Programme
With the "AI Innovation Competition - Generative AI for SMEs" technology programme, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is providing targeted support for SMEs in Germany. The programme contributes to the implementation of the German government's AI strategy by developing practical AI solutions to strengthen companies in the digital transformation and by demonstrating new business models made possible by generative AI.
Generative AI is an innovative technology that can independently generate new content, e.g. texts, images, videos, audio files or 3D models. In contrast to classic AI applications, such as pattern recognition or the optimisation of decisions, generative AI can produce new results and creatively support people in the process.
The technology is based on powerful algorithms that learn with the help of a large amount of training data. Different model architectures are used, such as neural networks, transformer or diffusion models. These systems can not only generate language, but also create new content that goes beyond mere reproduction.
Generative AI has the potential to fundamentally change many areas of business. New opportunities are opening up for SMEs in particular, such as in research and development through support in software engineering, prototyping or supporting simulations. Chatbots and automated text creation promise great support in marketing and customer service. In knowledge management and documentation, generative AI enables a high degree of automation. In production and maintenance, generative AI enables improvements in automated quality control through to new robotics applications. Of course, there are also many opportunities in the creative industry for generating new content.
In the future, generative AI will be integrated into many software solutions and play an increasingly important role in everyday life and business processes. However, many technical approaches have not yet been sufficiently tested or there is a lack of data pipelines or even a data basis - this is precisely where the technology programme comes in.
The technology programme creates the conditions for the successful use of generative AI in companies by demonstrating specific use cases in areas such as knowledge management, maintenance, medicine and production. In doing so, it ensures that the specific needs and opportunities of small and medium-sized enterprises are at the centre of attention.
The funded projects started in February 2025, provide practical impetus for SMEs and show how innovative AI solutions can be quickly transferred to the market and scaled up. A particular focus is placed on training data generation (e.g. synthetic data for AI models), the trustworthiness and explainability of AI solutions as well as transferability and scalability across different industries. Furthermore, special attention is paid to the (further) development of German and European AI models. The programme focuses on open source software and the open or federated exchange of data, models and research results.
Accompanying research will support the projects, coordinate joint public appearances and scientifically analyse cross-cutting topics. It will ensure an effective transfer of knowledge, the networking of stakeholders and long-term commercialisation prospects.
With the "AI Innovation Competition - Generative AI for SMEs", the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) is making an effective contribution to implementing the federal government's AI strategy and aims to strengthen SMEs in Germany in a targeted manner.
