2025 Budget: German Parliament Increases Funding for the Sovereign Tech Fund
The Sovereign Tech Fund, a key support program for open-source projects and foundational digital technologies, will receive additional financial resources. This increase in funding highlights its growing importance in advancing critical digital infrastructure and innovation.
The German Bundestag's budget committee has approved an increase in funding for the Sovereign Tech Fund (STF), with the majority support from the ruling coalition. For 2025, the STF will receive nearly €29 million, which is around €4 million more than originally planned—representing a 15% increase. Most of this additional funding, about €3.4 million, will directly support the STF, whose initial 2025 budget was set at €15 million. Additionally, €590,000 more than planned will be allocated to the "Bug-Resilience Program," raising its total to €2 million. This program focuses on not just finding, but also fixing software vulnerabilities.
The STF is crucial for developing open-source software as a foundational digital technology. The government views these investments as steps toward reducing dependence on big tech providers and strengthening Germany's digital sovereignty. However, open-source advocates had previously criticized the government for not doing enough, especially in cloud projects, where dependence on companies like Microsoft remains high. They argue that the government's IT should fully switch to open-source solutions.