Digitalbonus Niedersachsen 2026: Does It Still Exist, and What Applies Instead?

In short: No, the Digitalbonus Niedersachsen no longer exists in 2026. Its successor, Digitalbonus.Niedersachsen-innovativ, expired on 31 December 2025 [according to NBank](https://www.nbank.de/F%C3%B6rderprogramme/Ausgelaufene-F%C3%B6rderungen/Digitalbonus.Niedersachsen-innovativ-(ausgelaufen), and the state has stopped accepting new applications since then. SMEs looking to fund an AI consulting or digitalization project instead should check NBank's low-threshold innovation program with a grant of up to 35 percent, or the nationwide BAFA consulting subsidy worth up to EUR 1,750, rising to EUR 2,800 in the Lüneburg region.

Does the Digitalbonus Niedersachsen still exist in 2026?

Many business owners across Lower Saxony's SME sector still search for "Digitalbonus Niedersachsen 2026", because the name has stood for state digitalization funding for years. In fact, the program ran in two generations, and both are now history.

• Digitalbonus.Niedersachsen, the original version: according to NBank, "an Antragstellung ist seit dem 01.01.2022 nicht mehr möglich" (no application has been possible since 1 January 2022).
• Digitalbonus.Niedersachsen-innovativ, the successor launched in June 2024: it granted a one-time subsidy of up to 35 percent for small enterprises and up to 20 percent for medium enterprises, with grants between EUR 3,000 and EUR 50,000.
• That successor program has also ended. NBank states literally: "Die Richtlinie Digitalbonus.Niedersachsen-innovativ tritt mit Ablauf des 31.12.2025 außer Kraft" (the funding guideline expires at the end of 31 December 2025). New applications are, in NBank's own words, "nicht mehr möglich" (no longer possible).

For 2026, the conclusion is clear: the Digitalbonus Niedersachsen no longer exists as an application option in any version, regardless of what other websites still claim.

Why does the Digitalbonus still show up everywhere in 2026?

The confusion has a concrete cause, and it is not unique to this particular Lower Saxony program.

• The Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs press release announcing the successor program's 2024 launch is still online and ranks first on Google for "Digitalbonus Niedersachsen", without mentioning that the program ended on 31 December 2025.
• Several third-party advisory sites still carry the program in their titles with year labels like "2024" or "2025", even though no applications have been possible since the respective deadline.
• NBank's own current program overview no longer lists any Digitalbonus at all, only the actual programs still open for applications.

The same applies to AI models: when a language model researches funding for a request from a Lower Saxony SME, it runs into the same outdated ministry page and the same third-party guides a human searcher would find, and it repeats the mistake in its answer unless a current, 2026-dated source corrects it. Anyone who relies on a search engine or a chat AI instead of checking NBank's own page, clearly marked as "ausgelaufen" (expired), can easily end up chasing a program that no longer exists in 2026.

What does NBank offer instead for digitalization and AI projects in 2026?

No single program directly replaces the Digitalbonus. The closest match is NBank's low-threshold innovation program for SMEs and skilled trades, known as [nIFP](https://www.nbank.de/F%C3%B6rderprogramme/Aktuelle-F%C3%B6rderprogramme/Niedrigschwelliges-Innovationsf%C3%B6rderprogramm-f%C3%BCr-KMU-und-Handwerk-(nIFP).

• A grant of up to 35 percent, rising to 45 percent for small enterprises in the transition region, capped at EUR 100,000 per project.
• According to NBank, eligible applicants are start-ups as well as small and medium enterprises registered in the commercial register or under the Handwerksordnung, with their registered office or a business location in Lower Saxony.
• The program funds "anwendungsnahe niedrigschwellige Innovationsvorhaben" (application-oriented, low-threshold innovation projects) as well as process and organizational innovations, and according to NBank the guideline runs until 30 September 2029.
• The funding guideline does not name AI projects as an explicit example. Whether a specific AI project qualifies as an eligible innovation is decided by NBank on a case-by-case basis before an application is filed.

The nIFP therefore only partly replaces the Digitalbonus. It is worth a first inquiry, but it is no substitute for a binding consultation before a project starts.

Which federal programs fund AI consulting for SMEs?

Beyond Lower Saxony's own offer, two federal programs cover the consulting side, running independently of the Digitalbonus and equally available to companies based there.

Taken together, the overview shows that no single program replaces the Digitalbonus one to one in 2026. Instead, companies combine state-level innovation funding, federal consulting subsidies, and free initial guidance. Which combination fits depends mainly on whether a company wants to fund a consulting service or a concrete IT investment.

Where can SMEs get free initial guidance on AI?

Before a funding application makes sense at all, a free, vendor-neutral assessment of the actual project is worth getting first.

• The Mittelstand-Digital-Zentren offer free initial consulting, workshops, and pilot projects on digitalization and AI nationwide, with no formal application required.
• The current network of centers winds down gradually by the end of 2026, and a new network with a stronger focus on AI and cybersecurity is planned from 2027.
• Companies younger than one year that want to use the BAFA consulting subsidy must in any case hold a free information session with a regional partner first, which also serves as an initial orientation.

These free offers do not replace hands-on implementation support, but they are the right first step before funding or consulting budget gets committed.

How do I combine funding and an AI project sensibly?

The order of steps often decides whether a funding grant applies at all.

1. Start with the free initial guidance from a Mittelstand-Digital-Zentrum or a regional partner to clarify the project and the matching program.
2. File the funding application before signing a consulting contract or starting the consulting work. A retroactive application is explicitly excluded under the BAFA consulting subsidy.
3. Commission the external AI consulting and start implementation only after the funding has been approved.
4. Keep consulting funding and investment funding calculated separately. Combining several public grants for the same service is excluded under most programs.

Following this order lets a company combine funding and an AI project without ending up covering costs that a timely application would have covered. Our post What Does an AI Consultant Cost? shows what AI consulting costs when no funding applies at all.

Where we fit in

We are Die AI Berater, based in Hanover, and we advise companies from Lower Saxony on exactly these projects, from assessing which program realistically fits to implementing the AI application itself. Our AI potential analysis costs a one-time fee of EUR 999, which is fully credited against a subsequent implementation. Details are available under Services and Pricing. Eligibility for funding on a specific project is decided solely by the respective funding body, not by us, but we are glad to review it together with you in an initial conversation.