HyBrayn funding service
Funding programmes for digitalisation and AI in German SMEs
German SMEs running digitalisation or AI projects can draw on four federal programmes and 42 state programmes across all 16 states. Only the Forschungszulage is a statutory entitlement with no application deadline; the rest are budget-capped grants or loans that must, as a rule, be applied for before the project starts. This overview lists every programme with its rate, ceiling, status and source.
Data as of: · 46 programmes, 33 of them active · 16 states
What HyBrayn offers here — and what it does not
This page maps the funding landscape, not our service catalogue. Only the programmes marked below as Product or Assisted are part of what we offer. Everything else is listed for orientation.
- Product
- The Forschungszulage is our own product: we write the technical R&D evidence for the certification body and support you up to filing by your tax adviser.
- Assisted
- We support the application process for Saxony’s Digi-Z and Brandenburg’s BIG-Digital.
- Information only
- All other programmes are listed for orientation. We neither advise on them nor prepare applications for them.
The applicant is always your company, never HyBrayn. Which state programme applies is determined by your company’s location, not ours.
Federal programmes
Available nationwide, regardless of location. The Forschungszulage is the only one that is a statutory entitlement with no application deadline — and it works retroactively for up to four years.
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forschungszulage (FZulG)ProductGrant · statutory entitlement | 25–35 % | €4,200,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Caveat: This figure is qualified in the source data; the note is on the German page.Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 |
| KfW ERP-Foerderkredit Digitalisierung (511/512) - vormals ERP-Digitalisierungs- und InnovationskreditInformation onlyLoan with grant · via your bank | 3–5 % | €200,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Caveat: This figure is qualified in the source data; the note is on the German page.Source 1Source 2 |
| Digital Jetzt - Investitionsfoerderung fuer KMU (BMWE/BMWK)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | no fixed ceiling | discontinued | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| go-digital (BMWE/BMWK)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | no fixed ceiling | discontinued | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1 |
State programmes by federal state
Which state programme applies to you is decided by your company’s location. Several programmes are exhausted, paused or discontinued — the status is shown on every row.
Baden-Württemberg
3 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovationsgutscheine BW (Standard / Hightech)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | €20,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Digitalisierungsprämie Plus – Zuschussvariante (L-Bank)Information onlyGrant | 30 % | €3,000 | discontinued | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1 |
| L-Bank Digitalisierungsfinanzierung (Nachfolger der Digitalisierungsprämie, seit 01.07.2025)Information onlyLoan with grant | 5 % | no fixed ceiling | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1 |
Bayern
2 programmes · confirmed against primary sources
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digitalbonus.Bayern (Digitalbonus Standard / Digitalbonus Plus)Information onlyGrant · monthly quota | 50 % | €30,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Caveat: This figure is qualified in the source data; the note is on the German page.Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Bayerisches Verbundforschungsprogramm (BayVFP) - Foerderlinie Digitalisierung / FuE-Programm Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik (IuK Bayern)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | no fixed ceiling | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
Berlin
1 programme · researched
Brandenburg
1 programme · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG-Digital (Brandenburgischer Innovationsgutschein zur Förderung von Digitalisierungsvorhaben kleiner und mittlerer Unternehmen inklusive Handwerksbetriebe)AssistedGrant · mandatory pre-assessment | 50 % | €250,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6 |
Bremen
2 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digitaler Mittelstand KI (BAB / BIS Bremerhaven)Information onlyGrant · first come, first served | 30–40 % | €17,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Beratung zur Digitalisierung – 'Digitalisierung und Arbeit 4.0' (BAB)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | €5,000 | unclear | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
Hamburg
3 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamburg Digital Check (IFB Hamburg)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | €7,500 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| InnovationFocus "KI und Robotik" (IFB Hamburg / Innovationsagentur)Information onlyGrant | 60 % | €500,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Hamburg-Kredit Digital (IFB Hamburg / KfW)Information onlyLoan with grant | 12 % | €20,000 | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
Hessen
5 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distr@l – Förderlinie 2A: Digitale ProduktinnovationenInformation onlyGrant | 90 % | €500,000 | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 |
| Distr@l – Förderlinie 2B: Digitale ProzessinnovationenInformation onlyGrant | 100 % | €500,000 | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Distr@l – Förderlinie 1: MachbarkeitsstudienInformation onlyGrant | 50 % | €100,000 | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Distr@l – Förderlinie 4 (Modul B): Wachstum im digitalen Kontext (Startups)Information onlyGrant | 60–100 % | €160,000 | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| DIGI-Zuschuss Hessen (WIBank)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | €10,000 | exhausted | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
