AI funding in Germany 2026: which programmes are open to SMEs

As of 15 October 2026, the funding available for AI projects in SMEs includes BAFA consulting funding, INQA-Coaching, the KfW Förderkredit Digitalisierung (digitalisation loan) and several state programmes. Which funding fits depends on whether you want to finance consulting, implementation, research or training. The overview shows which costs the programmes fund and where applications are possible.

Funding programmes change frequently. We review this page regularly, but before you apply, the information from the funding body always takes precedence. This article is not legal or tax advice.

What is open and what is not

Federal programmes

BAFA: funding for business consulting

The Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (BAFA, Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control) subsidises individual conceptual consulting for small and medium-sized enterprises. The consultants produce analyses and recommendations for action. Costs of up to €3,500 per consultation are taken into account.

• 50 per cent, so at most €1,750: former West German states including Berlin and the Leipzig region.
• 80 per cent, so at most €2,800: former East German states excluding Berlin and the Leipzig region, plus the Lüneburg and Trier regions.

A consultation may cover up to five days. A company can have up to five consultations funded, at most two per year. The consulting firm must be registered with BAFA. You may only sign the contract after approval. Seminars and workshops are excluded. The guideline runs until 31 December 2026.

For AI projects, this can fund an analysis that identifies suitable processes and plans the implementation. The implementation itself and training are not eligible.

INQA-Coaching

INQA-Coaching subsidises process consulting with employee participation at 80 per cent for up to twelve coaching days. It fits if you want to shape the introduction of AI together with your team and clarify workflows, roles and rules along the way. You start through an INQA advice centre, and the coaching itself is delivered by an authorised coach. Programming and hosting are not covered.

KfW: ERP-Förderkredit Digitalisierung

Since July 2025, the ERP-Förderkredit Digitalisierung (programmes 511 and 512) has replaced the former loan 380 in the area of digitalisation. It has three funding levels. The third level explicitly names big data, meaning the processing of large volumes of data, and AI using internal company data, including training. The loan comes with a grant of 3 per cent at level 2 and 5 per cent at level 3, up to €200,000. Companies with group turnover of up to €500 million are eligible. You apply through your house bank.

The loan has to be repaid. It is mainly worthwhile for larger projects that combine hardware, software and implementation.

Training through the Federal Employment Agency

Businesses with fewer than 50 employees can be reimbursed up to 75 per cent of wages for working time lost to training. The training must exceed 120 hours. Both the training provider and the course must be accredited. Short training sessions on an AI tool do not qualify.

ZIM: no applications possible at present

The Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM, Central Innovation Programme for SMEs) has not accepted new applications since 7 July 2026, including outlines. Whether and when it reopens depends on the 2027 federal budget.

State programmes

Berlin

The Digitalprämie Berlin is closed; the last call ended at the end of 2023. Berlin companies still have:

• Pro FIT project financing from IBB: for research and development, not for introducing ready-made solutions. Industrial research is funded with grants of up to 80 per cent, and experimental development at SMEs with loans of up to 80 per cent.
• Transfer BONUS: for cooperation with universities and research institutions. In the entry model, up to 100 per cent of at most €7,500 is funded, and in the standard model up to 70 per cent, at most €15,000. AI is not explicitly named. You should ask IBB whether applications are currently being accepted.
• The federal programmes BAFA and INQA-Coaching also apply.

Bavaria: Digitalbonus

Digitalbonus Bayern funds small businesses based in Bavaria at up to 50 per cent of eligible costs. In the Standard version, the grant is at most €7,500, and in the Plus version at most €30,000. AI is explicitly named for Plus. Eligible costs must be at least €4,000. The programme runs until the end of 2027, but the monthly budgets may be exhausted.

North Rhine-Westphalia: MID-Digitale Prozesse

Since 1 September 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia has funded external consulting on digitalising processes: analysis of existing workflows, description of the target workflows, software selection and support during implementation. Funding is a flat rate of up to €500 per consulting day for 10 to 30 days, so at most €15,000. Licences are excluded. You can only apply during time-limited funding calls through NRW.BANK. Funding is only possible once every two years.

For programmes in the other states, it is worth checking the Förderdatenbank des Bundes (federal funding database).

Which funding fits which step?

Three mistakes that cost you funding

1. Signing too early. Almost all programmes require the application before the contract. With BAFA, approval must already be in place before the contract is concluded.
2. Applying for the wrong service. BAFA consulting funding pays for neither programming nor workshops.
3. Budgeting ongoing costs as if they were funded. You will almost always pay for hosting, licences and maintenance yourself. Calculate these costs separately, as described in the article What does AI cost?.

How we help

In the initial consultation, we work out with you which programmes are relevant to your project and prepare the project description and cost plan to meet the programme's requirements. We cannot give a funding commitment. This article does not state whether EVORI is registered with BAFA. There is more on this on our funding page.