ProductsKI-CHECKKI-PILOTKI-PROFIKI-PARTNERKI-EXPERTKI MEMORYDATEN-CHECKTHE BOTSolutionsAI AcademyFundingReferences
Government-funded AI training & AI consulting

Get AI-ready.
Up to 100% government-funded.

Since February 2025, the EU AI Act has required every company that uses AI to ensure sufficient AI literacy within its team. We train your staff and advise you strategically. The costs can be funded through two government levers: training for your team and management consulting for your AI strategy. We know the funding paths and check - free of charge - what fits you.

Start your free funding checkBook a consultation
AZAV-accredited training provider DQS-certifiedGovernment funding Employee trainingFunding for solo self-employed up to €4,500AI-consulting funding up to 80% subsidyEU AI Act Article 4-compliant
What we work with
Employee training
Qualifizierungschancengesetz (Qualification Opportunities Act)
Funding for solo self-employed
Qualifizierungsgeld for structural change
SME consulting subsidy
AZAV provider accreditation
EU AI Act Article 4
Bildungsgutschein (education voucher)
Employer service of the Federal Employment Agency
Employee training
Qualifizierungschancengesetz (Qualification Opportunities Act)
Funding for solo self-employed
Qualifizierungsgeld for structural change
SME consulting subsidy
AZAV provider accreditation
EU AI Act Article 4
Bildungsgutschein (education voucher)
Employer service of the Federal Employment Agency
Why now

Three reasons to act now.

AI literacy is no longer optional. And funding has rarely been as attractive as in 2026.
Mandatory since 02/2025

EU AI Act, Article 4

Anyone who deploys or provides AI systems must ensure that their staff have sufficient AI literacy. There is no prescribed curriculum - but in the event of damage it becomes a liability issue. A documented training course is the cleanest proof.

More in the FAQ →
Skilled talent

AI expertise is scarce, expensive, urgent

Hiring for AI skills is slow and expensive. Upskilling your existing staff is faster, keeps knowledge in-house - and for small companies it is 100% eligible for funding.

Check funding →
Funding 2026

Up to 100% of costs covered

Following the reform of Section 82 SGB III (German Social Code III), companies with fewer than 50 employees pay no co-payment toward course costs. Digitalization and AI are given priority approval by the employer service.

View funding rates →
The levers

Which funding fits you?

Two parallel funding worlds: training for your team or strategic AI consulting. In the funding check we determine which lever applies.
Block A · If you want to upskill your team
Employees

Section 82 SGB III

Who: Employees in jobs subject to social-security contributions whose work can be changed by technology/AI.

How much: Course costs up to 100% (depending on company size) + a wage subsidy.

Requirement: AZAV-accredited program of more than 120 hours, application before start, no funded training within the past 2 years.

formerly the Qualifizierungschancengesetz (Qualification Opportunities Act)
Solo self-employed

KOMPASS (ESF Plus)

Who: Solo self-employed people for whom this is their main occupation, active in the market for at least 2 years, with at most 1 full-time-equivalent employee.

How much: 90% of eligible costs, up to €4,500 net, once every 12 months.

Requirement: An orientation consultation at a designated contact point, then a qualification voucher. Note: the voucher quota from May to October 2026 is limited.

Approved via DRV Knappschaft-Bahn-See
Major transformation

Section 82a Qualifizierungsgeld

Who: Workforces in which at least 20% (or at least 10% at companies under 250 employees) have a qualification need driven by structural change.

How much: Wage replacement of 60% of net pay (67% with a child) during the training.

Requirement: A works agreement (Betriebsvereinbarung) or collective bargaining agreement (Tarifvertrag), program of more than 120 hours. Complements Section 82, often relevant for industrial clients.

in force since 04/01/2024
Block B · If you want to introduce AI strategically
SME consulting subsidy

Government funding for your AI consulting

Who: SMEs based in Germany, fewer than 250 employees, annual revenue ≤ €50 million or a balance-sheet total ≤ €43 million.

How much: Consulting costs up to €3,500 net are eligible. Subsidy of 50% in the west (max. €1,750) and 80% in the east (max. €2,800, the new German states + Berlin). Up to 5 days of consulting per engagement.

Requirement: Funding application and official authorization before consulting begins, payment by bank transfer, max. 2 grants per year / 5 in total through 12/31/2026.

Nationwide funding program · Runs through 12/31/2026
What this funding does NOT cover

A clear boundary

Not eligible: Seminars, workshops, group events, training courses, pure software/license costs. For those, the training-funding programs in Block A apply.

Excluded are: The consulting, auditing, tax and legal sectors; companies in ongoing insolvency proceedings; religious communities and public-sector enterprises; non-profit associations and foundations.

