With the AI NATION Grant a new nationwide funding program for early AI founding teams in Germany is being launched. The program is aimed at start-ups and projects whose business idea is based on artificial intelligence as a core technology and who are still in the pre-founding stage or in a very early development phase. The goal is to accelerate the development of marketable AI solutions and support founding teams on the way to prototyping and founding a company.

Selected teams will receive equity-free funding of up to 54,000 Euros. This includes start-up grants of 2,000 Euros per month per founder (for up to three people over six months) as well as additional funds for material, software, or prototyping costs. In addition, participants benefit from individual coaching, mentoring, access to AI experts, and a nationwide network of research, business, and investors.

Teams with at least two founders can apply if they have identified a relevant problem, developed a solution approach, and already validated the market. The requirement is that AI represents the central basic technology of the planned solution and that corresponding AI expertise exists within the team. The program is explicitly aimed at start-ups that are not yet financed and have not yet been founded as a corporation. Furthermore, the project should address at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The AI NATION Grant runs for six months and is offered nationwide with hubs in Munich and Berlin. The next application period is open from July 13 to August 9, 2026 .