digi4Wirtschaft Funding 2026: Up to 25,000 Euros for Data Projects in Lower Austria

Lower Austria is funding digitalisation projects again from 1 October 2026: with digi4Wirtschaft, the State and the Economic Chamber of Lower Austria cover 20 percent of eligible costs, up to 25,000 euros per company [1]. Not every kind of digitalisation qualifies, though. The programme requires a concrete project that combines existing digital data, analyses it and noticeably embeds it into daily operations. This guide summarises the programme document (version 1.05) [2], the official forms and the announcement of 27 September 2026 [5]: who is eligible, which projects and costs count, how the process works from idea to payout, with worked examples, project examples and the mistakes that sink applications.

What is digi4Wirtschaft? The programme at a glance

digi4Wirtschaft is a programme of the State of Lower Austria and the Lower Austrian Economic Chamber (WKNÖ). According to the programme document, it serves “to implement digitalisation projects in a Lower Austrian company”, meaning the introduction of new technologies and their organisational integration into business processes, with a focus on digitising processes including increased, value-adding use of data [2].

The current round has a budget of 2 million euros, financed in equal parts by the Lower Austrian business and tourism fund and the WKNÖ [2]. The programme is not new: according to the State Press Service, more than 2,100 projects have received around 44 million euros since the initiative began, triggering eligible investments of over 88 million euros [5]. The digitalisation level of Lower Austrian SMEs rose from 50 percent in 2023 to 66.4 percent last year [5]. Practical examples named by the State include the Hager bakery, which uses AI in production, and the logistics company BTG, which optimises its truck routes with AI [5].

The three pillars: Kickstart, Assistent, Investition

digi4Wirtschaft consists of three independent offers [2]. They build on each other but can be used individually.

For digi Assistent, the funding rate is based on an agreed hourly rate of 90 euros; with a lower rate the grant is reduced proportionally [6]. digi Kickstart dates in autumn 2026 are 19 and 20 October at BPZ Schwaighof in St. Pölten, with a virtual follow-up on 25 November [7].

The rest of this guide focuses on digi Investition: data, because that is where the implementation money is, and where details decide between approval and rejection.

Funding at a glance: amount, budget, deadlines

Sources: funding page [1] and programme document, points 7, 8, 9 and 29 to 33 [2].

A quick calculation puts the budget into perspective: if every company received the maximum, 2 million euros would cover 80 projects. Since many projects stay below the cap, there will be more in practice. Still, the pot is finite, and submission ends once it is used up.

Who is eligible?

Eligible are commercial businesses as well as tourism and leisure businesses from transport, trade and services, and from industry and production [2]. Four conditions must all be met:

• Site in Lower Austria: the project is implemented at a Lower Austrian business site.
• Active trade licence at the investment site.
• Economic centre of the company is in Lower Austria.
• At least two years of economic activity in Lower Austria at the time of application. Changes of legal form are assessed case by case; business successions and takeovers must be documented.

Who is excluded

According to the programme document, the following are not eligible in any case [2]:

• Credit and insurance institutions as well as research institutions.
• Companies with federal ownership of at least 50 percent or under actual federal control.
• Fisheries and aquaculture, primary agricultural production and processing and marketing of agricultural products within the meaning of the de minimis regulation.
• Non-profit organisations.

Groups benefit from one exception: in principle only one project per company is funded, but companies belonging to a group or otherwise affiliated can be funded independently of each other [2].

What is funded? The data logic of the programme

The core of digi Investition: data is in points 21 and 22 of the programme document. It funds projects that enable “the development and optimisation of data infrastructures, the integration of different data sources and the use of large data volumes”, explicitly including artificial intelligence. At the same time, the company should pay attention to data ethics and the responsible use of technology [2].

Two requirements are non-negotiable [2]:

• Existing digital data: the project uses data that is already available digitally. If data only exists on paper, the project is not eligible.
• Integration into processes: the funded investments are embedded in the company’s work and value creation processes. The use of modern data management and analytics tools must be clearly demonstrable and part of the project.

