Austria’s aws AI grants for companies are closed, and the next AI-Start and AI-Adoption rounds are not yet announced

Austria’s aws AI grants for companies are closed, and the next AI-Start and AI-Adoption rounds are not yet announced

30 September 2026 — Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws), the federal promotional bank, runs two grants under its aws Digitalization programme to help companies put artificial intelligence into use: AI-Start Green and AI-Adoption. As of 30 September 2026 neither has an open call, and aws has not published when the next rounds open. Firms that want to apply need to prepare now and watch for the announcement.

AI-Start Green

AI-Start Green, a module of AI Mission Austria, funds a company's first AI project in collaboration with an external implementation partner, with a focus on green technologies and sustainability.

• Who: companies of all sizes and sectors with a registered office or place of business in Austria, applying before the project starts, for a first-time AI project in the company.
• Partner: an offer from a cooperation and implementation partner must be uploaded with the application. aws points to its own KI-Marktplatz (AI marketplace) for finding one.
• Amount: a non-repayable grant of "up to 50 % of the eligible project costs and up to EUR 15,000", for external consulting and implementation costs.
• Terms: projects last nine months and are paid after final accounting. aws states a success rate of 25%.
• Timing: the page says the call ran from 1 January to 1 March 2024 and "currently is no call open".

AI-Adoption

AI-Adoption funded larger AI implementation projects. Its last call ran from 2 January to 28 February 2025, and the page says "no further submissions can be accepted". Under that call, grants reached up to 150,000 euros for 12-month projects. Rates were up to 80% under de minimis rules, or 25% to 45% by company size under the EU's general block exemption. aws's only statement about the next round is that companies should subscribe to its newsletter to hear about the next submission opportunity.

Not yet independently verified. The opening and closing dates of the next AI-Start Green and AI-Adoption rounds are not yet announced. The publisher has not stated it yet; we will update the dates here as we hear from the publisher. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

The wider programme

aws Digitalization itself remains available. It is aimed at SMEs but also open to large companies, projects must be carried out in Austria, and aws states a 50% success rate. Applications for all aws grants go through its online Fördermanager portal, and must be made before a project starts.

What to do

• Austrian companies planning a first AI project can line up an implementation partner and a written offer now, so an AI-Start application can go in as soon as a round opens.
• Keep the project unstarted: aws funds only projects applied for before they begin.
• Subscribe to the aws newsletter for the AI-Adoption announcement, and check how much de minimis aid the company has already used.

Sources

• aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice): AI Mission Austria, module AI-Start: Green (read 30 September 2026) — 30 September 2026
• aws: AI-Adoption call page (read 30 September 2026) — 30 September 2026
• aws: aws Digitalization programme overview (read 30 September 2026) — 30 September 2026