The German government has published its new High-Tech Agenda including a Roadmap for Biotechnology, with a focus on accelerating alternative protein innovation.

Presented on 20 May 2026 by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, the plan centres modern technologies including cell cultivation and advanced biotech fermentation.

Part of this includes plans to establish a national innovation hub for these technologies next year, aiming to consolidate research activities and accelerate commercialisation of research findings.

The Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe welcomed the plan, with Ivo Rzegotta – the organisation’s Germany, Austria and Switzerland lead – describing it as “a first crucial step towards implementing the coalition agreement’s plan to advance sustainable alternative proteins”.

Though the innovation hub is a welcome first step, GFI Europe warned that it must be supported by the necessary public investment in order to reap the benefits for the alternative protein industry.

Germany invested €79 million in between 2020 and 2025, less than €1 per capita, placing it behind other European countries including the UK, the Netherlands and several Scandinavian countries.

Most of Germany’s investment so far has focused on plant-based proteins, with around a fifth of the funding going toward biotechnologically produced foods, GFI added.

The UK has recently funded several innovation centres focusing on food-tech and alternative proteins, with grants ranging from €10 million to €15 million each.

An analysis of the research and innovation ecosystem published yesterday by GFI highlights Germany’s competitive position, ranking first in terms of scientific publications and fourth in terms of patents among European countries in recent years.

Rzegotta commented: “To support the impact of this plan on Germany’s innovation power and technological sovereignty, it is now crucial that the announced innovation hub is secured with sufficient funding and that it is designed in an interdisciplinary manner with industry participation”.

“It is encouraging that the roadmap highlights the role of efficient and transparent approval processes and calls for the EU Biotech Act to include the possibility of establishing regulatory sandboxes for novel foods.”

The EU Biotech Act, published in December 2025, included key measures to support innovation in the alt-protein sector, such as expanding the guidance provided to companies applying to sell novel foods.

However, its exclusion of novel foods from its proposal to create regulatory sandboxes was described by GFI senior policy advisor Seth Roberts as a “disappointing move” and a “missed opportunity to drive forward evidence-based regulation”.