Support for AI startups takes a different form than classic subsidies for established companies. It includes accelerators and incubators offering mentoring, space, and contacts, initial funding from public venture capital funds, proof-of-concept grants, and competitions with a financial reward. At European level this mainly means instruments of the European Innovation Council, and at national level, programmes run by agencies supporting entrepreneurship and innovation. The difference compared with subsidies is that co-financing from own resources is often not required, but the support instead takes the form of an investment with an equity stake in the company or is tied to reaching milestones. For founders it is therefore essential to compare not just the amount, but also what they give up in exchange for the funding.
See also: Grants for Startups, EIC Accelerator, Technology readiness level (TRL).
