Complete Guide 2026
AI Funding Austria 2026 —
The Complete Guide
Austrian SMEs often leave AI and digitalisation funding unused — not because it does not exist, but because the landscape is complex. This guide covers every relevant programme, eligibility criteria, and how to apply.
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What this guide cannot tell you
Whether your project qualifies. Funding is never granted for a topic, only for a concrete undertaking — and the criteria differ per programme, per industry and per company size. Most calls are open for a few weeks at a time, and an application after the project has started is rejected on principle.
That part takes fifteen minutes and your actual plan. Tell us what you intend to do — we will tell you which programmes come into question, and say so plainly when none of them do.
15 minutes
Want to know what this looks like for your company?
Pick a slot and we go through your funding options for your situation — no preparation needed.
The funding gap
Why Austrian SMEs leave funding on the table.
Austrian federal and regional funding for AI and digitalisation is substantial — but most small businesses never apply. The two most common reasons: they do not know the programmes exist, or they find the application process too complex to navigate without dedicated support.
Depending on the programme, 30 to 70 percent of the costs are funded: SFG Cyber!Sicher, for example, funds up to 30%, SFG Ideen!Reich XS up to 70% and the Vienna Business Agency 50%. At the same time, the best-known programmes are currently closed: all aws digitalisation calls are closed and the KMU.DIGITAL budget is exhausted (as of November 2026). This guide shows what is open right now.
Key programmes at a glance
SFG Cyber!Sicher
IT security for SMEs, max. 30%
SFG Ideen!Reich XS
Innovation incl. digital products, up to 70%
SFG Lebens!Nah
Styrian micro-businesses selling to consumers
Vienna Business Agency
Digitalisation, 50%, deadline 31 Dec 2026
Lower Austria digi4wirtschaft
Applications since 1 Oct 2026
FFG Basisprogramm
R&D / innovation projects
aws Digitalisierung
All calls currently closed
KMU.DIGITAL
No applications, not continued from 2027
Chamber of Commerce advice
Varies by federal state
Shipped work
What that looks like in practice
Three screenshots from live systems we built — not mock-ups.
Programme 1
aws Digitalisierung
aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice) awards non-repayable grants under "aws Digitalisierung", up to €150,000 depending on the programme, for digitalising products, services and processes. AI projects had dedicated modules.
As of November 2026, all modules are closed: AI Start Green (last call October to November 2024), AI Wissen (applications no longer possible), AI-Adoption (closed since 28 February 2025) and Künstliche Intelligenz (no further call). No new call has been announced; aws publishes new calls on aws.at. Until then, we check with you which open programme fits — in Styria usually an SFG programme.
Eligibility criteria
- Registered office or business location in Austria
- Application before the project starts
- Consulting and implementation costs are eligible
- Company size and sector depend on the programme
- Submission only while a call is open
Max. funding
€150.000
non-repayable, depending on programme
Status
Closed
all modules · as of November 2026
Important
Before start
apply before the project begins
Programme 2
KMU.DIGITAL
KMU.DIGITAL was run jointly by the federal government, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and aws and funded consulting and the implementation of digitalisation projects. According to kmudigital.at, the KMU.DIGITAL 4.0 budget is fully exhausted, no applications are possible, and the programme will not continue from 2027.
If you had planned with KMU.DIGITAL, there are alternatives depending on the project: in Styria, for example, SFG Cyber!Sicher or Ideen!Reich XS, in Vienna the Vienna Business Agency’s digitalisation funding, in Lower Austria digi4wirtschaft. We check which open programme fits in a funding check.
Status November 2026
- KMU.DIGITAL 4.0 budget fully exhausted
- No applications possible
- Not continued from 2027
- Alternatives: SFG, Vienna Business Agency, Lower Austria digi4wirtschaft
Important: registered consultants only
KMU.DIGITAL consulting could only be delivered by registered KMU.DIGITAL consultants. EA Digital Solutions is not and never was a registered KMU.DIGITAL consultant.
