SME Digital Hubs Overhaul by April 2026: What SMEs Can Expect from the Next Funding Phase

7 min. read

As of: 22 April 2026

The 29 current Mittelstand-Digital centres are set to expire at the end of 2026. In December 2025, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs published the funding call for the successor network — the application deadline for thematic and sector-specific centres is 30 April 2026, while regional centres were able to submit until the end of March. Any business that wants access to qualified advisory services in its own region from 2027 onwards should know right now which consortium its local centre is bidding through.

Key Takeaways

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What’s changing in the network by 2027

Over the past three years, the existing network has pursued a clear strategy: regional hubs, flagship digitalisation and AI projects, and competence clusters in areas like processes, communication, trade, and skilled trades. The new network retains this core structure but shifts its focus. According to the funding call published on 23 December 2025, three priorities now take centre stage: micro and small businesses, cybersecurity, and stronger interconnection between the hubs.

The emphasis on micro-enterprises is more than just a rebrand. Until 2026, many hubs set their sights on engaging medium-sized manufacturers or retailers in multi-month implementation projects. From 2027, the spotlight moves to businesses with five to 20 employees—typical skilled trades, local service providers, and solo entrepreneurs with a handful of staff. The formats will adapt accordingly: shorter, more advisory-focused, and designed with lower barriers to entry.

Cybersecurity is getting its own dedicated anchor in every hub. The reason? NIS2, CER, and a rising tide of supply-chain attacks are hitting mid-sized suppliers without in-house IT security teams hard. The new hubs will provide first-level consulting, incident preparedness, and operational links to BSI services like the “ACS Transferstelle”—not as a pilot, but as a standard offering.

Source: BMWE funding call, 23.12.2025

Who can still apply – and who cannot

The application process runs in two stages: first an outline, then – after positive feedback from the project sponsor – a full application. Universities, research institutions and technology transfer institutes can apply, typically in consortia with chambers of commerce (IHK), industry associations or sector-related organisations. Pure consulting firms without a research affiliation cannot apply on their own – that was already the case in 2023 and remains unchanged.

For regional centres, 31 March 2026 was the deadline; that round is closed. Anyone who still wants to participate in a regional alliance can join as an associated partner from 2027 onwards, provided the centre receives funding. For thematic and sector centres, the deadline falls on 30 April 2026. According to industry sources, at least 15 consortia are currently preparing their own outlines; typical topic proposals include “Cybersecurity in the trades”, “AI for service providers”, “Digital succession in family businesses” and “Sustainable processes in manufacturing”.

For mid-sized companies, this means one practical thing: ask your local IHK whether the current regional centre is participating in the new round. For sector centres, it is worth checking with the relevant trade association – any company that is part of a consortium may, if successful, access free introductory workshops, implementation support and co-funded pilot projects from 2027. Anyone without a consortium partner will pay for those services out of their own budget at regular market rates.

“With the new funding call, we are broadening the foundation of support for SMEs undergoing digital transformation. The focus is specifically on micro and small enterprises, cybersecurity and closer networking between the centres.”
Paraphrased from BMWE, press release dated 23.12.2025

The roadmap to the network launch in 2027

What SMEs should do now—concrete steps

The new network cycle affects every business that has used a centre’s consulting services in recent years—and all those planning to do so in 2027/2028. Here are four steps that will pay off in the next three months.

Practical insights from project experience

From the perspective of project managers in mid-sized companies, transitions rarely follow the BMWE timeline. The last network restructuring in 2020/2021 saw a six-month gap in active consulting between the old and new centres—officially termed a “seamless transition.” Those involved back then are now realistically planning for four to six months of disruption in 2026/2027, when the familiar contact person is no longer available, and the new one isn’t yet in place. This period typically coincides with Q1 budget approvals for IT projects—meaning decisions are made precisely when no subsidised consulting is accessible.

Companies that used their centre purely as an “innovation event format” will lose little in 2027. But those relying on implementation support for a specific project—whether an ERP migration, AI pilot, or workshop digitalisation—should align their project plan with the phase-out date now. The biggest avoidable pitfall? Launching an AI pilot in August 2026 and assuming the centre will continue support until January 2027. In most cases, it won’t.

For 2027, much depends on how quickly the new centres become operational. Experience from 2021 shows it takes three to five months from BMWE approval to the first public consulting service. Mid-sized companies needing concrete support from spring 2027 should proactively maintain contacts with trade associations and chambers of commerce—and ask which consortia they know are entering the race by 30 April 2026.

The differences between centre types will matter more in 2027 than before. Regional centres primarily work with companies from a single federal state or economic area. Thematic centres consolidate expertise across all regions on a focus area like communication, processes, or AI applications. Industry centres target specific sectors such as retail, skilled trades, textiles, or energy. For mid-sized companies with a clear industry focus, a dual approach pays off: a regional centre for implementation support plus an industry centre for deeper technical expertise.

Costs will also become clearer in 2027. Consulting from the centres remains free for participating SMEs. Typically, funding covers workshops, feasibility studies, pilot implementation support, and thematic training. What’s *not* covered? Pure product rollouts, custom software development beyond the pilot phase, or licence fees. Companies that understand this distinction can plan grant funding and their own budgets separately—avoiding surprises when the first invoice arrives.

The political dimension is worth noting. The funding call comes amid discussions about the “Reboot Germany” framework—the autumn 2025 modernisation initiative with a €735 billion special fund. Part of the funding flows into digitalisation, another into infrastructure, and a third into security. The *Mittelstand-Digital* centres play a key role in the digital component: they’re the operational arm through which grants reach concrete projects in small and mid-sized businesses. Those who assumed the network was mostly symbolic are underestimating its leverage on what gets implemented over the next five years.

One final point on the funding call’s networking priority: from 2027, centres are expected to collaborate more closely. Until now, the network often operated in parallel rather than in sync—a workshop in Stuttgart, an implementation in Hamburg, a tool evaluation at the AI Competence Centre. The BMWE aims to break these silos with the new call. For mid-sized companies, this means a business currently working with a regional centre will gain easier access to the specialised offerings of another centre from 2027—without starting from scratch. The practical upside? Fewer repeated context briefings, less onboarding at a second centre, and faster solutions to everyday operational questions in mid-sized businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

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