Since 2007, the federal state Berlin –especially the state initiative „Projekt Zukunft“ („Project Future“) supports the successful development of the Berlin Fashion Week and the fashion industry in general with benefits and participations worth more than 10 million euros (not including the IBB- loan programme) and active support. After start-up financing for different platforms the main focus shifted to exploring presentation methods for the Fashion Week, exploring new markets and supporting startups within fellowship-programmes and competitions.

• About 8 fashion show-slots for Berlin-based fashion brands as part of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin every year: <link http: www.berlin.de projektzukunft wettbewerbe berlin-fashion-week>www.berlin.de/projektzukunft/wettbewerbe/berlin-fashion-week/
• Supporting fashion brands based in Berlin, which present their collection as part of the Berliner Modesalons: <link http: derberlinermodesalon.com>derberlinermodesalon.com/
• Supporting Berlin-based fashion brands as part of the mentoring-programme by the German Fashion Council:  <link http: www.fashion-council-germany.org>www.fashion-council-germany.org/
• Poster campaigns (Berlin) and ads (national/international) as part of the Berlin Fashion Week: <link http: www.fashion-week-berlin.com>www.fashion-week-berlin.com/
• Comprehensive and multiple award-winning Berlin Fashion Week website with information on trade shows, fashion shows as well as participating fashion brands with more than 500.000 clicks per season: <link http: www.fashion-week-berlin.com>www.fashion-week-berlin.com
• Berlin Showroom - joint presentations abroad (two womenswear presentations as part of the Paris Fashion Week): <link http: www.berlinshowroom.com>www.berlinshowroom.com/
• Modified individual trade show which enables co-financing of up to 15.000 euros of a fashion show; is used by approx. 10 companies in the fashion industry annually: <link https: www.ibb.de de wirtschaftsfoerderung foerderprogramme-a-z foerderprogramme-a-z.html>www.ibb.de
• Many startups combine design and technology in smart wearable concepts; we have honoured the most convincing concepts from Berlin through our wearables/fashion tech competition: <link http: www.berlin.de projektzukunft wettbewerbe wearableit-fashiontech>www.berlin.de/projektzukunft/wettbewerbe/wearableit-fashiontech/
• As part of the Design Transfer Bonus - Programme companies can earn up to 15.000 euros of additional funding: <link http: www.designtransferbonus.de>www.designtransferbonus.de/
• Non-bureaucratic micro-loans up to 25.000 euros: <link https: www.ibb.de de foerderprogramme mikrokredit-aus-dem-kmu-fonds.html>www.ibb.de/gruenden/Mikrokredit-aus-dem-KMU-Fonds.aspx
• Coaching support as part of the programme Coaching Bonus: <link http: www.coachingbonus.de home>www.coachingbonus.de/home/
• Loan programmes like the Programm Berlin Kredit Innovativ:<link https: www.ibb.de de foerderprogramme berlin-innovativ.html> www.ibb.de/de/foerderprogramme/berlin-innovativ.html
• Participations of the VC Fonds Kreativwirtschaft: <link http: www.ibb-bet.de start.html>www.ibb-bet.de/start.html

In total, the federal state of Berlin annually invests up to 1 million euros (excluding IBB loan programmes and grants for investment expenditure) in fashion-related formats and has energetically supported the development of Berlin as a fashion location. 

Currently, the focus is maintaining the current level of funding and support. market demand is still a decisive factor for companies and fashion brands in order to survive in the industry.

Since many banks don’t feel confident in the fashion industry, Investor Readiness Workshops for design- and fashion brands are useful to prepare companies for conversations with private investors.

Furthermore, Business to Consumer - Formats containing direct selling opportunity are becoming more important. A possible option is co-financing of a popup-store or a cooperation with an online-platform for fashion in Berlin.

We also think that FashionTech is a growing area which has a lot of future potential, especially as different strengths are combined: the dense startup scene, an increasing amount of spin-offs from the research industry, increasing appeal to stock-listed companies and the rapidly growing creative industry in Berlin.

Furthermore, many programmes of the country are opened to fashion based brands via the Investionsbank Berlin (<link http://www.ibb.de)>www.ibb.de)</link>, for example, the non-bureaucratic micro-loan up to 25.000 euros, coaching support as part oft he programme Coaching Bonus, other loan programmes like the programme Berlin Kredit Innovativ and participations of the VC Fonds Kreativwirtschaft.

The state initiative Project Future works, together with the industry, on the development of the fund instrument.