De minimis limit: De minimis aid received over the past 3 years may not together exceed €300,000.

We check the requirements with you in the initial consultation
Training funding rates, Section 82 SGB III · As of 2026
Company sizeCourse costs coveredWage subsidyNote
fewer than 50 employeesup to 100%up to 75%no employer co-payment
50 to 499 employees, participant aged 45+ or with a severe disabilityup to 100%up to 50%special rule
50 to 499 employees, other participantsup to 50%up to 50%employer co-payment 50%
500 employees and moreup to 25%up to 25%employer co-payment 75%
Solo self-employed (KOMPASS)up to 90%, max. €4,500separate program

+ 5 additional percentage points if a works agreement (Betriebsvereinbarung) or collective bargaining agreement (Tarifvertrag) on vocational training is in place. · Information provided without guarantee; the decision of the competent authority is binding. Funding rates last changed April 2026.

Government SME consulting-subsidy rates · As of 2026
RegionSubsidyMaximum fundingNote
Western German states50% of consulting costsmax. €1,750eligible up to €3,500 net consulting costs
New (eastern) German states and Berlin80% of consulting costsmax. €2,800eligible up to €3,500 net consulting costs
Consulting scopemax. 5 days / 40 hoursmax. 2 grants per yearmax. 5 grants in total through 12/31/2026

The funding application and official authorization must be in place before consulting begins, otherwise funding is ruled out. Signing a consulting contract already counts as the start of consulting. · Cash payment and offsetting are not permitted. · Observe the de minimis limit. · We know the procedure and guide you through it.

In 2 minutes

Your funding check.

Answer a few questions - we'll show you right away which funding program is realistic, which funding rate may apply, and which course fits. No obligation, no sign-up.

Step 1 of 4 · Your goal & company1 / 4

What is your main goal?

This determines which funding track fits: training (via the Bundesagentur für Arbeit / Federal Employment Agency) or management consulting (government consulting subsidy).

How many employees does your company have?

In which region is your company based?

For the government consulting subsidy: western German states 50%, new (eastern) German states and Berlin 80% subsidy.

Are you solo self-employed?

Main occupation, active in the market for at least 2 years, at most 1 full-time-equivalent employee.

Is there a works agreement (Betriebsvereinbarung) or collective bargaining agreement (Tarifvertrag) on vocational training?

How it works

From idea to certificate - in three steps.

We handle the paperwork together with you. You focus on your team.
Step 1

Funding check & initial consultation

You complete the online check, and we discuss the result in a free initial call: the right program, a realistic funding rate, a suitable course, and a rough timeline.

free · no obligation
Step 2

Application - we assist

We prepare the documents and support you with the employer service of the Federal Employment Agency or the relevant contact point. Important: the application must be approved before training starts.

Processing usually 4-6 weeks
Step 3

Training & certificate

After approval we start the training - online alongside work or on-site, with live sessions, a hands-on project, an assessment of learning outcomes, and a final certificate as proof of AI literacy.

AZAV-compliant · Certificate included
Our government-funded AI courses

Practice, not theory - tailored to your team.

Programs of 120 hours or more are eligible under Section 82 SGB III. Content and examples come from real AI projects.
not eligible under Section 82 on its ownQuick start
AI Fundamentals
40teaching units · 1 week
  • Understand generative AI and use it safely
  • Prompting, chatbots, first automations
  • Data protection & EU AI Act basics
  • Ideal as a kickoff - eligible for funding when bundled with the 150-unit course
Request details
eligible · most chosenAdvanced course
AI in Practice
150teaching units · alongside work
  • Use generative AI for text, image and video professionally
  • Prompt engineering, chatbots, no-code automation
  • Identifying use cases within your own company
  • Hands-on project + assessment of learning outcomes + certificate
Check funding for this course
eligibleSpecialization
KI-Profi / AI Development
300teaching units · approx. 7 weeks
  • Python & AI tools at junior-developer level
  • Multi-agent systems, automation pipelines
  • From use case to production deployment
  • Final project + certificate
Check funding

Note: CONVENTIC is an AZAV-accredited training provider. Until our AI courses are certified as our own AZAV programs, funded deliveries are handled through a cooperation partner that holds program accreditation - we discuss this transparently in the initial consultation.

Why CONVENTIC

The good AI - now also funded AI.

We advise on and implement AI for German mid-sized companies. Training is only the beginning.
bis 100 %of costs coverable
2025 AZAV provider accreditation (DQS)
300 unitslargest AI training delivered
4–6 wkstypical application processing
Accredited

AZAV provider, DQS-certified

We know the requirements of the accrediting bodies - entry requirements, competency-based learning objectives, assessment of learning outcomes, certificate - from practice, not from a textbook.

