{"id":4899,"date":"2026-10-30T17:46:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T17:46:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/funding\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T13:11:36","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T13:11:36","slug":"funding","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/funding\/","title":{"rendered":"Funding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"phero lit\" aria-labelledby=\"h-fo-en\">\n    <div class=\"wrap\">\n      <nav class=\"crumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><span aria-hidden=\"true\">\/<\/span><span>Funding<\/span><\/nav>\n      <h1 id=\"h-fo-en\" class=\"ho-in\">Funding to match every stage<span class=\"dot\">.<\/span><\/h1>\n      <p class=\"lead ho-in\" style=\"--i:1\">Grants from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the federal government and the city of Cologne are available for consulting, process design and implementation. Which program fits depends on your project and on which programs are currently open. We check this with you before you receive an offer.<\/p>\n      <dl class=\"facts ho-in\" style=\"--i:2\">\n        <div><dt>Grant<\/dt><dd>usually 50% of eligible costs<\/dd><\/div>\n        <div><dt>For<\/dt><dd>mainly SMEs in North Rhine-Westphalia<\/dd><\/div>\n        <div><dt>Funding bodies<\/dt><dd>State of NRW, federal government, City of Cologne<\/dd><\/div>\n        <div><dt>As of<\/dt><dd>October 2026<\/dd><\/div>\n      <\/dl>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"sec rule-top\" aria-labelledby=\"h-fc-en\">\n    <div class=\"wrap two\">\n      <div>\n        <h2 id=\"h-fc-en\" class=\"ho-in\">Three questions<span class=\"dot\">.<\/span> <span class=\"t2\">Your programs.<\/span><\/h2>\n        <p class=\"lead ho-in\" style=\"--i:1;margin-top:1.25rem\">The guide shows which programs fit your project and whether they currently accept applications. We clarify the details in a conversation.<\/p>\n        <ol class=\"fits\" style=\"margin-top:2.25rem\">\n          <li class=\"ho-in\" style=\"--i:0\"><b>Choose the program<\/b><span>By project, location, size and the current status of the calls.<\/span><\/li>\n          <li class=\"ho-in\" style=\"--i:1\"><b>Shape the scope<\/b><span>We align scope and description with the funding guidelines.<\/span><\/li>\n          <li class=\"ho-in\" style=\"--i:2\"><b>Application before contract<\/b><span>With a free right of withdrawal if the grant application is rejected.<\/span><\/li>\n        <\/ol>\n      <\/div>\n      <form class=\"check ho-in\" id=\"fCheck-en\" novalidate=\"\" aria-label=\"Funding guide\">\n        <fieldset><legend>What are you planning?<\/legend>\n          <div class=\"opts\">\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"vh\" value=\"orient\"><span>Orientation and organization<\/span><\/label>\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"vh\" value=\"roadmap\"><span>AI roadmap and use cases<\/span><\/label>\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"vh\" value=\"prozess\"><span>Redesigning processes<\/span><\/label>\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"vh\" value=\"loesung\"><span>Building a solution or investing<\/span><\/label>\n          <\/div><\/fieldset>\n        <fieldset><legend>Where is your company based?<\/legend>\n          <div class=\"opts\">\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"ort\" value=\"koeln\"><span>In Cologne<\/span><\/label>\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"ort\" value=\"nrw\"><span>Elsewhere in NRW<\/span><\/label>\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"ort\" value=\"de\"><span>Outside NRW<\/span><\/label>\n          <\/div><\/fieldset>\n        <fieldset><legend>How large is it?<\/legend>\n          <div class=\"opts\">\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"gr\" value=\"kmu\"><span>Fewer than 250 employees<\/span><\/label>\n            <label class=\"opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"gr\" value=\"gross\"><span>250 or more<\/span><\/label>\n          <\/div>\n          <span class=\"hint\">If your company belongs to a group, affiliated companies count toward the SME assessment.<\/span><\/fieldset>\n        <div class=\"verdict \" id=\"fVerdict-en\" aria-live=\"polite\"><b>Select all three answers.<\/b><span>Suitable programs appear immediately.<\/span><\/div>\n        <ul class=\"plist\" id=\"fList-en\"><\/ul>\n      <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"sec rule-top\" aria-labelledby=\"h-fp-en\">\n    <div class=\"wrap\">\n      <div class=\"head\">\n        <h2 id=\"h-fp-en\" class=\"ho-in\">All programs at a glance<span class=\"dot\">.<\/span><\/h2>\n        <p class=\"lead ho-in\" style=\"--i:1\">Sorted by the stage in which they apply. Programs open and close, so each one shows its current status.