Customer Story
ZDF Studios secures research allowance funding with innoscripta’s end-to-end support
Administrative clarity from day one
Personal guidance with professional depth
Industry
Media & Entertainment, Digital Content & Technology
Company Size
Large Enterprise
Location
Mainz, Germany
“I really underestimated just how much work goes into an application like this, and I would never attempt it alone—even if I could. It was incredibly helpful that you took so much of the workload off our shoulders. That worked really well on a personal level; it was both personal and very professional—thank you!”
Meet ZDF Studios
Established in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. The ZDF Studios Group comprises over 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliated companies operating across TV production, distribution, and related services.
ZDF Studios handles the global distribution of programmes, works on international co-productions, and is involved in the acquisition of licenses and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own brand for ZDF and other clients. The company also holds the largest collection of German-language TV content globally, along with a wide range of international productions such as series, mini-series, TV films, documentaries, and children's programmes.
The companies under the ZDF Studios Group manage the entire process, from developing both scripted and unscripted content to producing, marketing, and generating revenue from it. As an integrated media company, ZDF Studios creates high-quality and innovative programmes, and it also offers a creative and inspiring work environment for German and international talents to grow and succeed.
The Challenge
At the onset of the process of pursuing the research allowance, ZDF Studios underestimated how much effort and complexity goes into preparing an effective application. The process felt overwhelming, and handling it alone wasn’t feasible. In addition, there was some skepticism at first regarding whether all the eligibility requirements would be met. At the same time, they were navigating the broader challenge of digital transformation, where aligning people and processes was demanding and involved significant workload and coordination.
The Solution
innoscripta offered strong, hands-on support throughout the process to ZDF Studios. innoscripta guided them through the project documentation for the funding applications, provided clarity, and helped them structure the entire project by employing Clusterix software. The team from innoscripta moved with flexibility and stayed closely involved by taking over the workload from ZDF Studios in the endeavour to access the research allowance.
The Impact
With innoscripta's support, ZDF Studios was able to successfully apply for funding over a period of four years while maintaining a clear structure and oversight.
Beyond the funding support acquired, ZDF Studios expressed how the partnership experience stood out on a personal level, and that the collaboration felt both professional and genuinely human. This left a strong positive impression and a sense that everything worked out effectively.