The programme leaves a lot of room regarding where this happens: purchasing, logistics, engineering, production, HR, customer management, customer service, marketing, accounting, payment processing, sales and shipping and returns management [2]. Ideally, according to the programme document, the project creates value not just for individual processes but for the whole company. Both internal and cross-company data may be used.

Examples: projects named by the State of Lower Austria

The programme document lists ten example projects [2]. They show the level the jury expects: always several data sources, always a model or analysis, always a concrete follow-up action in the business.

The customer and order forecast example stands out: it comes straight from sales and service and shows that marketing and sales data are explicitly eligible when linked with other business data.

Examples from marketing, sales and eCommerce

The following four scenarios are not official examples from the State, but project outlines showing how projects in Dometrics’ field can match the programme’s logic. Whether a specific project is funded is decided by the jury alone.

Example 1: Online retailer connects shop, inventory and advertising data

A Lower Austrian online retailer has so far steered its advertising by revenue, even though margins vary widely by product. The project combines order data from the shop, purchase prices and stock levels from the inventory system, email data from the CRM and cost data from Google Ads and Meta in one central data model. Server-side tracking ensures that conversions arrive completely.

Two things are then built into operations: first, bidding strategies receive the contribution margin per order instead of revenue (POAS instead of ROAS), and products with low stock are scaled back automatically. Second, a model forecasts the customer lifetime value of new customers and steers the repeat-purchase flows in email marketing accordingly. Areas affected: purchasing, warehouse, marketing, sales.

Example 2: B2B manufacturer with lead scoring based on order data

A supplier receives enquiries through its website and campaigns, but sales handles them in order of arrival. The project links enquiries, quotes and actual orders from ERP and CRM with the source data of each enquiry. A scoring model rates new leads by their likelihood to close, sales prioritises accordingly, and actual order values flow back into campaign steering as offline conversions. In substance, this mirrors the official customer and order forecast example.

Example 3: Hotel with demand forecasting for pricing, staffing and ad budget

A hotel consolidates booking data from its property management system, cancellations, channel performance, website data, school holidays and weather. A forecasting model estimates weekly demand; price rules, staff rosters and the allocation of advertising budget to low-demand periods are derived from it. The project closely follows the official tourism example and extends it with a marketing component.

Example 4: Trade business with customer value and churn analysis

An installation business with maintenance contracts links its customer base, order history, maintenance dates and enquiries. A model identifies customers with an elevated cancellation risk (churn) and upcoming equipment replacement needs; the office team receives a prioritised weekly contact list, and automated reminders go out by email. Areas affected: customer management, customer service, sales, scheduling.

What is not funded? The exclusion list

For marketing and web projects, point 26 of the programme document is the most important part. Projects without targeted data use or data integration are not eligible, nor are projects where data exists only on paper. The list is explicitly not exhaustive [2]:

• CRM or ERP systems as isolated solutions: purchase or extension without integration.
• Purchased data without integration into own processes and without combination with internal data.
• Standard solutions that reflect the state of the art in the industry.
• Hardware, software, licences or subscriptions as stand-alone solutions, explicitly including large language models such as ChatGPT subscriptions without process integration.
• Pure concept projects that only produce a digitalisation concept.
• Strings of individual measures with little conceptual connection.
• Replacement investments and investments in plant automation.
• Basic IT equipment: scanners, copiers, VoIP phone systems, networking, cabling, operating systems, server licences, MS Office, firewall, antivirus, backup servers.
• Digital products or services that are not data-driven.
• Website, online shop, booking platform or customer app as a stand-alone solution, meaning the linear shift of the sales process to the web without process integration.
• Media content: social media presence and photo or video equipment for producing it.

For marketing, this means: a website relaunch, a new shop, content production, ongoing campaign management or the ad budget itself are not covered by digi4Wirtschaft. A standard Google Analytics setup is also likely to count as state of the art. A project only becomes eligible through the data integration that goes beyond it.

Where the line runs in practice

The right-hand column is an assessment based on the programme document, not a commitment. The decisive question for the jury remains: which data flows together, and what does the business do differently afterwards?