Status
Exhausted
no applications possible
From 2027
Ends
no continuation, per kmudigital.at
Alternative
Funding check
we check which open programme fits
Programme 3 — Styria-specific
SFG — Steirische Wirtschaftsförderung
The SFG (Steirische Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft) is the Styrian regional development agency and provides a range of funding instruments specifically for Styrian businesses. One example is Lebens!Nah (for Styrian micro-businesses with a shop that sell mainly to consumers; pure online sellers do not qualify): it covers 30% of eligible costs, max. €2,500, for projects from €3,000, for example digital sales and admin processes, a website or online shop, or e-payment. Only external services count, and the action currently runs until 30 June 2027, subject to change.
For other businesses, these SFG programmes are the most relevant as of November 2026. Cyber!Sicher funds IT security in SMEs (risk analyses, consulting, training, security hardware, software and licences, NIS-2/NISG 2026 measures): max. 30%, projects from €5,000, grant max. €15,000. An awareness measure for all staff with PC access is mandatory; pure hardware or software purchases are not funded. Ideen!Reich XS funds innovation, including new digital products, services and business models: 30% base plus 10% bonus each for a location outside Graz, cooperation with a research institution, digitalisation and sustainability, max. 70% of max. €20,000 eligible costs, i.e. a grant of up to €14,000; one of the 2026 cut-off dates is 16 November 2026. Ideen!Reich XL funds larger projects at up to 50%, max. €75,000. Spur!Wechsel is only for production firms and production-related service providers that mainly served the automotive value chain (digitalisation, automation, software; max. 25% of investment and 50% of non-investment costs, up to €200,000; a first meeting with ACstyria is mandatory). Start!Klar supports innovative SMEs founded within the last five years with up to €37,500 per application, including digital measures. For all SFG programmes, apply before the project starts; the programme document is what counts.
Unlike federal programmes, SFG funding is applied for directly through the SFG and is subject to Styrian state budget. The application requires a project description, cost plan, and business presentation. We recommend contacting SFG early and ideally attending a free initial advisory session.
Contact & application
SFG — key facts
Target group
Styrian businesses of all sizes
Focus areas
Digitalisation, innovation, investment, exports
Example: Lebens!Nah
30%, max. €2,500, projects from €3,000; Styrian micro-businesses with a shop that sell mainly to consumers
Cyber!Sicher
IT security: max. 30%, projects from €5,000, grant max. €15,000
Ideen!Reich XS
Innovation incl. digitalisation: 30–70%, grant max. €14,000
Combinability
Combination with federal funding possible in individual cases — the funding bodies check this
First step
Free initial advisory session at SFG
Outside Styria: Vienna and Lower Austria
Vienna Business Agency — digitalisation funding
For SMEs active in Vienna for at least one year: 50% of eligible costs, projects from €10,000, max. €50,000. Software, licences, external consulting and training are eligible. Remaining 2026 deadline: 31 December 2026.
Lower Austria — digi4wirtschaft
Applications possible since 1 October 2026, up to €25,000 per project. Details on noe.gv.at.
As of November 2026; the programme document is what counts. Apply before the project starts.
Programme 4 — R&D / Innovation
FFG Basisprogramm
The FFG (Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft) Basisprogramm is the right choice if your AI project involves research and development — not just the adoption of existing tools. If you are developing custom AI models, novel automation approaches, or data science applications, the FFG offers substantially higher funding amounts.
The Basisprogramm usually funds R&D projects with a mix of grant and low-interest loan. Funding is generally up to 50% of project costs, up to 70% for start-ups, with a maximum of €3 million per project. The application is more involved than for most digitalisation grants: the project plan, technical description and commercial exploitation must be convincing.
FFG funding is relevant for: custom machine learning model development, proprietary AI-based product development, AI integration in a manufacturing or industrial context, and data science research for business intelligence.
FFG Basisprogramm — key facts
Funding amount
Up to €3 million per project
Funding rate
Usually up to 50%, start-ups up to 70%
Funding type
Grant plus low-interest loan
Complexity
High — detailed project application
Best for
Custom AI development, R&D-heavy AI projects
Website
ffg.at/basisprogramm
How it fits together
Your systems stop copying data to each other
ERP, CRM, booking and payment stay where they are — what changes is that they finally talk to one another.
