Funding for AI in SMEs

Your AI project with pacemaker.ai, half of it funded by your federal state.

pacemaker.ai develops AI software for supply chains and is part of tk accelis Supply Chain Solutions. We come from industry, and so does our software. We know the processes behind your AI project and support you with our software solutions. Below, you'll find the funding programs of the German federal states. Together with you, we identify the right program and guide you through five steps, all the way to proof of use.

Your benefits
Funding rate
50%
in most programs
Grants up to
€500,000
in some programs
Funding check
30 min.
free of charge, no obligation
Process

How your funded project works.

01
Initial consultation

Together, we check your SME status, your location, and whether AI is already being used in your target process.

02
Quote

We define the use case and the test criteria and, on that basis, prepare the quote and the project plan.

03
Application & approval

You submit the application to the relevant authority. We provide the project description and the quote documents. The order is only placed after the approval notice.

04
Implementation

We implement the project as applied for, measure against your criteria, and give you a clear recommendation on how to proceed.

05
Proof of use

You submit the proof of use. We provide the necessary building blocks for it. The grant is then paid out.

Funding by federal state

What is funded in your federal state.

Select your federal state. You'll see the maximum grant, the funding rate, and the official program page.*

Federal state
Bavaria
Brandenburg
Bremen
Hesse
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
North Rhine-Westphalia
Rhineland-Palatinate
Saarland
Saxony
Saxony-Anhalt
Schleswig-Holstein
Brandenburg
Brandenburgischer Innovationsgutschein (BIG-Digital)
ILB

A free consultation with WFBB comes before the application. Consulting, implementation, and training can be combined.

Program page
up to €250,000
€50,000 consulting, €250,000 implementation
North Rhine-Westphalia
NRW.BANK.Impuls KI
NRW.BANK

Funding covers concept consulting on the use of AI and the testing of an AI system. Both can be applied for separately or together.

Program page
up to €25,000
per company within two years
Schleswig-Holstein
Digitalisierungsmaßnahmen in kleinen Unternehmen (DKU)
WTSH

For companies with fewer than 50 employees. Consulting and implementation are funded separately, and implementation is possible without prior consulting.

Program page
up to €80,000
€8,000 consulting, €80,000 implementation
Schleswig-Holstein
Förderrichtlinie Künstliche Intelligenz
State Chancellery, with support from WTSH

External services are explicitly eligible for funding. Open to SMEs with up to 249 employees. Project outlines go to the State Chancellery.

Program page
50%, 75% for startups
Saxony-Anhalt
Sachsen-Anhalt Digital Innovation
Investitionsbank Sachsen-Anhalt

For digitalization investment projects with demonstrable innovative added value. Funding is awarded through funding calls.

Program page
up to €70,000
Saxony
Digitalisierung Zuschuss (FRL Digi-Z)
Sächsische Aufbaubank

For digitalization projects of small and medium-sized enterprises. The funding rate depends on company size and region.

Program page
up to €35,000
Saarland
DigitalInvest KMU
Saarland Ministry of Economic Affairs

AI applications are explicitly eligible for funding. Applications are submitted through funding calls. We inquire about the current dates for you.

Program page
up to €20,000
€12,500 Basis, €20,000 Plus
Rhineland-Palatinate
Innovationsgutschein (FuE-Auftrag)
ISB Rheinland-Pfalz

For development contracts with external providers. In addition to universities, private-sector development service providers are also eligible.

Program page
up to €20,000
per R&D contract
North Rhine-Westphalia
MID-Digitalisierung
NRW.BANK

For the development of digital products based on key technologies including AI. Funding is awarded by lottery.

Program page
up to €15,000
grant from €4,000
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Förderung der Anwendung von Künstlicher Intelligenz
TBI Schwerin

For companies with up to 100 employees and projects from €15,000. In addition to hardware and software, consulting and training are also eligible for funding.

Program page
50% funding rate
per project
Hesse
Distr@l
Ministry of Digitalization and Innovation, WIBank

Several funding lines, from feasibility study to growth project. AI counts as a digital innovation. The process starts with a project outline.

Program page
up to €500,000
depending on the funding line
Bremen
Digitaler Mittelstand KI
Bremer Aufbau-Bank

For small and medium-sized enterprises and solo self-employed individuals in the state of Bremen. Funding is available for projects focused on AI, automated digital processes, and cybersecurity.

Program page
up to €17,000
Bavaria
Digitalbonus.Bayern
Responsible district government

For small companies with fewer than 50 employees. The guideline explicitly names AI as an eligible funding purpose. Applications are submitted via the ELSTER business account.

Program page
up to €30,000
€7,500 Standard, €30,000 Plus
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About pacemaker.ai

pacemaker.ai develops AI software for supply chains. With Demand Forecasting, Replenishment Decision Intelligence, and Sustainability Management, we help companies make better decisions.

We come from industry. And so does our software.
up to
33%
in cost savings
over
10%
forecast improvement
Live in weeks, not months.
up to
36%
fewer supply bottlenecks
Amortized in less than 3 months
Next step

Let's check whether your project is eligible for funding.

Senior Business Development Manager
Lukas Dreiling

Notes on the funding information: The figure shown in each case is the maximum grant, not the upper limit of eligible expenses. This overview is based on our own research on the program pages and in the guidelines of the relevant authorities, as of September 17, 2026. Funding programs change constantly. Budgets are exhausted over the course of the year, application windows open and close, and guidelines are revised. We therefore provide no guarantee as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information and accept no liability for decisions based on this overview. Only the currently applicable guideline of the relevant authority is authoritative. Eligibility, funding amount, and approval are decided exclusively by the respective development bank or approving authority, and there is no entitlement to funding. This page does not constitute legal, tax, or funding advice. Please check the current status via the link to the program page before making any decision.