Deadline: August 9, 2026
Applications are open for the AI Nation Grant & Accelerator Program 2026. The AI Nation Grant supports early-stage AI founder teams in Germany with up to €54,000 in funding and expert guidance. Eligible founder teams must have a validated problem, a solution requiring AI, and a team of at least two committed co-founders, one bringing the AI expertise to build the product.
The program runs for six months, offering financial support, coaching and mentorship as well as access to a collaborative AI ecosystem to help them prepare for incorporation.
Funding
- Up to €54,000 per team Founder scholarships: €2,000 per month per founder (up to 3 founders, for 6 months) + €150/month child supplement per child
- Operational Funding: Up to €4,000 for software startups; Up to €16,000 for hardware-, robotics-, or biotech-heavy startups
- Partner Credits & Perks: Access to credits and tools from partners including Microsoft, Google, AWS, NVIDIA, GitHub, HubSpot, Supabase, and others.
Eligibility
You are qualified if:
- You have clearly identified a relevant problem worth solving and validated it with interviews with your future potential customers.
- You have developed a suitable solution concept, validating it with stakeholders as far as you could without building the fully functional AI core of your solution. A basic, low-fidelity prototype is required, a no-code mockup, video, or screenshot is completely fine.
- Your solution (value proposition) requires AI as the core enabling technology.
- Your AI approach has substance, and you have a plan on how to defend it against competitors.
- You have defined your target market, size, structure, and competition.
- Your team consists of at least two committed co-founders with sufficient time to dedicate to the project, and AI and engineering expertise are present directly within your core team.
- Your project addresses at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
- Core team is based in Germany and holds an eligible visa where applicable.
Application
For more information, visit AI Nation Grant Program.