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"filters\" id=\"pFilter-en\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Filter by stage\" style=\"margin-top:clamp(32px,4vw,48px)\"><button type=\"button\" data-f=\"alle\" aria-pressed=\"true\">All stages<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-f=\"workshop\" aria-pressed=\"false\">Workshop<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-f=\"ki-roadmap\" aria-pressed=\"false\">Roadmap<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-f=\"umsetzung\" aria-pressed=\"false\">Implementation<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-f=\"begleitung\" aria-pressed=\"false\">Advisory<\/button><\/div>\n      <div class=\"cmp-wrap\"><table class=\"ptab\" id=\"pTab-en\"><thead><tr><th scope=\"col\">Program<\/th><th scope=\"col\">Grant<\/th><th scope=\"col\">Purpose<\/th><th scope=\"col\">Fits<\/th><th scope=\"col\">Status<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr class=\"ok\" style=\"--i:0\"><td>BAFA Unternehmensberatung<small>Federal government (BAFA) \u00b7 SMEs and freelancers<\/small><\/td><td class=\"zu\">50% of consulting costs<small>in NRW at most \u20ac1,750 per consultation<\/small><\/td><td>Consulting on economic, organizational and entrepreneurial questions, such as responsibilities and decision paths<\/td><td><span class=\"stg\"><span>Workshop<\/span><span>Roadmap<\/span><span>Advisory<\/span><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"st ok\"><i><\/i>ongoing<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"closed\" style=\"--i:1\"><td>NRW.BANK.Impuls KI<small>State of NRW \u00b7 SMEs based in NRW<\/small><\/td><td class=\"zu\">50% of eligible costs<small>up to \u20ac25,000 within two years<\/small><\/td><td>External consulting on AI use cases, AI concepts, preparing AI deployment and testing AI systems<\/td><td><span class=\"stg\"><span>Roadmap<\/span><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"st closed\"><i><\/i>currently closed<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"wait\" style=\"--i:2\"><td>MID \u2013 Digitale Prozesse<small>State of NRW \u00b7 Micro-enterprises and SMEs in NRW<\/small><\/td><td class=\"zu\">50% of eligible expenses<small>up to \u20ac15,000, consulting up to \u20ac500 per day<\/small><\/td><td>As-is analysis, target concept, software selection and support in digitalizing internal processes<\/td><td><span class=\"stg\"><span>Roadmap<\/span><span>Implementation<\/span><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"st wait\"><i><\/i>call open until 1 December 2026<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"ok\" style=\"--i:3\"><td>MID \u2013 Digitalisierung<small>State of NRW \u00b7 Micro-enterprises and SMEs in NRW<\/small><\/td><td class=\"zu\">50% of eligible expenses<small>up to \u20ac15,000<\/small><\/td><td>Development of innovative digital products, services and applications, including AI<\/td><td><span class=\"stg\"><span>Implementation<\/span><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"st ok\"><i><\/i>monthly selection by lot<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"ok\" style=\"--i:4\"><td>NRW.BANK.Invest Zukunft<small>State of NRW \u00b7 Companies in NRW<\/small><\/td><td class=\"zu\">Loan for up to 100% of the investment<small>repayment bonus of up to 20% for SMEs<\/small><\/td><td>Investments in digitalization, new technologies and digital processes<\/td><td><span class=\"stg\"><span>Implementation<\/span><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"st ok\"><i><\/i>ongoing via your bank<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"later\" style=\"--i:5\"><td>K\u00f6lner Rahmen<small>City of Cologne \u00b7 Companies based in Cologne<\/small><\/td><td class=\"zu\">Grant per project<small>up to \u20ac10,000<\/small><\/td><td>Innovative digital products, services or business models with development content<\/td><td><span class=\"stg\"><span>Implementation<\/span><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"st later\"><i><\/i>new round planned from February 2027<\/span><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>\n      <p class=\"ex-foot\">As of October 2026, without guarantee. The guidelines of the funding bodies are authoritative. The amount of the grant depends on the program and on your company.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home\/Funding Funding to match every stage. Grants from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the federal government and the city of Cologne are available for consulting, process design and implementation. Which program fits depends on your project and on which programs are currently open. We check this with you before you receive an offer. Grant usually&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"hide","_kad_post_layout":"fullwidth","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"unboxed","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"hide","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4899","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4899"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4941,"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4899\/revisions\/4941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearehandson.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}