Messeförderprogramm: How to reclaim up to half of your trade fair costs
What is this program?
The federal government (BMWK/BAFA) provides financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups that participate in international trade fairs in Germany via official “Made in Germany” joint stands (foerderdatenbank.de, bafa.de).
How much can you get?
The program covers 60% of stand rental (Standmiete) and stand construction (Standaufbau) costs for your first two participations in the same fair.
For the third participation, the subsidy is 50%.
After the third time, no further funding is available for that particular fair.
The maximum funding per company and per fair is 7,500 € (foerderdatenbank.de).
The basic rules apply nationwide; some federal states (e.g. Bavaria) add their own top-up programs for local businesses.
Who is eligible?
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Young innovative companies / “Young Innovators”, e.g.:
company age ≤ 10 years,
≤ 50 employees,
≤ 10 million € annual turnover,
offering innovative products, services or technologies (auma.de).
Participation must be via an official joint stand organised by the trade fair authority or an approved association (e.g. “German Pavilion”, “Made in Germany”).
Which expenses are eligible?
Covered:
Stand rental (Standmiete) within the joint stand
Stand construction (Standaufbau) and basic services included in the joint stand package
Not covered:
Travel and accommodation
Transport, customs, logistics
Extra individual constructions or private stands outside the joint pavilion
Such additional costs may be supported by regional funding programs, local banks or other instruments.
How do you apply?
Register for the joint stand
Register early with the organiser or via AUMA.
Deadline: at least 8 weeks before the start of the fair (auma.de).
Submit your funding application to BAFA
Once registered for the joint stand, file your BAFA application, including:
Proof of registration
Cost estimates for stand rental and stand construction
After the fair: proof of use & disbursement
Attend the fair as normal.
Receive the invoice from the organiser for your share of the joint stand.
Then submit to BAFA:
Disbursement request
Statement of expenditure (Verwendungsnachweis) with invoices and proof of payment (handelsblatt.com).
After verification, BAFA will pay out the approved subsidy.
Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding rate | 60% for first 2 participations, 50% for the 3rd |
| Maximum amount | 7,500 € per fair / per company |
| Beneficiaries | SMEs & young innovative companies (≤10 years, ≤50 employees, ≤10 M€) |
| Eligible costs | Stand rental + stand construction within the joint pavilion |
| Process | 1) Register → 2) BAFA application ≥ 8 weeks before → 3) Submit docs after the fair |
Conclusion
The Messeförderprogramm allows SMEs and start-ups to reclaim a substantial share of their trade fair costs – especially during their first three participations at a given fair.
If you register in time, keep your documents in order and follow the deadlines carefully, you can turn an expensive fair appearance into a strategically funded growth step.
The editorial team strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. However, errors may occur or details may not yet be fully finalised. Therefore, the information in this article should be seen as an initial guide only; always consult the competent authorities for binding and up-to-date information.
