AI funding in Austria: programs and deadlines 2026

AI funding in Austria: what is available right now?

In October 2026, some funding programs for companies are open, while well-known programs have already closed.

Status: October 2026. Sources checked on 3 October 2026. This overview helps you with a first selection. Funding rates apply to eligible costs. Budget, guidelines and the funding decision determine your grant. There is no guarantee of funding.

Regional programs target digitalization in day-to-day operations, while programs from the FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency) mainly target research and upskilling. Our overview of AI for businesses shows possible applications.

KMU.DIGITAL: budget exhausted, no continuation from 2027

No new applications for consulting or implementation are possible for KMU.DIGITAL 4.0 (digitalization funding for SMEs).

What it funded and for whom: Digitalization consulting and implementation for Austrian SMEs. Funded implementation previously required funded consulting first.

Previous funding: Potential analysis: 80%, up to €400 per tool. Strategy consulting: 50%, up to €1,000 per tool. Consulting combined: up to €3,000. Implementation: 30%, up to €6,000. These terms are currently not available. KMU.DIGITAL program page.

Status: Budget exhausted. According to the WKÖ (Austrian Economic Chamber), the program will not continue from 2027 and there is currently no successor. KMU.DIGITAL & GREEN belongs to the funding period that runs until 2026. WKÖ FAQ on the discontinuation, program overview including GREEN.

aws AI funding: which programs are open?

Several AI programs from aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice, Austria's federal promotional bank) are closed; for individual sectors, some programs are open.

AI-Adoption and AI-Adoption: Green

What it funds: Trustworthy AI with a focus on regulation, standards and certification. Green also required a measurable contribution to climate protection. Who it's for: Companies of all sizes with a registered office or place of business in Austria.

Funding: Up to €150,000. Under de minimis or the General Block Exemption Regulation (AGVO/GBER) Article 22, up to 80%; for experimental development under Article 25: 25% for large, 35% for medium-sized and 45% for small companies.

Status: Closed since 28 February 2025. No new submission round is announced on the page we checked. aws also reports no open applications for AI Start Green and AI Wissen (AI knowledge). aws AI-Adoption, aws Digitalisierung (digitalization).

Industrielle Schlüsseltechnologien, Leitbetriebe 2030 (industrial key technologies, lead companies 2030)

What it funds: Investments, prototypes and experimental development in key technologies, including AI. Who it's for: Companies of all sizes with a registered office and place of business in Austria, excluding agriculture and fisheries.

Funding: Grants of up to €3 million, minimum project volume €1 million. Status: Applications closed on 15 September 2026 due to high demand. The specific closure notice is authoritative. aws program and status.

Transformationsinvestitionen in der Verarbeitung landwirtschaftlicher Erzeugnisse (transformation investments in the processing of agricultural products)

What it funds: Among other things, automation and AI-based quality control. Who it's for: Companies that process and market agricultural products, including large enterprises.

Funding: Grants of up to €1 million per project. Status: Call open until 15 December 2026, 24:00. Eligibility needs to be confirmed with aws. aws Call 2026.

FFG AI funding: research and upskilling

The FFG funds research or training, depending on the project.

Basisprogramm 2026 (FFG General Programme)

What it funds: Experimental development of commercially exploitable products, processes or services with innovative content and technical risk. Who it's for: SMEs, startups and large companies; a research partnership is optional.

Funding: Usually 50% of project costs, up to 70% for startups, with a maximum funding volume of €3 million. Funding combines grants and loans, in some cases other instruments as well. The rate does not refer to a pure grant.

Status: Continuous submission until 31 December 2026. Simply introducing existing AI tools does not automatically meet the research criteria. FFG Basisprogramm 2026.

Innovationsscheck mit Selbstbehalt 2026 (innovation voucher with co-payment)

What it funds: Research services such as feasibility studies, new algorithms or scientific support for prototypes. Who it's for: SMEs with a place of business in Austria, working with an eligible research institution.

