"AI in SMEs" – New Financial Instrument of the PRR
This support line, within the scope of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), aims to encourage the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions by Portuguese Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The focus is to finance projects that implement AI solutions to solve specific business problems, increasing productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness.
This is an excellent opportunity for Portuguese SMEs to accelerate their digital transformation through Artificial Intelligence, with significant financial support (up to 50% of the non-refundable investment).
We recommend carefully reading the Bidding Notice No. 03/C05-i14/01/2025 and consulting with experts before proceeding. SBI Consulting can prepare your company's application and guide the process through to completion. Schedule a meeting with our team now to learn how we can help you 👉️ send email.
Main Objective:
Support investment projects that implement mature, pre-existing AI solutions on the market to solve specific company challenges. This program is not intended for the development of new AI solutions "from scratch."
Expected Benefits:
Increased productivity and operational efficiency;
Creation of new business models;
Improved product/service quality;
Improved customer experience;
Optimization of internal processes (e.g., logistics, supply chain, management).
Who Can Apply:
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) established for at least one year;
SMEs throughout mainland Portugal;
Companies in a "healthy" economic and financial situation;
Companies cannot be "in difficulty" (defined by the EU).
Investment Types:
AI Solutions for Productivity – Ready-to-use tools that increase employee productivity, such as:
Software acquisition, including initial subscription costs for AI tools in a "Software as a Service" model (e.g., Copilot, Gemini, Claude, etc.);
Virtual assistants for task management;
Automated document analysis tools;
Predictive analytics systems for maintenance.
Business-Applied AI Solutions – Tools that improve interactions with customers and partners, or optimize internal processes, such as:
Chatbots for customer service;
Product recommendation systems;
Sales forecasting systems;
Sentiment analysis for customer feedback;
AI-powered inventory optimization tools.
Investment and Support Fee:
Minimum Total Investment: €25,000 per application;
Maximum Support Rate: 50% of the eligible investment, in the form of a non-refundable grant;
Maximum Support per Project: €250,000.
Project Execution Period: Maximum of 24 months.
Applications: Phase 1 until October 31, 2025, and Phase 2 until November 28, 2025, via the Funds Desk.