digi4wirtschaft: Successful digitalization funding is being developed into AI funding
The successful digitalization funding program “digi4wirtschaft” will be expanded into the state's first AI funding program. This was announced by Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner and the President of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Wolfgang Ecker, at a press conference at the Lower Austrian State House on Tuesday.
The economy in Europe and Austria is in its third year of a “stubborn economic crisis”, and competition with the USA, China and India is putting the European business location “under increasing pressure”, the Governor stated at the beginning: “As the province of Lower Austria, we are doing what a province can do to put a stop to this development”. A key component of this is the digitalization offensive: “The state of Lower Austria has driven the digital transformation forward more than other European regions and has been digitally positioned for many years.” The Governor referred, for example, to the “House of Digitalization” as a “platform for science, business, research and society to use the digital transformation for the country and its people”.
Large companies are often “very good at dealing with digital change”, explained Mikl-Leitner: “And we have been supporting our small and medium-sized enterprises for years with our digi4wirtschaft funding.”
Since 2020, over 2,000 digitalization projects have been supported, 40 million euros have been paid out and investments of 80 million euros have been triggered. The companies have used it to renew their IT infrastructure, improve merchandise management systems and digitalize value-added processes.
In 2025, the state governor announced that digitization funding would now be further developed with a focus on AI: “The topic of AI offers many opportunities for our companies to become even more efficient and faster.”Together with the Chamber of Commerce, the state will therefore provide a total of four million euros, with three funding options available from February 27.
"digiKickstart” offers free workshops for companies, ‘digiAssistent’ supports consulting services with up to 3,300 euros and ‘digiInvestitionData’ supports investments for the efficient use of data in order to generate added value.
The subsidy here is up to 50 percent and a maximum of 25,000 euros. Mikl-Leitner: “We are expecting around 160 projects. With AI support, the aim is to make better use of resources, reduce costs and tackle new business ideas.”
She cited examples such as the optimization of supply chains, the creation of a digital twin for simulations in real time and automated reports and analyses.
According to the Governor, the figures at the House of Digitalization also show that there is great interest in the topic of AI: “Since 2023, 1,500 entrepreneurs have taken part in AI events and workshops, and 300 tourism professionals have also dealt with the topic of AI, for example to improve guest services or implement marketing measures.”
The topic of digitalization is a major challenge for many companies, but many projects in this area have already been implemented in recent years, said Wolfgang Ecker, President of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, in his statement. He was convinced that the “digi4wirtschaft” funding was not only “a very unbureaucratic initiative”, but also “a successful model”. The Chamber of Commerce will therefore once again make two million of the total four million euros available for this purpose: “This funding reaches our companies one-to-one.”
Ecker continued: “As diverse as our bed operations are, so too are the opportunities for digitalization.” In addition to this funding campaign, the technology and innovation partners are also available for companies, he informed, and also referred to training and further education measures at the WIFI as well as numerous information events and a free cyber security hotline, which is staffed day and night and is available to members.
The “digi4wirtschaft” grants can be applied for from February 27 at www.digi4wirtschaft.at.