Publicly funded project for German companies in the defense industry to market their products and services internationally.
Funding project of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)
The business development trip is a delegation trip lasting several days to present your company to potential business partners in the USA. Here you will find other current funding projects for further target markets and industries.
Registration
You can find the registration form here. The number of participants is limited to 12 companies. Registrations will be considered in the order in which they are received.
The US business development trip is a support measure offered by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) for companies from Germany that offer technologies and solutions in the defense industry and are interested in expanding their business into the US market. It is part of the “Security and Defense Industry” export initiative and is carried out as part of the market development program for SMEs. The target group is primarily small and medium-sized German companies.
Products from the fields of sensor technology, electronics, cyber security, unmanned systems and drones, defense technology, communication technologies, aerospace systems, and innovative materials and manufacturing technologies for military applications are in particular demand.
The focus is on establishing concrete business contacts with potential US business partners. The funding project includes a business trip to Washington, DC, and Huntsville, AL.
As part of the trip, a major presentation and networking event will take place in Washington, DC, where delegation participants will have the opportunity to present their products, technologies, and services, as well as potential areas of cooperation, to an expert audience, followed by business meetings with selected US companies and other market players.
Each participating German company will receive a personal appointment agenda for the trip with individually arranged B2B one-on-one meetings with potential US business partners and end customers, who will be identified and recruited in advance by the AHK USA based on the ideal target contact profile specified by the company.
Group visits with the entire delegation to the headquarters of potential business contacts directly on site or to reference projects also offer the opportunity to expand one's own network and establish relevant contacts.
Before the trip, a target market analysis with comprehensive information about the industry and the market will be prepared and made available to participants in the form of a preparatory target market webinar. A designed company profile will also be created in the target country's language, which will be used to acquire business contacts on site.
The project is being carried out by the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Washington, DC and the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern USA in cooperation with SBS systems for business solutions GmbH. The project is supported by German industry partners such as the BDSV, the BDLI, and UAV DACH.
With this project, the BMWE is supporting German companies in their foreign trade activities by specifically establishing and expanding business contacts in the USA. The business development trip is intended to explore market opportunities and prepare long-term sales potential for German companies in the industry.
Eight to twelve German companies can participate in the business development trip. The BMWE covers the costs of the services provided by the organizer of the business development trip. Depending on their size, the companies only pay a contribution of their own costs as well as their individual travel, accommodation, and meal expenses.
Target Market Analysis
To prepare for the content, participants receive industry-specific information on market potential, trends, and risks, specific advice on sales channels, business practices, and intercultural aspects, as well as information on relevant networks in the US in a target market webinar. The information is summarized in a clear handout.
Country Briefing
During a country briefing in the USA, you will gain important in-depth knowledge about the target market and industry specifics, as well as the organizational details of the trip. The speakers are industry and country experts from German diplomatic missions abroad, the AHK and GTAI, as well as experts from the target country and German companies represented locally.
Pitch & Networking Event
During a pitch and networking event, you will have the opportunity to present your products and services to high-ranking invited local representatives from companies, research institutions, professional associations, and institutions, and then hold contact meetings with the foreign participants.
Company Presentation
Individually organized business meetings on site with potential US business partners (customers, distributors, cooperation partners, end consumers, authorities, etc.). Your specific expectations of foreign business contacts are determined in advance in a systematic manner and in direct consultation with you.
New Business Contacts
The AHK USA is your local German-speaking contact. It takes care of organizing your appointments, establishes contact between all parties, accompanies you as a participant to meetings, acts as an interpreter if necessary, and provides moderation services.
Group Visits
Group visits to the headquarters of potential customers directly on site or to selected institutions and reference properties offer you the opportunity to expand your own network and establish relevant contacts in the USA.
PROGRAM
Day 1 – Sunday – 05.17.202 – Washington, DC
Individual Arrivals
Day 2 – Monday – 05.18.2026
Morning| Briefing
Afternoon| Individual and Group Meetings
Day 3 – Tuesday – 05.19.2026
Morning| Company Visits
Afternoon| Individual and Group Meetings
Day 4 – Wednesday– 05.20.2026
Morning| Group Meetings in Northern Virginia
Afternoon| Travel to Huntsville, AL
Lat Afternoon | Merket Briefing in Huntsville, AL
Day 5 – Thursday – 05.21.2026
All Day | Company Visits in Huntsville, AL
All Day| Individual and Group Meetings
Day 6 – Friday – 05.22.2026
All Day| Individual and Group Meetings
Late Afternoon| Bilateral Final Discussions and Individual Departure
Conditions of Participation
This project is a project-related funding measure within the framework of the market development program for SMEs, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) on the basis of a resolution by the German Bundestag.
The costs incurred by your company amount to only your own contribution, depending on the size of your company.
The participants are responsible for travel, accommodation, and meal costs.
The individual consulting services are certified in accordance with the EU De Minimis Regulation.
Market Information
The US has the world's largest defense industry, with annual military spending of around US$1 trillion, accounting for approximately 37 percent of global defense spending. It combines political control, highly innovative research and development, and enormous industrial capacity. The defense sector is currently undergoing a phase of profound technological and political transformation, with a clear focus on modernization and innovation. This opens up a wide range of business opportunities for German companies. Washington, DC, and the neighboring region of Northern Virginia form the strategic heart of the defense industry: this is where security policy decisions are made, budgets are allocated, and procurement priorities are set – while at the same time numerous leading contractors, technology companies, and think tanks are located in the area. Many of the most important US defense companies have their headquarters or large branches in Northern Virginia, including global market leaders such as Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Huntsville, Alabama, represents the technical and industrial implementation of these political objectives. The city is considered one of the most productive innovation centers in the US in the defense and aerospace sectors, characterized by a strong industrial base, highly specialized research facilities, and significant military infrastructure, such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.
Opportunities for German Companies
The US defense sector is undergoing a period of profound technological and strategic transformation, characterized by modernization, digitalization, and the expansion of resilient supply chains. This opens up a significant and growing range of business opportunities for German companies—provided they increase their visibility, strengthen their local market presence, and position themselves as reliable partners with high technological capabilities.
Solutions in the fields of sensor technology, electronics, cyber security, unmanned systems and drones, defense technology, communication technologies, aerospace systems, and innovative materials and manufacturing technologies for military applications are particularly in demand.
These competencies are directly aligned with current US priorities in procurement and modernization, creating concrete opportunities for cooperation, R&D partnerships, and market entry. The business development trip therefore offers German companies targeted access to relevant decision-makers, programs, and industry partners in the US—and thus an ideal platform for positioning themselves early on in a dynamic and growing market.