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2025-04-21 17:31 Top 10

Top 10 Grants for AI Startups in Europe in 2025

Top 10 Grants for AI Startups in Europe in 2025

As the landscape of artificial intelligence continues to evolve, startups across Europe are seeking critical funding to fuel their innovations. In 2025, numerous grants are available to support the development and deployment of AI technologies. Here is a comprehensive list of the Top 10 Grants for AI Startups in Europe for 2025, complete with details to help navigate your funding options.
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1. AI-on-Demand Platform (AI4Europe)

Description: This platform, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe program, offers various funding opportunities to organizations working on AI, aiming to connect users with necessary AI resources and promote the development of AI solutions.
Funding Type: Grants
Focus: AI development and deployment, connecting users with AI assets.
Data Points:
  • Part of the AI4Europe project funded by Horizon Europe.
  • Offers open calls for funding.
  • Aims to connect users to AI resources.
  • Promotes AI solutions development.
  • Contributes to the 'Stairway to AI' initiative.
  • Learn more about AI-on-Demand Platform

2. Horizon Europe Program

Description: The EU's primary research and innovation funding program, Horizon Europe supports both technological and societal aspects of AI development, with over €1 billion invested annually in the AI sector.
Funding Type: Grants
Focus: AI research and development, specific calls for large AI models and AI transparency.
Data Points:
  • Invests over €1 billion per year in AI.
  • Allocated €2.6 billion to AI research and development in 2021-2022.
  • Funds projects advancing large AI models.
  • Supports initiatives enhancing AI transparency and reliability.
  • Aims to mobilize additional investments from the private sector and Member States.
  • Discover more about Horizon Europe
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3. European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator

Description: This program provides startup and SME funding to develop and scale up high-impact and high-risk innovations.
Funding Type: Grants and Equity Investments
Focus: Strategic technologies, including AI, space tech, and future mobility.
Data Points:
  • Offers up to €2.5 million in grants and €10 million in equity investments.
  • Supports startups and SMEs with disruptive innovations.
  • Requires a short proposal followed by a full proposal and an interview with the EIC Jury.
  • Targets strategic technologies including AI.
  • Part of the Horizon Europe Programme.
  • Learn more about EIC Accelerator

4. European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder

Description: The EIC Pathfinder funds visionary, multidisciplinary research projects that demonstrate breakthrough technology potential.
Funding Type: Grants
Focus: Emerging technologies, including autonomous construction robots and climate-resilient crops.
Data Points:
  • Provides grants up to €4 million.
  • Funds early-stage technology research.
  • Supports projects with breakthrough potential.
  • Targets emerging technologies.
  • Part of the Horizon Europe Programme.
  • Explore EIC Pathfinder

5. European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition

Description: This program supports the transition of research results into market-ready opportunities.
Funding Type: Grants
Focus: Projects that transition research into market-ready innovations.
Data Points:
  • Offers grants up to €2.5 million.
  • Supports projects that follow up on EIC Pathfinder or Horizon Europe results.
  • Encourages projects with a clear path to commercialization.
  • Aims to mature technologies and develop business cases.
  • Part of the Horizon Europe Programme.
  • Learn more about EIC Transition
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6. AI-IGNITE Call 2024 (Likely to continue in 2025)

Description: This call focuses on accelerating the market deployment of AI-enabled concepts and technologies to strengthen Europe’s leadership in AI. Successful applicants may receive financial awards and in-kind contributions.
Funding Type: Financial awards and in-kind contributions
Focus: Market deployment of AI technologies.
Data Points:
  • Financial awards of €10,000 per beneficiary.
  • Up to €40,000 of in-kind contributions.
  • Aims to strengthen Europe’s position in AI.
  • Focuses on market uptake of AI.
  • Aims to accelerate market deployment of AI-enabled concepts.
  • Learn more about AI-IGNITE Call

7. Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Europe

Description: This initiative supports organizations that empower underserved workers with AI skills by providing both training and cash support.
Funding Type: Grants, Training, and Support
Focus: Equipping workers with AI skills and tools.
Data Points:
  • Provides €15 million in cash support.
  • Offers bespoke AI training.
  • Supports organizations in the EU-27, Turkey, the UK, and Ukraine.
  • Aims to close the AI skills gap.
  • Provides tailored support, including mentorship and childcare vouchers.
  • Discover more about Google.org AI Opportunity Fund

