Funding for Small Businesses 2026: The Most Important Grants and Loans at a Glance

Germany has hundreds of funding programmes – and that's exactly the problem. If you run a small or one-person operation, you have neither the time nor the appetite to wade through application guidelines. This overview sorts the programmes that are actually relevant for small businesses and the solo self-employed in 2026 by type: first the grants you do not repay, then low-interest loans, then tax breaks. For each programme there's a link to the official body, so you can read the details first-hand.

One rule up front, and it applies to almost every programme: apply first, order second. If you've already paid the invoice or signed the contract, you'll usually come away empty-handed – retroactive funding is rare.

Non-repayable grants

This is real money that doesn't have to be paid back – the most attractive type of funding, but often with clear conditions and limited pots.

• KOMPASS – further training for the solo self-employed. Up to 90% grant, maximum 4,500 euros, for the qualification of solo self-employed people (at least two years in the market, no more than one full-time employee). Note: due to high demand, the qualification vouchers are being issued only in limited numbers from May until an expected October 2026. → KOMPASS funding 2026 in detail
• BAFA-Beratungsförderung (business consulting grant). 50 to 80% grant towards professional management consulting (economic, financial, personnel or organisational matters). The application is entirely online, with no documents required in advance. → BAFA consulting grant 2026 in detail
• INQA-Coaching. 80% grant towards consulting on staffing and digital change, up to 12 coaching days. For small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 250 employees that have been in the market for at least two years. → INQA-Coaching (official)
• Gründungszuschuss (start-up grant). For the leap from unemployment (ALG I) into self-employment: over a period of up to 15 months, a monthly, tax-free grant – depending on the ALG I amount, this adds up to a four-figure to low five-figure sum. → Gründungszuschuss (Bundesagentur für Arbeit)
• Einstiegsgeld. The counterpart for recipients of Bürgergeld – from 1 July 2026 renamed "Grundsicherungsgeld" – granted by the Jobcenter on a case-by-case basis. → Einstiegsgeld for self-employment (Bundesagentur für Arbeit)
• Regional digital bonuses from the federal states. Many federal states subsidise IT and digitalisation directly, for example the Digitalbonus Bayern or MID Digitalisierung in NRW. What's available depends on your location – the central search is in the Förderdatenbank. → Förderdatenbank des Bundes (federal funding database)

Low-interest development loans

Not free money, but considerably cheaper than a standard bank loan – and in some cases with a grant portion that doesn't have to be repaid.

• ERP-Förderkredit for digitalisation and innovation (KfW). For IT, ERP/inventory systems, AI tools, cloud or cybersecurity. Since the minimum amount was dropped, it's also worthwhile for small projects, with a repayment subsidy of up to 200,000 euros. → ERP-Förderkredit (KfW)
• ERP-Gründerkredit – StartGeld (KfW). Up to 125,000 euros for founding a business and the first few years, with a liability exemption that takes part of the risk off your house bank – intended for anyone who can't yet offer collateral.
• Bürgschaftsbanken (guarantee banks). They don't lend money themselves, but step in with a guarantee when your house bank lacks the collateral for a loan – often the missing piece that makes financing possible in the first place.

Tax-based funding

This doesn't work through an application at the bank, but through your tax return – which is why it's easy to overlook.

• Investitions-Booster (declining-balance depreciation). 30% declining-balance depreciation on business purchases. It reduces your tax burden in the early years and can be combined with financing. → Investitions-Booster 2026 in detail
• Forschungszulage (research allowance). Tax-based funding for research and development, independent of profit – sole proprietors and small businesses can apply for it too.

How to find the right programme

The programmes listed here are a starting point, not a complete list – the funding landscape is simply too large and too regional for that. Three points of contact can help:

• Förderdatenbank des Bundes (federal funding database) – central search across all programmes from the federal government, the states and the EU. → foerderdatenbank.de
• Your IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) – the funding advisory service of your chamber often guides you through the application jungle free of charge. → Find your local IHK (IHK-Finder)
• Your Handwerkskammer (Chamber of Skilled Crafts) – the same help for craft businesses, with business advisors on the ground. → Find your local Handwerkskammer (ZDH)

And because it's worth repeating the rule: sort out the funding before you buy or sign. A good approach is to write down the planned project cleanly once – what, what for, what benefit – and take that into the consulting session. You'll need it for almost any application anyway, and it quickly shows which programme fits.

This article provides a general overview and does not replace funding, tax or legal advice. Programmes, deadlines and amounts change – the official information from the respective funding body is what counts.