Eligible and ineligible costs

Eligible cost types

Eligible are the purchases and investments essential to implementing the project [2]:

The flat rate is an often overlooked lever: it increases eligible costs by 10 percent without having to document internal hours individually. The official cost breakdown template provides a dedicated line for it, “if requested”.

Ineligible costs

Even if the project fits, certain costs are excluded [2]:

• Invoices and payments not addressed to or not paid by the funded company (exception: payments by financing banks to obtain retention of title).
• Leasing and hire purchase.
• Cash discounts and rebates as well as subsequent credit notes.
• VAT, if the company is entitled to deduct input tax. Calculations are therefore net.
• Invoices below 200 euros net.
• Cash payments above 5,000 euros.
• Unpaid retentions.
• Land, fees and levies, contract drafting costs, financing costs, patent costs.
• Repairs, replacement investments and used assets.

Worked examples: how much grant is realistic

All figures are net. Eligible costs consist of investments plus the optional 10 percent staff cost flat rate; 20 percent of that is paid out, up to 25,000 euros [2].

Two thresholds follow from this. At the bottom: eligible project costs must be at least 5,000 euros, which equals a grant of at least 1,000 euros. At the top: from 125,000 euros of eligible costs, i.e. around 113,640 euros of investment plus flat rate, the maximum is used up. For a project with 200,000 euros of investment, the effective funding rate is therefore only 12.5 percent of the investment.

An example with a cost mix: a project includes interface development and a data model by an external provider for 24,000 euros, an analytics platform as a 36-month subscription for 10,800 euros and sensors for 5,200 euros. That adds up to 40,000 euros of investment. Including the flat rate, 44,000 euros are eligible and the grant is 8,800 euros. The actual net burden for external costs falls from 40,000 to 31,200 euros.

Process: from idea to payout

The route through the programme breaks down into three phases and eight steps. The order is not arbitrary: step 5 must come before step 7, otherwise the funding is lost.

Phase 1: Preparation

Step 1: Check eligibility

Before any project work, check the four requirements: site, trade licence, economic centre and two years of activity in Lower Austria. At the same time, clarify the de minimis situation. The grant is awarded under Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 [2], which allows at most 300,000 euros of de minimis aid per company over three rolling years [8]. All de minimis aid received or applied for in this period must be declared in the application [3].

Step 2: Define the project as a data project

The second step decides success. Instead of starting with a tool, planning starts with three questions:

• Which decision should improve? For example purchase quantities, budget allocation, prioritising enquiries, staff planning.
• Which digital data already exists for it? ERP, CRM, shop, booking system, ad accounts, machine data, tickets.
• How does the result flow back into operations? Dashboard for management, automatic rule, suggestion for dispatch, signal to the ad platform.

Companies that cannot yet answer these questions have two preliminary stages within the programme: the free digi Kickstart workshop or subsidised consulting via digi Assistent. A pure concept is not eligible for digi Investition, but implementation “on the basis of a detailed concept” is [2].

Step 3: Obtain quotes and draw up costs

For the project cost breakdown, which is uploaded as an Excel file, each item needs a short description, the supplier and the net amount; the quotes must be attached [3]. Obtaining quotes before applying is allowed; orders and commissions are not. It makes sense to structure quotes by cost type (software, hardware, external services) from the start, because settlement later uses exactly this structure.

Step 4: Write the project description according to the template

The project description is mandatory and follows an official template [3]. It asks for:

• Company: products, target groups, markets in at most five sentences.
• Digitalisation level: self-assessment on a scale of 1 to 5 and technologies already in use, such as cloud, ERP or CRM, data analytics, IoT, AI, API interfaces, predictive analytics, RPA, visualisation tools such as Power BI.
• Starting point and challenges: which problem is solved and where action is needed.
• Goals and results: what will be achieved and which changes are expected for the company and stakeholders such as customers, suppliers and partners.
• Role of data and technology: which technologies are used, which data sources are integrated through which interfaces and how data use is embedded in workflows.
• Sustainability and social benefit: e.g. saving resources and energy, equal opportunities, regional development.
• De minimis details and preliminary stages used (digi Kickstart, digi Assistent) or network partners such as ecoplus, clusters, technopoles or TIP.

