The Basel Incentive Programme – Basel-Stadt promotes innovation, parental leave and climate protection

The Basel Incentive Programme provides targeted financial support for companies that invest in innovation, parental leave or climate protection. On this page, companies will find all the key information they need about the funding, the application procedure and what comes next.

On this page

Why the Basel Incentive Programme?

The canton of Basel-Stadt is one of Switzerland’s leading business centres. In light of the growing global competition to attract businesses, the canton is providing targeted funding to companies based in Basel-Stadt to encourage their commitment to innovation, society and the environment. On 5 February 2025, the Grand Council approved the partial revision of the Standortförderungsgesetz (Location Promotion Act) by a significant majority, and the electorate accepted the resolution in a referendum on 18 May 2025. On 24 June 2025, the Executive Council adopted the ordinance on the Standortförderungsgesetz (total revision), which lays out the detailed funding criteria.

The subsidies are financed via two funds, into which the Executive Council can pay between CHF 150 million and CHF 500 million annually. Each year, the Executive Council determines the amount of the payments in accordance with the financial situation. Of the funds, 80% are earmarked for the innovation funding area and 20% for the society and the environment funding areas (work-life balance, climate protection and research collaborations in the life sciences).

Timeline

30 June 2025	Entry into force of the partial revision of the Standortförderungsgesetz and the total revision of the ordinance on the Standortförderungsgesetz
11 August 2025	Webinar for companies, organised by the Basel Chamber of Commerce (HKBB) together with the Office for Economy and Labour (AWA) of the canton of Basel-Stadt
18 August–30 September 2025	Submission of applications for the first year of funding
Until January 2026	Awarding of the funding by the AWA
By the end of March 2026	First payments
From 2026	Standard procedure: the annual deadline for submitting applications is June 30th.

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Funding area: innovation

What is funded?

Contributions to personnel costs for research and development (R&D) in the canton of Basel-Stadt and elsewhere in northwestern Switzerland
Contributions to depreciation of R&D facilities (including high-tech production) in the canton of Basel-Stadt and elsewhere in Switzerland
Contributions to expenses for clinical trials in Switzerland and for the production of the necessary active ingredients in Switzerland

Who can apply for funding?

All legal entities with unlimited tax liability in the canton of Basel-Stadt, as well as legal entities with limited tax liability with a qualifying facility in the canton – from start-ups to large companies.

Overview: Funding area innovation (Startet einen Download)

Information sheets and forms: innovation (in German)

Merkblatt Innovation Abschreibungen Merkblatt Innovation Dokumentation Merkblatt Innovation Hochtechnologie Merkblatt Innovation klinische Studien Merkblatt Innovation Patente Merkblatt Innovation Personalaufwendungen Merkblatt Innovation Revision Merkblatt Innovation Wirtschaftszweige Merkblatt Qualifizierende Anlage Revisionsbestätigung Gesuchsformular

Fragen und Antworten Förderbereich Innovation (Q&A in German)

Zwingend einzureichen:

Ordentlich revidierte Jahresrechnung
Handelsregisterauszug
Bestätigung NOGA Code aus UID-Register (PDF)
Bestätigung der Revisionsstelle betreffend die im Gesuch geltend gemachten Berechnungsgrundlagen (via ePortal nach Abschluss zwingend nachreichen - Gesuch wird erst nach Eingang der Bestätigung verarbeitet)
Nachweis IBAN-Nummer

Einzureichen, je nach beantragten Fördergegenständen:

Beschreibung der Tätigkeiten im Bereich Forschung und Entwicklung wie bspw. Forschungs- und Entwicklungsbereiche, Projekte (für Fördergegenstände Personalaufwendungen und Abschreibungen auf F & E Anlagen)
Prozessbeschreibung Systematik Zuordnung F & E Kosten für Personal und Abschreibungen (für Fördergegenstände Personalaufwendungen und Abschreibungen)
Geschäftsmodell, Businessplan, Nachweis mindestens eines Patents oder vergleichbaren Rechtes; Prozessbeschreibung Systematik Zuordnung Aufwendungen im Zusammenhang mit Patenten und vergleichbaren Rechten (sofern Aufwendungen im Zusammenhang mit Patenten und vergleichbaren Rechten beantragt wurden)
Beschreibung der Tätigkeiten im Bereich Hochtechnologieproduktion wie bspw. Produkte, Art der Produktion (für Fördergegenstand Abschreibungen auf Hochtechnologieproduktionsanlagen)
Nachweis, dass die förderberechtigten Aufwendungen der letzten 3 Jahren im Durchschnitt > 10% der Gesamtaufwendungen betragen (sofern Förderberechtigung über Anteil F&E Aufwendungen im Verhältnis zu den Gesamtaufwendungen nachgewiesen wird)
Nachweis der förderberechtigten Personalaufwendungen nach Standort aus dem ERP-System (für Fördergegenstand Personalaufwendungen)
Nachweis der förderberechtigten Aufwendungen für Abschreibungen nach Standort aus dem ERP-System (für Fördergegenstand Abschreibungen)
Anlagerichtlinien inkl. Anlagespiegel (für Fördergegenstand Abschreibungen)
Nachweis der förderberechtigten Aufwendungen für Klinische Studien aus dem ERP-System (für Fördergegenstand Klinische Studien)
Verträge mit beauftragten juristischen Personen (für Fördergegenstand Klinische Studien)

Funding area: parental leave

What is funded?

