INQA Coaching Lübeck: 80% funding, even though BAFA only pays 50% here

INQA-Coaching supports companies in Lübeck with 80% of consulting costs, up to 11,520 € for twelve coaching days and 2,880 € own contribution. The funding rate applies nationwide. In Schleswig-Holstein, this is particularly relevant because the BAFA consulting grant here only 50 % reached – maximum €1,750 subsidy.

Why the difference in Schleswig-Holstein is so large

The BAFA consulting subsidy distinguishes between the new federal states (excluding Berlin and the Leipzig region) together with the Lüneburg and Trier regions on the one hand, and the rest of Germany on the other. Schleswig-Holstein, and therefore Lübeck, falls into the second group. For a consulting project, this means:

• INQA coaching in Lübeck: 80 %, up to €11,520
• BAFA consulting grant in Lübeck: 50% on a €3,500 assessment basis, up to €1,750

Anyone in Lübeck planning a digitalization or AI project that goes beyond a one-off consultation will therefore find INQA-Coaching to be the far more robust instrument. The BAFA funding remains useful for clearly defined questions – and is in any case only available until 31/12/2026.

Lübeck’s economic structure and suitable coaching topics

Lübeck, with around 217,000 residents, is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, shaped by port and logistics, medical technology, the food industry, healthcare, and tourism. In all of these fields, the need for digitalization is less technical than organizational:

• interfaces between shifts, locations, and partners where information is lost
• documentation requirements that are fulfilled manually and tie up skilled workers' time
• seasonal peaks in workload that have to be managed with the same staffing levels
• Recurring customer inquiries that do not require specialist expertise, but tie up specialist staff

Requirements

• Fewer than 250 employees
• Annual revenue of no more than €50 million or annual balance sheet total of at most €43 million
• At least one full-time position subject to social security contributions
• For at least two years on the market
• Registered office and place of work in Germany – including liberal professions and non-profit organizations

Example: a Lübeck-based business with a pronounced seasonal pattern

A typical case: A business with highly seasonal operations receives many times its usual number of inquiries during peak season, without being able to hire additional staff. In the coaching, the first step is to evaluate which inquiries are repeated in terms of content. A KI-supported assistant is then set up to handle the standard cases and pass only the issues that actually need clarification on to the team – tested during the season so that the team can learn the system’s limits itself.

INQA advisory center for Lübeck

According to the INQA map (as of September 2026), the following advisory centers in Schleswig-Holstein, among others, offer the free initial consultation:

• Lübeck Chamber of Crafts (Breite Straße 10-12, 23552 Lübeck)
• KielRegion (Haßstraße 3-5, 24103 Kiel)

After the free initial consultation, the advisory center issues the INQA coaching voucher, but may not recommend a specific coach – you choose one yourself via the map of INQA coaches.

What changed with the guideline from June 2026

• Coaching vouchers are issued until 30 June 2028; the coaching must be completed by 31 December 2028.
• A change from Legal form, owner, or a business takeover no longer matters if the business itself has existed for at least two years.
• The reimbursement principle still applies: The coaching is paid in full first and then reimbursed at 80%.

For comparison: The BAFA consulting grant in Lübeckcovers 50%, up to a maximum of €1,750, and only for applications submitted by 31/12/2026.

Frequently asked questions about INQA-Coaching in Lübeck

Does INQA-Coaching in Schleswig-Holstein apply in the same way as in other federal states?

Yes. INQA-Coaching is a federal program of the BMAS with a uniform funding rate of 80% nationwide. Unlike the BAFA consulting grant, there is no regional tiering.

Is the BAFA funding still worthwhile for me in Lübeck?

For a clearly defined consulting topic, it can make sense – €1,750 in funding is worth taking. For a multi-month implementation project, INQA-Coaching is the more suitable framework because of the higher volume and the twelve coaching days.

How far away is the coach?

bettersorted is an authorized INQA coach based in Schwerin, around 70 kilometers from Lübeck – a little over an hour’s drive. The coaching days take place at the company’s premises; work in between is done digitally.

How long does a coaching process take in total?

The up to twelve coaching days are typically spread over several months. This is intentional: between appointments, the team tests the solutions developed in day-to-day work so that the next session can build on real experience.

Next step

The funding check clarifies your eligibility for funding in just a few minutes. You can find program details under INQA-Coaching and BAFA consulting funding.

As of September 2026. Funding rates according to INQA-Coaching (BMAS) and BAFA consulting funding. Funding conditions may change – we check the current status before each application.