Phase 2: Application and jury

Step 5: Submit the application in the funding portal

The application is submitted via the Lower Austrian business funding portal [9], from 1 October 2026, 09:00 at the earliest [1]. The project description, the cost breakdown as an Excel file and the quotes must be attached [2]. Missing or insufficient documents must be submitted within three weeks of applying, otherwise the application is shelved [2].

Step 6: Assessment by the specialist jury

Complete applications are bundled at regular intervals and presented to a specialist jury; the decision is based on the technical assessment and the available budget [1]. The State explicitly stresses that the time of submission is not the only factor, but above all the quality of the project. The State does not specify processing times. Approval fixes the grant amount that the settlement later refers to.

Phase 3: Implementation and settlement

Step 7: Commission and implement

The project may start once the application has been submitted [1]. Legally, approval is not required for this, but economically the company carries the risk of rejection until then. The project must generally be completed within 12 months; an extension has to be requested separately and approved by the fund [2]. Discipline with documentation matters during implementation: invoices addressed to the company, payment from the company account, no cash payments above 5,000 euros, no small invoices below 200 euros for essential items.

Step 8: Settlement and final report

Settlement uses the official forms [4]. For each invoice they require supplier, subject, order, invoice and payment dates, invoice number, gross and net amount, deducted discounts, rebates and retentions, and the assignment to the cost type in the funding agreement. In addition:

• Planned vs. actual by cost type: deviations of more than plus or minus 10 percent from the approved amount must be justified.
• Final report: description of the project and goal achievement, alternatively as an attached project report.
• Declarations: confirmation that all invoices are fully paid and the project is complete, details of other funding and de minimis aid, bank details and company signature.

The funding body checks the forms, deducts ineligible amounts and sets the final grant [4]. If less was invested than applied for, the grant falls accordingly; more than the approved amount is not paid out.

How an application convinces the jury

The jury assesses on technical merit. The criteria can be derived fairly clearly from the programme document and the template [2] [3]:

• Name data sources concretely: not “company data”, but “order data from the ERP, customer base from the CRM, order data from the shop, cost data from Google Ads”.
• Describe interfaces: API, export, middleware, database, in which direction and how often.
• Show the process change: who in the company uses the result when, and which decision changes as a result.
• Set measurable goals: e.g. shorter throughput time, less tied-up stock, higher sales close rate, falling cost per order. A clearly defined KPI with a baseline makes the goal verifiable.
• Coherence instead of a shopping list: all cost items serve one common goal. A list of loosely connected individual measures is explicitly excluded.
• Do not leave sustainability and stakeholder benefit blank: the template asks for both. Fewer wasted trips, less scrap, less energy or better delivery quality for customers are legitimate answers.
• Consider data ethics: the programme mentions responsible use of AI. A short paragraph on data protection, consent and access rights shows maturity.

Common mistakes that sink funding

• Ordered too early: a commission, order or licence start before the application makes the project ineligible.
• Tool instead of data project: CRM, AI subscription, online shop or website without process integration fall under the exclusion list.
• Analogue starting data: companies that first need to digitise their data do not meet the basic requirement.
• Incomplete documents: after three weeks without the missing documents, the application is shelved.
• Applying for a concept only: pure concept work is excluded. The concept belongs before the application; implementation is what gets funded.
• Documentation errors: leasing, cash payments above 5,000 euros, invoices addressed to another company or a private person, used equipment.
• Undocumented deviations: deviations of more than 10 percent from plan in a cost type must be justified.
• Forgetting de minimis: incomplete details on previous aid delay or jeopardise approval.
• Double funding: according to the programme document, combination with funding schemes outside digi4Wirtschaft is not possible.

Combining with other funding

Within digi4Wirtschaft, combination is explicitly intended: workshop, consulting and investment build on each other, and the template even asks whether digi Kickstart or digi Assistent were used [3]. The grant can also be combined with a NÖBEG guarantee for a bank loan [2].

