Up to €25,000 for consulting and practical testing
With its new NRW.BANK.Impuls KI funding program, NRW.BANK supports small and medium-sized enterprises in preparing for the targeted use of artificial intelligence and testing specific applications. Applications can be submitted digitally starting August 17, 2026.
The program addresses the practical questions many companies face when entering the world of AI: Which use cases offer a clear benefit? What technical and organizational prerequisites need to be met? And how can it be verified, before making a major investment, whether an AI system will achieve the desired results?
Funding is therefore available for both conceptual consulting services and the development and testing of a test version for a specific business use case. This can include, among other things, external consulting and testing services, as well as, to a limited extent, software licenses, hardware rentals, and access to test infrastructure.
The funding covers 50 percent of eligible expenses and amounts to up to €25,000 within two years. The program enables SMEs to make informed investment decisions, gain initial experience with AI systems, and responsibly prepare for their implementation.
Source: NRW.BANK, July 2026
