GERMAN GRANT PROGRAMS 2026

Up to 50% of your AI investment is paid by the state.

For SMBs in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria there are concrete grants. We help you find the right program — and file the application correctly.

Who benefits: owner-led SMBs with headquarters in BW or Bavaria running an AI or digitization project with an external service provider. Naylo qualifies as that external partner — your effective cost is cut in half.
TOP PROGRAMS

Four programs that fit Naylo setups.

All de-minimis compliant. Application must be filed before the project starts — otherwise the claim is void.

Innovationsgutschein BW Standard

BW
Max. grant
€7,500
Funding rate
50%
Who
SMBs up to 100 employees, max. €20M revenue, HQ in BW
Naylo use
Foundation or Standard setup up to €15,000 project size

Innovationsgutschein BW Hightech Digital

BW
Max. grant
€20,000
Funding rate
50%
Who
SMBs up to 100 employees + €20M revenue, BW HQ
Naylo use
Premium setup or multiple combined use cases up to €40,000

Digitalbonus Bayern Standard

BY
Max. grant
€7,500
Funding rate
up to 50%
Who
Small companies <50 employees, max. €10M revenue, Bavaria
Naylo use
Any setup package from €4,000 project volume

Digitalbonus.Plus Bayern

BY
Max. grant
€30,000
Funding rate
up to 50%
Who
Small companies <50 employees, particularly innovative projects
Naylo use
Premium or multi-use-case + 18 months of retainer follow-on grant-eligible
EXAMPLE CALCULATION

What it looks like in your wallet.

Example setup with Innovationsgutschein BW. The actual scope and price we agree on individually in the discovery call.

approx. €6,500
Naylo fee
Example: 6-week setup, 2–3 use cases
− approx. €3,250
Grant subsidy (50%)
e.g. Innovationsgutschein BW Standard
approx. €3,250
Effective net cost
Also deductible as a business expense
HOW WE HELP

Five steps to funding.

01

Discovery call

30 min free. We check which program fits your project — and whether it makes sense at all.

02

Quote

We prepare a binding quote with a clear scope. That's your attachment for the application.

03

File the application

You submit online to L-Bank (BW) or the regional government (BY). One hour of screen-share guidance is included in the setup package.

04

Wait for approval

4–10 weeks depending on the program. Implementation only starts after approval — nothing may be ordered before.

05

Implementation + payout

Naylo runs the setup, you pay the invoice, the grant lands directly in your business account.

Important rules — otherwise the funding is gone.

Mistakes that void the grant

  • ×Premature start: no contract, no order, no down payment BEFORE the approval notice.
  • ×Bavaria: file with the regional government at the project location — not at company headquarters.
  • ×Bavaria: ELSTER business account is mandatory and takes 2–3 weeks to set up.
  • ×De-minimis ceiling: maximum €300,000 in public grants over the past 3 years.

What Naylo provides at no cost

  • Eligibility check during the discovery call — which program fits your project.
  • Grant-eligible quote with clear scope as a PDF attachment.
  • Template text for the project description in the application.
  • One hour of screen-share guidance during the online filing.
  • Final usage documentation after the project: invoice with all required fields + short narrative report.
COMMON QUESTIONS

What clients usually want to know.

BW: SMBs up to 100 employees, max. €20M revenue or balance sheet, HQ in Baden-Württemberg. Bavaria: small companies under 50 employees, max. €10M revenue or balance sheet, location in Bavaria. We check it together in 5 minutes during the discovery call.

Innovationsgutschein BW Standard: 4–6 weeks. Hightech Digital: 6–10 weeks (possibly with a 15-min pitch in front of the innovation committee). Digitalbonus Bayern: 4–8 weeks. So plan enough lead time before you want the setup to start.

Then the funding is gone — completely. No contract, no order, no down payment before the approval notice. We do the discovery call and quote for free, you file, and only after approval do we sign the actual setup contract.

Per company, a rolling 3-year window allows a maximum of €300,000 in public de-minimis grants (for most industries). The application asks what you've received over the past 3 years.

No — you have to file the application as the applicant yourself. But: we check eligibility, deliver the quote with all required fields, give you template text for the project description, and walk you live through the online portal for one hour. Naylo does not provide legal or tax advice.

Let's run the math for 30 minutes.

In the discovery call we check which program fits — and what your effective net cost actually becomes.

As of May 2026. All information without guarantee. Funding terms may change — the issuing authority is the final source of truth. Naylo is not a tax advisor and does not provide legal advice.