aws Grants for Digitalisation and AI in Austria 2026: Programmes, Amounts and How to Apply

Last updated: September 2026

If you are planning a digitalisation or AI project in Austria, you may be able to get a grant for it. The main funding bodies are aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice), the KMU.DIGITAL programme and, in Styria, SFG. This article explains what the programmes cover, how much they pay and why applications most often fail.

One rule applies to almost every programme: the application must be filed before the project begins.

What is aws digitalisation funding?

aws is Austria’s federal promotional bank. Here AWS stands for Austria Wirtschaftsservice, not Amazon Web Services. Under the name "aws Digitalisierung" it awards non-repayable grants for digitalising products, services and processes and for e-commerce. Depending on the programme, grants of up to €150,000 are possible.

Consulting and implementation costs are eligible. The company needs its registered office or a business location in Austria. Which company sizes and sectors qualify is set by each programme.

The aws AI programmes

For projects involving artificial intelligence, aws runs dedicated modules:

• AI-Start: supports an SME’s first implementation of an AI project with up to €15,000.
• AI-Wissen: aws provides up to 20 hours of innovation consulting, with a grant of up to €20,000.
• AI-Adoption: for larger projects with up to €150,000 per company. According to aws, this call is currently closed.

The programmes work with calls that open and close. Always check aws.at for currently open calls before you plan.

KMU.DIGITAL: consulting and implementation

KMU.DIGITAL is run jointly by the federal government, the Chamber of Commerce and aws, in two stages:

• Consulting: a status and potential analysis is funded at 80%, up to €400. Strategy consulting is funded at 50%, up to €1,000.
• Implementation: implementation projects are funded at 30%, up to €6,000, for eligible costs between €2,000 and €30,000 net.

To get implementation funding, you must first complete a funded KMU.DIGITAL consultation. According to kmudigital.at, the KMU.DIGITAL 4.0 budget is currently exhausted, so new applications will only be possible with a new round.

Funding in Styria: SFG

The Styrian business promotion agency SFG supports digitalisation projects of Styrian businesses through its own programmes. Its digitalisation cost grant, for example, covers 30% of eligible costs, up to €2,500, for projects of at least €3,000. Eligible measures include ERP and CRM systems with interfaces, booking platforms, customer portals and a first website or online shop. The grant can be used once per calendar year.

Regional and federal grants can often be combined. Whether and to what extent is checked by the respective funding body.

Step by step to your application

1. Describe the project: what is being digitalised, which problem does it solve and how will you measure success?
2. Collect quotes: most programmes require a clear cost plan, usually based on external quotes.
3. Choose the right programme: check the target group, funding rate and whether the call is open.
4. Apply before the project starts: as a rule, no binding orders may be placed and no work may begin beforehand.
5. Implement and claim: after the project, submit invoices and evidence; the grant is paid out afterwards.

Common application mistakes

• Applying after the project started: the most common reason for rejection. Retroactive funding is generally not granted.
• A vague project description: "we want to become more digital" is not enough. Funding bodies want concrete goals and cost items.
• The wrong programme: a pure hardware project rarely fits digitalisation funding, and a research project fits FFG better than KMU.DIGITAL.
• Missing the call: many programmes have fixed deadlines or limited budgets. If you are late, you get nothing.

How EA Digital Solutions helps

We plan digitalisation and AI projects so that they fit a funding programme: with a clear project description, a transparent cost plan and a realistic timeline. For an overview of all programmes, see our page on AI funding in Austria. For a concrete project, start with our digitalisation consulting in Graz or our AI consulting in Graz.

All figures as of September 2026, based on aws.at, kmudigital.at and sfg.at. Funding conditions change; the current programme document always applies.

Adam Khalil is the founder of EA Digital Solutions e.U. and has been developing custom software and integration solutions for businesses in Austria, Germany and Switzerland since 2019.