SME funding
programmes

Depending on the project, funding programmes of the federal government and the states apply to digitalisation, AI and IT security.

• North Rhine-Westphalia
• Other states
• Federal

Programmes of North Rhine-Westphalia

NRW.BANK, for SMEs with their seat in North Rhine-Westphalia

NRW.BANK.Impuls KI

Two modules are funded: the conceptual consulting that recognises fields of application for artificial intelligence, describes use cases and builds structures for AI management, and the creation and trial of a test version of the AI system. Eligible are in particular the expenses for external consulting and testing services. The grant amounts to 50 per cent of the eligible expenses, at most 25,000 euros within two years, with a minimum threshold of 5,000 euros. The application runs through the customer portal of NRW.BANK, and the work should not exceed six months. We take on both modules: gathering and assessing the use cases with your department including the obligations arising from the AI Act, and building the test version on your data, on request with models running on hardware in your own house.

Programme at the funding body

State of North Rhine-Westphalia through NRW.BANK, for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

MID-Digitalisierung

Funded is the development or further development of a marketable digital product based on key technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining or AR and VR technology. The commissioned service provider proves relevant references and competences. The grant amounts to 50 per cent of the eligible expenses, at most 15,000 euros, with a minimum threshold of 4,000 euros. The procedure has two stages: a monthly lottery is followed by 28 days for the application. We develop the digital product from data model and interfaces to the application and its delivery; our own products SimReQs and Aurora serve as references, as do customer projects from software engineering.

Programme at the funding body

State of North Rhine-Westphalia through NRW.BANK, for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

MID-Digitale Sicherheit

Funded are measures that uncover and close security gaps in the company: systematic analyses, training for employees as well as software and hardware solutions. An SME employs fewer than 250 people and reaches at most 50 million euros in annual turnover or 43 million euros in balance sheet total. The grant amounts to 50 per cent of the eligible costs, at most 15,000 euros, with a minimum funding sum of 4,000 euros; here too a lottery stands before the application. We examine network, servers and workstations, separate IT and OT, govern remote access for suppliers and produce the evidence under IEC 62443. The examination is led by an IT security auditor from our team, certified by TÜV; training for your employees runs within the same project.

Programme at the funding body

State of North Rhine-Westphalia through NRW.BANK, for small and medium-sized enterprises

MID-Digitale Prozesse

Funded is external consulting for the analysis and optimisation of internal business and production processes: recording the current state, designing the digital workflow, selecting suitable software and accompanying the introduction. The grant reaches up to 15,000 euros, and an application is possible only during a running call. We record the workflows in production and administration, hold them as a process picture and design the digital workflow. When selecting software we examine the interfaces to your existing systems, for example to ERP, MES and controllers.

Programme at the funding body

Programmes of further federal states

L-Bank, for small and medium-sized and larger mid-market companies based in Baden-Württemberg

Digitalisierungsfinanzierung

The programme finances IT infrastructure with hardware, software, networks and cloud, the automation, digitalisation and networking of operations, the use of artificial intelligence, IT security and staff training. It grants promotional loans with reduced interest and a repayment subsidy, for SMEs from 10,000 euros to 5 million euros. We plan and implement what such a project covers, from automation to IT infrastructure.

Programme at the funding body

State of Hesse, for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as universities and research institutions

Distr@l

Distr@l funds digital innovation and research and development in four funding lines, such as the development of digital products and processes up to a prototype. Project outlines are submitted by fixed deadlines. We develop the software, data connection or AI application that carries such a project.

Programme at the funding body

Investitions- und Strukturbank Rheinland-Pfalz, for commercial small and medium-sized enterprises

Implementierung betrieblicher Innovationen

Funding programme 361 supports product and process innovation as well as digitalisation projects with grants of up to 20 percent. We take on the technical implementation, from plant automation to the software application.

Programme at the funding body

Programmes of the federal government

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, for medium-sized companies and research institutions as cooperation partners

ZIM

The central innovation programme for SMEs funds research and development projects nationwide and open to any technology, as a single project, cooperation project, feasibility study, innovation network or international partnership. The funding rate follows from project form, company size and location. Since 7 July 2026, 12 noon, the programme temporarily accepts no applications; projects with international partners from bilateral and multilateral calls are exempt. We work as a consortium partner in joint projects and take on the share of automation, simulation, software engineering or data connection.

Programme at the funding body

Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, for small and medium-sized enterprises as defined by the EU

KMU-innovativ

KMU-innovativ funds research and pre-competitive development projects in eleven technology fields, among them information and communication technologies, energy efficiency and climate protection, and the future of value creation. Single and joint projects are funded. The procedure has two stages: project outlines can be submitted at any time and are assessed at the cut-off dates of 15 April and 15 October. In the joint project ADAPT we are funded through KMU-innovativ ourselves and cover automation, simulation and virtual commissioning there.

Programme at the funding body

1. Ai

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   Choose your free appointment

2. Ai

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   We discuss your requirements

3. Ai

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   You receive a quotation with a fixed price range

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