European Innovation Council (EIC). BayFOR supported ADVITOS with its applications for the former SME Instrument and the EIC Accelerator.

The EIC Accelerator is the European Innovation Council’s key funding instrument for highly innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and scale-ups. Under Horizon Europe, it supports companies in developing breakthrough technologies and market-creating innovations – particularly in deep tech – towards market readiness and successful scaling.

EU funding helps bring Bavarian innovations into application

The fact that Reverion and ADVITOS – two companies supported by BayFOR – are among the three finalists for the German Future Prize 2026 highlights the innovative potential of Bavarian SMEs and start-ups. At the same time, both examples demonstrate how European research and innovation funding can help advance innovative technologies and support their journey from research and development to practical application, market launch and scaling.

BayFOR congratulates the teams from Reverion and ADVITOS on their nomination for the German Future Prize 2026 and wishes them every success for the award ceremony in Berlin on 18 November.

Centre of expertise for research and innovation funding in Bavaria, Europe and beyond

Funded by the Free State of Bavaria, in particular by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, the Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR) provides comprehensive advice and support to stakeholders from academia and industry in Bavaria – particularly SMEs – seeking European funding for research, development and innovation. One key focus is Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. BayFOR is a partner in the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and the Bavarian Research and Innovation Agency.

BayFOR’s SME advisory services support innovative companies, start-ups and scale-ups in Bavaria in accessing European research and innovation funding programmes. BayFOR helps identify suitable funding instruments, supports companies throughout the application process and assists them in preparing for interviews and pitches.

EU funding for your innovation project

Are you developing an innovative technology and looking for suitable European funding opportunities? BayFOR’s SME advisory services support Bavarian companies, start-ups and scale-ups in identifying suitable EU funding programmes and developing competitive funding applications.

Natalia García Mozo
Head of Unit SME Advisory Services
Phone: +49 89 9901888-171
Email: mozo@no-spam-pleasebayfor.org