Contributions to support voluntary parental leave for employees whose contractual place of work is in the canton of Basel-Stadt. Statutory leave in accordance with the Erwerbsersatzgesetz (Income Compensation Act) must have already been granted (14 weeks for mothers or two weeks for fathers/the other parent). For up to three weeks, 80% of the salary will be covered (max. CHF 220 per day).

Who can apply for funding?

All legal entities with unlimited tax liability in the canton of Basel-Stadt, as well as legal entities with limited tax liability. No qualifying facility is required for parental leave. Additionally, legal entities that are tax-exempt under § 66 Abs. 1 lit. f StG are also eligible to apply for parental leave.

Overview: Funding area parental leave (Startet einen Download)

Information sheets and forms: parental leave

Merkblatt Elternzeit

Fragen und Antworten Förderbereich Elternzeit (in German)

Funding area: the environment

What is funded?

Measures to reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1) in the canton of Basel-Stadt and in Switzerland.
Measures to increase energy efficiency in the canton of Basel-Stadt and in Switzerland.
Reduction of the intensity of direct greenhouse gas emissions at the global level (Scope 1).

Who can apply for funding?

Overview: funding area the environment (Startet einen Download)

Information sheets & forms: the environment (in German)

Merkblatt Umwelt Dokumentation Instrument Merkblatt Umwelt externe Prüfung umgesetzte Massnahmen Merkblatt Umwelt externe Prüfung Emissionsintensität Merkblatt Umwelt Indikator Emissionsintensität Merkblatt Umwelt Investitionskosten Merkblatt Umwelt Klimaberichterstattung Merkblatt Umwelt Scope und CO2-Äquivalente Merkblatt Umwelt überverpflichtende Massnahmen Merkblatt Qualifizierende Anlage Deklarationsformular Emissionsintensität als Excel Deklarationsformular Emissionsintensität als PDF Deklarationsformular umgesetzte Massnahmen

Fragen und Antworten Förderbereich Umwelt (Q&A in German)

Funding area: research collaborations in the life sciences

What is funded?

From 2026: subsidies for research collaborations in the life sciences between universities and companies.

Who can apply for funding?

From 2026, universities and universities of applied sciences in the region will be eligible to receive subsidies for research projects undertaken in collaboration with companies in the field of the life sciences based in Basel-Stadt. These projects must produce global benefits.

Apply for funding now

How to apply for funding by 30 September 2025:

Enter “Basler Standortpaket” in the search field.
Click on the funding area in which you are applying for funding.
Complete the application and follow the steps in the form to submit it.

Note: you can save the application at any time and continue filling it out later. Please note that documents cannot be saved. We therefore recommend that you get all the documents ready in advance and only upload them when you submit the application.

Information about AGOV accounts

AGOV accounts are used for authentication (Authentication Service of the Swiss Authorities) and can only be created by private individuals.
If, as a private individual, you require multiple accounts on the ePortal, you must create a corresponding number of AGOV accounts, using a different email address for each account.
When you log in to a service of the canton of Basel-Stadt for the first time with your AGOV account, a Basel-Stadt eAccount is automatically created in the ePortal. The AGOV account and the eAccount are directly linked.
In the account settings of the ePortal, you can register your organisation and grant access rights to other private individuals.
In the account settings, you can assign account permissions, enabling you to give employees or members of your organisation access to the organisation’s account. It is important that these individuals have their own AGOV accounts and that you know the email addresses associated with the AGOV accounts.

Further information about AGOV AGOV support form

Alternatively, you can contact the AGOV hotline on +41 61 267 31 31. The hotline is available at the following times: Monday to Friday: 8 am–8 pm; Saturday: 8 am–noon

Further general information

Ordinance and press release

Standortförderungsgesetz (StaföG) Verordnung zum Standortförderungsgesetz (StaföV) Erläuterungen zur Verordnung zum Standortfördergesetz StaföV.pdf Medienmitteilung Start Basler Standortpaket

Die baselstädtische Stimmbevölkerung hat am 18. Mai 2025 die Teilrevision des Standortförderungsgesetzes mit einem Ja-Stimmenanteil von 63 Prozent angenommen. Das Gesetz enthält die Grundzüge des Basler Standortpakets mit den Fördergebieten Innovation, Gesellschaft und Umwelt. Der Regierungsrat hat die zugehörige Verordnung verabschiedet.

Events

Webinar “Umsetzung des Basler Standortpakets” (Implementation of the Basel Incentive Programme), 27 June 2025

The Basel Chamber of Commerce (HKBB) and the Office for Economy and Labour held the first webinar dedicated to the main features of the ordinance.

The topics covered included how the promotion of innovation, society and the environment is structured in the ordinance, and what information you will need to get ready in the coming weeks if you wish to submit a funding application.

You can find a recording of this webinar directly below.

Webinar on 27 June 2025 (in German)

Webinar “Umsetzung des Basler Standortpakets” (Implementation of the Basel Incentive Programme), 11 August 2025

The Basel Chamber of Commerce (HKBB) and the Office for Economy and Labour held a webinar on the application process.

You can find a recording of this webinar directly below.

Webinar on 11 August 2025 (in German)

Contact