2 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digitalisierungsförderung Mittelstand Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (TBI/Wirtschaftsministerium)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | €50,000 | exhausted | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Förderung von wirtschaftsnaher Forschung, Entwicklung und Innovation in M-V (FuEuI-Richtlinie, EFRE 2021–2027)Information onlyGrant | not quantified | no fixed ceiling | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
Niedersachsen
3 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niedrigschwelliges Innovationsförderprogramm für KMU und Handwerk (nIFP) – NBankInformation onlyGrant | 35–45 % | €100,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Innovationsförderprogramm für Forschung und Entwicklung in Unternehmen (IFP) – NBankInformation onlyGrant | 15–80 % | €500,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Digitalbonus.Niedersachsen / Digitalbonus.Niedersachsen-innovativ – NBank (BEENDET)Information onlyGrant | 20–35 % | €50,000 | discontinued | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
Nordrhein-Westfalen
3 programmes · confirmed against primary sources
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mittelstand Innovativ & Digital (MID) – MID-DigitalisierungInformation onlyGrant · lottery | 50 % | €15,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 |
| Mittelstand Innovativ & Digital (MID) – MID-Digitale SicherheitInformation onlyGrant · lottery | 50 % | €15,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Mittelstand Innovativ & Digital (MID) – MID-Assistent/in (Innovationsassistent/in)Information onlyGrant · waiting list | not quantified | €48,000 | paused | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
Rheinland-Pfalz
5 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DigiBoost Rheinland-Pfalz (Digitalisierungsförderung Mittelstand)Information onlyGrant | 25–75 % | €15,000 | discontinued | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1 |
| Betriebsberatungsprogramm Rheinland-Pfalz (FÖP 158)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | no fixed ceiling | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Innovationsgutschein (FuE-Auftrag) Rheinland-Pfalz (FÖP 255)Information onlyGrant | 50 % | €20,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Einzelbetriebliches Innovations- und Technologieförderungsprogramm (InnoTop) Rheinland-Pfalz (FÖP 358)Information onlyGrant | 25–80 % | €700,000 | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
| Implementierung betrieblicher Innovationen (IBI-EFRE) Rheinland-Pfalz (FÖP 361)Information onlyGrant | 10–20 % | €5,000,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
Saarland
2 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DigitalInvest KMU (Plus-Förderung)Information onlyGrant | 30–50 % | €20,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 |
| DigitalInvest KMU (Basis-Förderung)Information onlyGrant | 30–50 % | €12,500 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 |
Sachsen
3 programmes · confirmed against primary sources
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digitalisierung Zuschuss EFRE 2021-2027 – HeranführungsprojekteAlso known as: Digi-ZAssistedGrant · first come, first served | 10–60 % | €6,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Digitalisierung Zuschuss EFRE 2021-2027 – TransformationsprojekteAlso known as: Digi-Z TransformationAssistedGrant · first come, first served | 10–50 % | €45,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Caveat: This figure is qualified in the source data; the note is on the German page.Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| EFRE/JTF-Technologieförderung 2021-2027 – FuE-ProjektförderungInformation onlyGrant · first come, first served | 50–60 % | no fixed ceiling | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
Sachsen-Anhalt
3 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachsen-Anhalt Digital InnovationInformation onlyGrant | 50 % | €70,000 | exhausted | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Sachsen-Anhalt Digital CreativityInformation onlyGrant | 75 % | €130,000 | exhausted | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1 |
| IB-Digitalisierungsdarlehen 2021-2027 (Fallback-Kredit, kein Zuschuss)Information onlyLoan with grant | not quantified | no fixed ceiling | unclear | Evidence level: lowAs of: Source 1 |
Schleswig-Holstein
2 programmes · researched
| Programme | Rate | Ceiling | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Förderung von Digitalisierungsmaßnahmen in kleinen Unternehmen (DKU) — Landesprogramm Wirtschaft 2021–2027Information onlyGrant | 40 % | €80,000 | active | Evidence level: highAs of: Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Einstiegsförderung für Innovationsvorhaben von KMU (EIK) — Transfer-Bonus & HighTech-Bonus (Landesprogramm Wirtschaft 2021–2027)Information onlyGrant | 70 % | €52,500 | active | Evidence level: mediumAs of: Source 1Source 2 |
Thüringen
2 programmes · researched
Apply before the project starts
For almost every grant, the application must be filed before the project starts or the contract is awarded. The Forschungszulage is the exception: it works retroactively for up to four years.
How this overview was compiled
The data comes from HyBrayn research with second-source verification. Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony, plus the Forschungszulage, were checked more deeply; the remaining states are researched but not consistently confirmed against primary sources. Every row states its evidence level, its date and its sources.
All figures come from HyBrayn research with second-source verification, with data current as of roughly June 2026 (per-programme dates are shown in the tables). Funding rates, ceilings and above all availability — budget, quota, lottery and competition-round status — can change at short notice and are stated here without warranty. This is not funding or legal advice. Several state programmes are currently exhausted, paused or discontinued, and for some the rate or ceiling is not conclusively evidenced. For almost every grant the application must be filed before the project starts; the Forschungszulage is the exception, working retroactively for up to four years. Before relying on any of this, verify the current programme and budget status with the relevant funding body.
The binding German wording of this disclaimer is on /de/foerderprogramme/
Which programme fits your project?
The funding check matches your project to a programme — including an honest answer when none fits.