District President Presents Grant Award Notice for “AI for SMEs in the Lower Rhine Region”

A multimillion-euro artificial intelligence project in the Lower Rhine region is helping small and medium-sized enterprises prepare for the digital future. With approximately 1.6 million euros in funding from the EU and the state, businesses are being supported in understanding AI applications and implementing them in their day-to-day operations.

For us at DBI, one thing is clear: Initiatives like this provide a significant boost to the region. The key now is to share the insights gained, connect companies, and ensure widespread adoption—so that as many businesses as possible can benefit from the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. The project demonstrates how important practical solutions are for small and medium-sized enterprises, as AI can already simplify many processes, reduce the workload on employees:innen, and open up new business opportunities.

With the official presentation of the grant notification by District President Thomas Schürmann, our project has now officially launched. Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Düsseldorf District Government, strong partners are bringing artificial intelligence into the day-to-day operations of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Lower Rhine region.