Combination with funding schemes outside the programme, however, is not possible [2]. Companies using federal programmes such as KMU.DIGITAL in parallel should clearly separate which project runs under which programme and, if in doubt, check with the funding body beforehand. Regardless, every de minimis grant counts towards the shared ceiling of 300,000 euros over three years [8].

Contacts and official documents

All documents can be downloaded from the official funding page [1]: the programme document (binding, version 1.05), the project description template, the cost breakdown and the settlement forms, all in German. This guide reflects the status as of 1 October 2026 and replaces neither the programme document nor information from the funding body.

How Dometrics supports digi4Wirtschaft projects

Dometrics works at exactly the interface the programme funds: between marketing and sales data on one side and operational systems such as inventory, CRM and booking systems on the other. The Tracking & Data Analytics service covers server-side tracking, data integration and a proprietary dashboard that brings together revenue, ROAS, CPA and contribution margin. As a certified KMU.DIGITAL funding advisor, Dometrics also knows the requirements for fundable documentation.

For companies from Lower Austria, Dometrics takes on the following tasks for digi Investition: data:

• Eligibility check: matching the project idea against eligibility, data logic and the exclusion list before time goes into an application. If the project does not fit, Dometrics says so clearly.
• Data concept: inventory of existing data sources, definition of interfaces and data model, deriving the process change and target metrics.
• Technical sections of the project description: drafting the parts on technologies, data sources, interfaces and process integration according to the official template.
• Fundable quote: a quote structured by cost type (external services, software, 36-month subscriptions) that can be transferred directly into the cost breakdown, including coordination with other suppliers.
• Implementation within the project period: data integration, server-side tracking, dashboard, forecasting and scoring models, and feeding results back into ad platforms, CRM and workflows.
• Settlement-ready documentation: clean invoices by cost type, documents for the planned vs. actual comparison and material for the final report.

The limits are just as clear: the company submits the application in the funding portal itself, the jury makes the funding decision, and nobody can guarantee approval. For funded projects, Dometrics only starts implementation once the application has been submitted.

Further guides on the foundation of such projects: why a tracking audit comes before any data integration, and what server-side tracking delivers. Anyone planning to embed AI tools in their processes will find a method to make the benefit measurable upfront in evaluating AI tools.

Have your project checked: send a project enquiry or write directly to info@dometrics.at.

Look up terms: CRM · CDP · First-party data · Server-side tracking · Customer lifetime value · POAS · Contribution margin · Churn · Attribution · all terms in the glossary

TL;DR

• Data use is the criterion: what gets funded is not digitalisation as such, but connecting existing digital data with decisions in the business. If that cannot be described in one sentence, the project is not ready to apply.
• Order protects the funding: application first, commission second. A single contract signed too early costs the entire grant.
• Marketing is eligible when integrated: website, shop, campaigns and content alone are excluded; connected with inventory, CRM and order data, they become part of a fundable data project.
• The sweet spot is around 114,000 euros of investment: above it, the grant no longer rises; below it, the full 20 percent rate plus staff flat rate applies.
• Quality beats speed, but the budget is finite: with 2 million euros and a deadline of 31 December 2026, a complete application in the first weeks is worth more than a fast but patchy one.
• Preparation starts now: inventory data sources, set a target metric, obtain quotes by cost type. Dometrics supports this with Tracking & Data Analytics.

Frequently asked questions

What is digi4Wirtschaft?

digi4Wirtschaft is a programme of the State of Lower Austria and the Lower Austrian Economic Chamber (WKNÖ) for digitalisation projects in Lower Austrian companies. It has three pillars: the free digi Kickstart workshop, subsidised consulting through digi Assistent and the investment grant digi Investition: data. The current round has a budget of 2 million euros.

How much funding does digi4Wirtschaft provide?

The digi Investition: data grant covers 20 percent of eligible costs, up to 25,000 euros per company. Eligible project costs must be at least 5,000 euros. The maximum is reached at 125,000 euros of eligible costs.

