If you are a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) and want to better exploit the potential of digitization, you can receive a grant for your project under certain conditions.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) supports you in your investments in digital technologies and in the qualification of your employees.

This is possible in 2 modules:

• Module 1: Investments in digital technologies, such as third-party implementations of digital technologies, in particular hardware and software that serve to network your company (data-driven business models, artificial intelligence, cloud applications, big data, sensor technology, 3D printing)
• Module 2: Investments in the qualification of your employees, in particular to qualify your workforce in dealing with digital technologies, for example in digital transformations or strategy, in digital technologies, in IT security and data protection, in digital and agile working or in basic digital skills.

You will receive the funding as a grant

The amount of the grant is a maximum of EUR 50,000 for sole proprietorships and can be increased to up to EUR 100,000 if you as a company submit your application within the framework of a value chain or a value network.

The amount of the subsidy is

• for applications by 31.12.2021 up to 50 percent of the eligible costs plus bonus percentage points and
• for applications from 1.1.2022: up to 40 percent of the eligible costs plus bonus percentage points.

Increased funding (bonus percentage points) is awarded to:

• several companies within a value chain or in a value network that invest at the same time: plus 5 percentage points
• Investments in skills and technologies with a focus on IT security, including data protection: up 5 percentage points
• Companies in structurally weak regions: up 10 percentage points

Your individual funding rate increases by a maximum of 20 percent, even if you meet all 3 criteria for an increase.

Before starting your measure, please submit your application online via the application tool to the BMWK or the project management agency commissioned by it.

The funding programme is designed for individual companies willing to invest in digital technologies. However, consortia along the value chain may apply if they invest together.