8. AI Accountability Grants - European AI & Society Fund

Description: This grant program focuses on funding projects aimed at holding those responsible for harms caused by AI in Europe accountable, under the "Making Regulation Work" program.
Funding Type: Grants
Focus: Promoting social justice through AI accountability.
Data Points:
  • Grants range from €10,000 to €200,000.
  • Supports bold and experimental projects.
  • Focuses on the negative impacts of AI on individuals and society.
  • Accepts applications from a diverse range of organizations, not just tech experts.
  • Projects must be completed by December 2026.
  • Learn more about AI Accountability Grants

9. EIC STEP Scale-up

Description: This program provides equity investments to SMEs and small mid-caps in strategic technology sectors, including digital technologies that encompass AI.
Funding Type: Equity investments
Focus: Strategic technology development and reducing EU dependencies in tech sectors.
Data Points:
  • Investments range from €10 million to €30 million.
  • Aims to leverage an additional €50 to €150 million through private co-funding.
  • Targets digital, cleantech, and biotech sectors.
  • Supports strategic tech development.
  • Aims to reduce EU dependencies in strategic sectors.
  • Learn more about EIC STEP Scale-Up

10. EU AI Factories Call

Description: This call aims at establishing AI Factories to bolster European leadership in trustworthy AI by harnessing European High-Performance Computing (HPC) supercomputers, providing vital resources for startups, industry, and researchers to develop AI models.
Funding Type: EU Contribution
Focus: Boosting European leadership in trustworthy AI through AI Factories.
Data Points:
  • Supported by an EU contribution of nearly €1 billion from the Digital Europe Programme.
  • Utilizes EuroHPC supercomputers.
  • Aims to unite computing power, data, and talent.
  • Provides AI developers with resources to train large generative AI models.
  • Call open until 31 December 2025, with a rolling application process every three months.
  • Discover more about EU AI Factories Call
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FAQ

Q: What is the AI-on-Demand Platform (AI4Europe) grant about?
A: The AI-on-Demand Platform, funded by the Horizon Europe program, supports organizations working on AI by connecting them with necessary resources. Learn more about AI4Europe.
Q: How much funding does the Horizon Europe Program provide for AI development?
A: The Horizon Europe Program invests over €1 billion annually in AI research and development, focusing on advancing large AI models and enhancing transparency. Discover Horizon Europe.
Q: What type of support does the EIC Accelerator offer to startups?
A: The EIC Accelerator provides funding up to €2.5 million in grants and €10 million in equity investments to startups and SMEs focusing on strategic technologies including AI. Explore EIC Accelerator.
Q: What is the purpose of the EIC Pathfinder grant?
A: The EIC Pathfinder grant funds visionary and multidisciplinary research in emerging technologies, providing grants up to €4 million. Learn more about EIC Pathfinder.
Q: What opportunities does the AI-IGNITE Call 2024 provide?
A: The AI-IGNITE Call focuses on the market deployment of AI technologies, offering financial awards of €10,000 and up to €40,000 in in-kind contributions. Learn more about AI-IGNITE.
Q: How does Google.org support underserved workers in AI skills development?
A: The Google.org AI Opportunity Fund provides €15 million in cash support and tailored training for organizations equipping underserved workers with AI skills. Discover Google.org AI Opportunity Fund.
Q: What kind of projects does the AI Accountability Grants support?
A: AI Accountability Grants fund projects that address the negative impacts of AI on society, with grants ranging from €10,000 to €200,000. Learn more about AI Accountability Grants.
Q: What is the focus of the EIC STEP Scale-up funding program?
A: The EIC STEP Scale-up program provides equity investments between €10 million to €30 million to SMEs in digital, cleantech, and biotech sectors, supporting strategic tech development. Explore EIC STEP Scale-Up.
Q: What is the EU AI Factories Call about?
A: The EU AI Factories Call aims to enhance European leadership in trustworthy AI by providing resources for startups to develop AI models, with nearly €1 billion available from the Digital Europe Programme. Learn more about EU AI Factories Call.
Q: Are the deadlines for these grants fixed?
A: No, deadlines and specifics for these grants may change, so it is important to check the official sources for the most current information before applying.

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.