How we help
Public funding goes to projects with a described process, a measure and a timetable
The AI Business Center Foundation (AIBC) is a think tank and advisory partner that helps the boards of construction, industrial and technical-services companies adopt artificial intelligence so that it delivers measurable results and builds competitive advantage. We also help companies find and secure public funding for such projects.
A grant is no longer a reward for the application. It has become a reward for a well-organised project
Funding institutions now assess applications for digitalisation and artificial intelligence by the same yardstick a sensible board uses: is it clear which process will change, who is responsible, how the effect will be measured and whether the project is feasible? A company that has these answers before the call opens writes its application faster and with less risk.
The problem we solve
Applications for AI project funding are often written the wrong way round: first comes the call, then an idea fitted to its criteria, and only at the end the process that is supposed to change. Such a project can be hard to account for, and once the funding ends it has no owner.
What we do
- Project review. Based on an audit or an assessment, we identify projects that have a business case and are suitable for public funding.
- Matching to programmes. We check current national and regional calls, workforce development programmes and European Union initiatives, including their criteria, aid intensity and timetables.
- Project structure. We describe the objective, the processes, the output and result indicators, the timetable and a task-based budget.
- Application. We prepare the substantive part of the application together with the company and its financial adviser.
- Accountability. We design the measurement so that the indicators in the application are the same measures the company reports to its board.
Where justified, we show how the project connects with circular economy goals, that is, better use of energy, materials and resources. For many industrial and construction companies this is a natural argument, because the data already exist in their systems.
What stays with the company
- a list of projects matched to programmes and deadlines,
- a project description with indicators, a timetable and a task-based budget,
- the substantive part of the application,
- a measurement plan that serves both grant reporting and the AI value report for the board.
The projects most ready for funding come out of semantic transformation, that is, organising a company’s names, processes and data so that people, language models and board reports understand them the same way: they have a described process, an owner and a measure before the application is written.
The first step
A conversation about the company’s investment plans for the next two years and a review of which of them can be financed from public funds.
Frequently asked questions
Which programmes can finance AI adoption in a company?
Most often, national and regional European funds programmes for 2021–2027 that support innovation and the digitalisation of businesses, funds for workforce development, and European Union initiatives on artificial intelligence. Availability depends on current calls, the region, company size and the type of project, so we match the list to each specific project.
Does the Foundation guarantee that a grant will be awarded?
No. The decision rests with the institution running the call. We are responsible for matching the project to the criteria, for the consistency of the description, indicators and budget, and for making sure the project also makes sense without a grant.
Can employee training in AI be funded?
Often yes, from programmes supporting workforce development and upskilling. The conditions and priorities of these programmes change every year, so we check them for each project.
When does it make sense to combine AI with the circular economy?
Where the implementation genuinely reduces the use of energy or materials, or waste, and the company can measure it. The environmental objective then strengthens the application. We do not add it to projects where there is no justification, because assessors spot this easily.
Let’s start with an assessment
Let’s talk about your plans before the call opens.