Programme 5 — Free first step
Chamber of Commerce digitalisation advice
The regional Chambers of Commerce offer initial consultations on digitalisation, often free of charge or heavily subsidised. In Upper Austria, for example, "Digital.Basis" reviews your digitalisation plans in a free 50-minute online session, and Tyrol offers a subsidised DigitalisierungsCheck with a small co-payment.
Ask WKO Steiermark which offers are currently available in Styria. Such an initial consultation is a good first step before applying for larger funding.
What an initial consultation covers
- Assessment of your current digital maturity
- First recommendations for your business
- Pointers to suitable funding programmes
- Offers and costs differ by federal state
- Contact in Graz: WKO Steiermark
Quick reference
How much funding could my project get?
Indicative amounts — actual eligibility depends on project scope, company size, and annual turnover.
| Project type | Typical cost | Best programme | Indicative funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial digitalisation consultation | Often free | Chamber of Commerce | Varies by state |
| IT security / NIS-2 in a Styrian SME | from €5,000 | SFG Cyber!Sicher | max. 30%, max. €15,000 |
| New digital product or business model (Styria) | up to €20,000 eligible | SFG Ideen!Reich XS | 30–70%, max. €14,000 |
| Digitalisation of a Vienna-based SME | from €10,000 | Vienna Business Agency | 50%, max. €50,000 |
| Digitalisation project in Lower Austria | Project-based | digi4wirtschaft | up to €25,000 |
| Digitalisation of a Styrian micro-business selling to consumers | from €3,000 | SFG Lebens!Nah | 30%, max. €2,500 |
| R&D project with own AI development | Project-based | FFG Basisprogramm | usually up to 50% |
All amounts as of November 2026 and indicative; the programme document is what counts, and actual funding depends on company size, prior de minimis aid and project criteria. Not in the table: aws Digitalisierung (all calls currently closed) and KMU.DIGITAL (budget exhausted, not continued from 2027). Always check current conditions at sfg.at, wirtschaftsagentur.at, noe.gv.at, ffg.at and aws.at.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about AI funding in Austria.
Can I apply for multiple funding programmes at the same time?
Yes, in many cases cumulation is possible — but not unlimited. Many SME grants fall under the de minimis regulation (max. €300,000 in 3 years). SFG funding can often be combined with federal programmes, as long as the total subsidy rate does not exceed the permitted maximum. We review your specific combination in the initial consultation.
Do I need to apply before the project starts?
For almost all programmes: the funding application must be submitted before the project begins (contract conclusion, invoicing). Retroactive funding is generally not granted. The exception is free initial consultations by the Chamber of Commerce, which you can use at any time.
What counts as an "AI project" for funding purposes?
For most Austrian funding bodies, "AI" also covers broader digitalisation measures: introduction of cloud software, process automation, data analysis tools, and concrete AI solutions (ChatGPT integration, machine learning, NLP). Pure hardware purchases without a software component are usually excluded. The exact demarcation is clarified during the application process.
How long does the funding process take?
It depends on the programme and is set out in each programme document. For aws calls with a jury selection, the decision is made after the jury meeting, and the FFG Basisprogramm requires a detailed project application. Plan enough lead time, because the application almost always has to be filed before the project starts. We support you with the application to avoid supplementary requests.
Can I get funding for external consulting costs (e.g. AI consulting)?
Depending on the programme, yes. As of November 2026, SFG Cyber!Sicher, for example, funds IT security consulting, risk analyses and training, and the Vienna Business Agency’s digitalisation funding covers external consulting and training. The aws programmes for this (e.g. AI Wissen) are currently closed, and the KMU.DIGITAL budget is exhausted. We check which open programme fits in a funding check; the programme document is what counts.
Related
KI-Readiness Assessment
Before applying for funding, find out which level of AI maturity your business is at — and which service is the right fit.
Take the free quizRelated
AI Consulting Graz
Local AI consulting that includes a funding eligibility check — so you know from the start how much subsidy your project could receive.
View AI consulting
── Free process check
Can your process be automated?
Describe your manual workflow in 5 minutes. We check for free whether and how it can be automated — including a 30-minute call and a written assessment.