What is the deadline for digi4Wirtschaft?

Applications have been possible since 1 October 2026, 09:00, through the Lower Austrian business funding portal. Submission closes when the budget is used up, at the latest on 31 December 2026.

Who is eligible for digi4Wirtschaft?

Commercial businesses as well as tourism and leisure businesses in transport, trade, services, industry and production. They must carry out the project at a site in Lower Austria, hold an active trade licence there, have their economic centre in Lower Austria and have been economically active in Lower Austria for at least two years.

What does digi4Wirtschaft fund?

Investments that help a company capture, combine, analyse and embed existing digital data into its workflows, for example with data analytics or AI. Eligible are software including licences and subscriptions for 36 months, hardware at a Lower Austrian site, external services such as interface development, and a flat rate of 10 percent for internal staff costs.

Does digi4Wirtschaft fund a new website or online shop?

Not as a stand-alone solution. The programme document explicitly excludes building or reworking a website, online shops, booking platforms and customer apps without process integration, as well as social media content. Such a project only becomes eligible when its data is integrated with other business data and used in processes.

May I start the project before funding is approved?

The application must be submitted before the project starts. No legally binding orders or commissions may be placed before applying. Starting after submission is permitted, but until approval the company carries the risk of a rejection by the jury.

How long does a funded digi4Wirtschaft project run?

The funded project must generally be completed within 12 months. An extension has to be requested separately and approved by the Lower Austrian business and tourism fund.

Is digi4Wirtschaft first come, first served?

Only partly. A specialist jury continuously assesses batches of complete applications; according to the State of Lower Austria, project quality matters most, not just the time of submission. Because submission ends once the 2 million euros are used up, an early and complete application pays off.

Can digi4Wirtschaft be combined with other funding?

Within the programme, yes: digi Kickstart, digi Assistent and digi Investition complement each other, and the grant can be combined with a NÖBEG guarantee for a bank loan. According to the programme document, combination with funding schemes outside digi4Wirtschaft is not possible.

What does de minimis mean for digi4Wirtschaft?

The grant is awarded as de minimis aid under Regulation (EU) 2023/2831. Each company may receive at most 300,000 euros of such aid over three rolling years. All de minimis aid of the past three years and any pending applications must be fully declared.

Which documents does a digi Investition: data application need?

The application in the funding portal, the completed project description based on the official template, the project cost breakdown as an Excel file and the suppliers’ quotes. Missing documents must be submitted within three weeks, otherwise the application is shelved.

Can a Vienna-based provider deliver a funded digi4Wirtschaft project?

Yes. The location requirements apply to the applying company, not to its suppliers. External services are eligible if they are essential to the project, invoiced to the funded company and paid by it. Hardware must be used at a Lower Austrian site.

How does Dometrics support digi4Wirtschaft projects?

Dometrics checks whether a marketing, sales or eCommerce project meets the data logic of the programme, drafts the technical sections of the project description, provides a quote structured by cost type for the cost breakdown and implements data integration, tracking, dashboard and forecasting models within the project period. The company submits the application itself, and the jury makes the funding decision.

Sources

• [1] State of Lower Austria: Impulsprogramm digi4Wirtschaft (from 01.10.2026), funding at a glance
• [2] State of Lower Austria: Programme document Impulsprogramm digi4Wirtschaft, version 1.05 (PDF, German)
• [3] State of Lower Austria: Project description template digi Investition: data, v1.04 (DOCX, German)
• [4] State of Lower Austria: Settlement forms digi4Wirtschaft 2026 (XLSX, German)
• [5] Lower Austrian State Press Service, 27.09.2026: Digitalisation funding for Lower Austrian businesses enters the next round
• [6] TIP Technologie- und InnovationsPartner Lower Austria: digi4Wirtschaft and digi Assistent
• [7] TIP Technologie- und InnovationsPartner Lower Austria: digi Kickstart workshop, 2026 dates
• [8] Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 on de minimis aid (EUR-Lex)
• [9] Lower Austrian business funding portal (application)