Track record

Already delivered

In 2026 we delivered KI-Profi (300 units) and AI Fundamentals (40 units) for the TEUTLOFF Technische Akademie - including teaching reports, hands-on projects and participant feedback.

Beyond training

From course to use case

When training turns into a concrete project, CONVENTIC builds it: from KI-CHECK through KI-PILOT to live operation. You don't get knowledge for its own sake - you get impact.

EU AI Act, Article 4: Since 02/02/2025, operators and providers of AI systems must ensure sufficient AI literacy among their staff. A documented, AZAV-compliant training course with a certificate is the cleanest proof - and funded up to 100% under Section 82 SGB III. It fits our compliance offering KI. ABER SICHER.
Questions & answers

Frequently asked questions.

Who is actually eligible for funding?+
Through training funding under Section 82 SGB III: employees in jobs subject to social-security contributions whose work can be replaced or substantially changed by technologies (e.g. AI), or who are otherwise affected by structural change. Through the solo self-employed program: solo self-employed people for whom this is their main occupation, active in the market for at least 2 years, with at most one full-time-equivalent employee. Through the SME consulting subsidy: SMEs based in Germany (under 250 employees, revenue ≤ €50 million or a balance-sheet total ≤ €43 million) for external AI consulting. In the funding check we sort this out for you.
What is the difference between training funding and consulting funding?+
In short: with training funding, the government pays part of your training costs when a course upskills your staff. With consulting funding, the government pays part of your consulting costs when a consulting firm supports you strategically, for example in selecting AI use cases. The consulting subsidy explicitly does not cover seminars, workshops or group events - that is the clear dividing line. Consulting costs up to €3,500 net are eligible; the subsidy is 50% in the western German states (max. €1,750) and 80% in the new (eastern) German states and Berlin (max. €2,800).
What should I watch out for most with consulting funding?+
Three pitfalls: (1) The funding application must be filed before consulting begins, and you must wait for the official authorization (the information letter). Even signing a consulting contract already counts as the start of consulting, otherwise funding is ruled out. (2) The consulting must not be paid in cash or by offsetting, only by bank transfer. (3) De minimis limit: if over the past 3 years you have already received aid that together exceeds the €300,000 limit, funding is no longer possible. We know the procedure and clarify all of this with you in the initial consultation.
What will it cost me in the end?+
It depends on your company size. Companies with fewer than 50 employees pay no co-payment toward course costs (up to 100% funding). At 50-499 employees it is usually 50% funding (or 0% if participants are aged 45+ or have a severe disability), and from 500 employees 25% funding. On top of that there is a wage subsidy for the training period. We give you concrete euro figures in the initial consultation.
How long does the procedure take?+
Processing at the employer service of the Federal Employment Agency usually takes about 4-6 weeks after filing. Important: the application must be approved before training starts - there is no retroactive funding. So plan for this time.
What happens if the application is rejected?+
Then there is no obligation. We check very carefully in advance - in the funding check and the initial consultation - whether the requirements are met, so that this rarely happens. If it does, we look for alternatives together - e.g. state-level funding programs or an unfunded on-site training at fair terms.
Do my employees have to take vacation for this?+
No. Our courses run part-time alongside work with live sessions. For training time that falls within working hours, there is also the wage subsidy mentioned above. Alternatively, a full-time or on-site format is possible.
Is a purely online format AZAV-compliant?+
Yes. Since the recommendations of the AZAV advisory board in mid-2025, blended learning, virtual classrooms and hybrid formats are equivalent delivery formats - provided quality assurance is in place. That is exactly what we bring.
Does the training satisfy the EU AI Act?+
Article 4 of the EU AI Act does not prescribe a specific curriculum but requires organizational responsibility: your staff must have sufficient AI literacy. A structured training course with a certificate is the simplest and best-documented way to prove this. On request we combine it with our compliance package (AI policy, data protection impact assessment).
Do I need a works council or a works agreement?+
No, that is not a requirement for Section 82 SGB III. But if there is a works agreement (Betriebsvereinbarung) or collective bargaining agreement (Tarifvertrag) on vocational training, it improves the terms (5 percentage points). For the Qualifizierungsgeld under Section 82a, however, such an agreement is mandatory.
Get started

Government-funded AI training -
get it checked now.

Just tell us briefly who you are - we'll get back to you with a free initial consultation, check your eligibility, and suggest a suitable course. No obligation.

CONVENTIC GmbH · Bonn
hello@conventic.com
"The good AI."

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Funding information provided without guarantee · As of 06/2026 · Funding rates last changed 04/2026