Funding Programs
Support for public funding of AI and R&D projects.
Many AI and research projects qualify for public funding, often without the company knowing it. We help you find the right program and prepare a convincing application. Dr. Andrea Geistanger is an accredited INQA coach, which means your start with AI can be funded at up to 80 %.
Book an introductory callINQA coaching: your entry into AI, funded up to 80 %
Dr. Andrea Geistanger is an accredited INQA coach. Through the INQA coaching program, your start with AI can be funded at up to 80 %, financed by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
What is funded?
Up to twelve consulting days of eight hours each, at a daily rate of no more than 1,200 euros net. The funding rate is 80 %; your company covers the remaining 20 %. Used in full, that is 14,400 euros of consulting, of which 11,520 euros are reimbursed. In substance it covers changes to people and work organization in the course of digital transformation, which is exactly the ground that AI will touch in your company.
Who is eligible?
Small and medium-sized companies with headquarters and place of work in Germany: fewer than 250 employees and at most 50 million euros annual turnover. The company must have been on the market for at least two years and have at least one full-time position subject to social insurance. Each company can use the funding once; the funding period runs until the end of 2027.
How does INQA coaching work?
It starts with a free initial consultation at a regional INQA advice centre, which checks eligibility and issues the INQA coaching voucher. You then choose your coach yourself from the official pool. The coaching runs over four to seven months in three phases: an initial phase with interviews and a kick-off, an innovation phase with three working phases of about four weeks each, in which your team tries out solutions for real, and a learning phase with evaluation and a final report. Your staff take part throughout, which is a fixed element of the method.
We are happy to support you through each step of the application.
Last updated: July 2026. Funding conditions can change; we review your specific case individually.
Research allowance: get up to 35 % of your eligible R&D costs back
The research allowance is a tax-based subsidy for research and development under the German Research Allowance Act. It is open to any technology and any sector, and there is a legal entitlement to it.
What is funded?
Basic research, industrial research and experimental development qualify. Three criteria must all be met: novelty, scientific and technical risk, and a systematic, methodologically sound approach. The assessment base includes your own personnel costs, the own work of entrepreneurs, contract research at 70 %, and depreciation; for projects starting in 2026, a 20 % overhead flat rate is added to the assessment base. The rate is 25 %, and 35 % for small and medium-sized companies.
Who is eligible?
Every company liable to tax in Germany, regardless of size, legal form and sector, from sole traders to corporations. Companies without profit benefit as well: if the allowance exceeds the tax due, the surplus is paid out. SME status is not an entry requirement, it only decides the higher rate.
How do you apply?
The procedure has two stages. First you apply for the free certificate from the certification body for the research allowance, which assesses only whether research and development is present; the decision arrives within three months of confirmed receipt and is binding on the tax office. After the end of the financial year you then file the application with the tax office through ELSTER. Applications are possible retroactively within the four-year assessment period, including for projects already finished or discontinued.
We are happy to support you through each step of the application.
Last updated: July 2026. Funding conditions can change; we review your specific case individually.
Frequently asked questions
What is INQA coaching?
INQA coaching is a consulting program of the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for small and medium-sized companies. Changes to people and work organization driven by digital transformation, for example through introducing AI in your company, are funded at up to 80 %.
How much is the INQA funding in concrete terms?
Up to twelve consulting days of eight hours each are funded, at no more than 1,200 euros net per day. Used in full, that is 14,400 euros of consulting, of which 11,520 euros (80 %) are reimbursed; you cover 2,880 euros as your own contribution.
Which companies are eligible for INQA coaching?
Small and medium-sized companies with headquarters and place of work in Germany: fewer than 250 employees and at most 50 million euros annual turnover, at least two years on the market, with at least one full-time position subject to social insurance. Each company can use the funding once; the funding period runs until the end of 2027.
How does INQA coaching work?
It starts with a free initial consultation at a regional INQA advice centre, which checks eligibility and issues the coaching voucher. You then choose your coach from the official pool. The coaching runs over four to seven months in three phases, with your staff involved throughout.
What is the research allowance?
The research allowance is a tax-based subsidy for research and development under the German Research Allowance Act. It is open to any technology and any sector, and there is a legal entitlement to it.
How much is the research allowance?
The rate is 25 % of the assessment base, and 35 % for small and medium-sized companies. For projects starting in 2026, a 20 % overhead flat rate is added to the assessment base.
Can I claim the research allowance retroactively?
Yes. Applications are possible retroactively within the four-year assessment period, including for projects already finished or discontinued. Companies without profit benefit too, as any surplus is paid out.
Together we find out which funding fits your project, and we prepare the application with you.
Book an introductory call