Funding: Up to 80%, maximum €10,000; reaching the maximum requires €12,500 in eligible costs. Status: Open until 2 November 2026, 11:00. The voucher funds research services, not a standard agency engagement. FFG Innovationsscheck 2026.

AI Ökosysteme 2026 (AI ecosystems)

What it funds: Collaborative industrial research on hybrid AI or green AI that substantially advances core AI technologies. Applying existing models alone is not enough. Who it's for: Companies together with suitable consortium partners, including research institutions.

Funding: €100,000 to €1 million per project. Rates depend on partner category and company size. Status: Open on the date checked; submission deadline 6 October 2026 at 12:00. Applications must be submitted in English. FFG AI Ökosysteme 2026.

Skills Schecks 2026 (skills vouchers)

What it funds: External training for the digital or green transition, including AI. Who it's for: Companies with a branch in Austria; companies that are still being founded are excluded.

Funding: 50%, up to €5,000 per person, for a maximum of five people per company. Status: Open until 15 December 2026, 12:00 at the latest, depending on budget. Both the provider and the course must meet the conditions. Our training courses are not automatically eligible for funding. FFG Skills Schecks 2026.

Upper Austria: digitalization and Industrial AI

Upper Austria supports digitalization in companies and collaborative AI research.

DIGITAL.PLUS 26

What it funds: Design and implementation of automation, data management, AI or IT security. Who it's for: SMEs with their registered office in Upper Austria and active membership of the WKOÖ (Upper Austrian Economic Chamber). Excluded are previous recipients of Digital Starter 2023/2024 or DIGITAL.PLUS 2025, as well as providers of digitalization services in the topic area applied for.

Funding: Up to 35%, maximum €7,000. Minimum project costs: €12,000 net. At least 20% must be spent on consulting or IT services.

Status: Applications until 2 November 2026. The WKOÖ reports that 80% of the budget had been used as of 28 September 2026. Check whether funds are still available before applying. WKOÖ DIGITAL.PLUS 26.

Industrial AI Upper Austria

What it funds: Collaborative R&D for AI-powered machines, production processes or supporting business processes in industry. Who it's for: Upper Austrian companies and research institutions, in line with the cooperation requirement.

Funding: €100,000 to €600,000 per project; the rate depends on organization type and research category. Status: Open until 10 December 2026, 12:00. The project location must be in Upper Austria, with a maximum duration of 36 months. FFG call by the Province of Upper Austria. Information and networking at Business Upper Austria.

Vienna: digitalization funding up to €50,000

The Wirtschaftsagentur Wien (Vienna Business Agency) funds the development and introduction of digital solutions for established Viennese SMEs.

What it funds: Process digitalization based on a well-documented digitalization plan, including external consulting and training on new solutions. Who it's for: SMEs in all sectors that have had a place of business in Vienna for at least one year.

Funding: 50%, up to €50,000, with a minimum project size of €10,000. Internal staff costs, standard hardware and standard software are excluded.

Status: Open; the next remaining submission deadline is 31 December 2026. The maximum project duration is two years. A jury decides in a competitive process; implementation may only begin after a complete submission. Wirtschaftsagentur Wien: Förderung Digitalisierung (digitalization funding).

How to prepare your project for the application

A documented project scope makes goals, costs and responsibilities transparent.

Write down the initial problem, the measurable benefit, work packages, milestones, cost quotes and your own funds. Add technical risks, data sources, access rights and the operating model.

Before you commission anyone, check the permitted project start and whether the funding can be combined with other programs. Vienna requires a complete submission before implementation; DIGITAL.PLUS 26 has its own rules on when you can start. Vienna submission conditions, DIGITAL.PLUS self-check.

How Ahoi Kapptn! supports you

We prepare the project scope and technical documentation for your application and can take care of the implementation.

Our discovery delivers the business value, architecture, work packages, timeline and budget, so you can align with the funding body or your funding advisor. Ahoi Kapptn! does not provide funding advice. Choosing the funding, the state aid assessment and the funding approval are the responsibility of the competent bodies.

MCP workflows we have brought into production save around 100 hours a month in sales and administration. This experience feeds into our AI consulting, AI automation and AI training for companies.