Double-click on the names of the programs to open the corresponding website.
| Name | Location | Tags | Description | Benefit / $ | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EXIST (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy) | GER country-wide | GrantLivelihoodindustry-agnosticIndividualUniversity | The EXIST start-up grant from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy supports start-ups that originated from university. Funding is available to students, graduates, and scientists from universities and non-university research institutions. The scholarship for one year ensures a personal livelihood. | - Graduates with a doctorate 3k EUR/month
- Graduates with university degree 2.5k EUR/month
- Technical staff 2k EUR/month
- Students 1k EUR/month
- Child supplement: 100 EUR/month per child
- Material expenses: up to 10k EUR for individual start-ups (max. 30k EUR for teams)
- Coaching: 5k EUR | - Scientists from public, non-profit non-university research institutions/Universities
- University graduates and former research assistants (up to five years after graduation or retirement)
- Students who have completed at least half of their studies at the time of application, whereby the team may not consist of a majority of students
- Founding teams of up to a maximum of three people
- One of the up to three team members can also be funded with a qualified vocational training as a technical employee |
ERP- Gründerkredit (by Kfw) | GERcountry-wide | Loanindustry-agnosticSMEs | The KfW is a German state-owned investment and development bank, based in Frankfurt. As of 2014, it is the world's largest national development bank. Among other things it aims to foster the development of Startups. With the ERP-Gründerkredit - StartGeld, you receive up to 125k to start your business under very favorable conditions. | - Up to EUR 125k financing per founder
- From 3,4% p.a. effective annual interest rate
- Financing of investments and running costs
- Start-up and consolidation in sideline or full-time business up to 5 years after start-up
- Easy access to credit: KfW assumes 80% of the credit risk
- No equity capital required - Repayment is very flexible | You will receive the grant if you:
- Start a business
- Want to consolidate a young company (up to 5 years after starting business)
- Participate in a company as a managing director
- Take over a company as part of a business succession
- Want to run a company as a main business or temporarily as a sideline business. |
ERP-Kapital für Gründung (by Kfw) | GERcountry-wide | Loanindustry-agnosticSMEs | The KfW is a German state-owned investment and development bank, based in Frankfurt. As of 2014, it is the world's largest national development bank. Among other things it aims to foster the development of Startups. With the ERP-Kapital für Gründung, you receive up to 500k to start your business under very favorable conditions. | - Up to 500k financing
- From 3.44 % effective annual interest rate
- No redemption installments in the first 7 years, only interest payments
- Start-ups and consolidations up to 3 years after foundation
- Easy access to credit: KfW assumes the credit risk
- Financing of up to 40 % of investments | You will receive the grant if you
- Start a business
- Want to consolidate a young company (up to 3 years after starting business)
- Participate in a company as a managing director
- Take over a company as part of a business succession
- Want to run a company as a main business. |
BayTOU (by Bavaria’s State Government) | GERBavaria | GrantProject-basedindustry-agnosticSMEs | Backed by Bavaria’s State Government, BayTOU (short for “Bayerischen Technologieorientierte Unternehmensgründungen“) is another of Germany’s startup grants. The funding aims at encouraging startups to invest in innovative technological projects and, more broadly, to support the creation of new businesses in Bavaria. | The funding can cover up to 35% of the eligible project expenditures for medium-size business (and 45% for small businesses). Yet, note that the grant funding is limited to EUR 150k maximum for software companies. | In order to apply for the grant you must:
- Have a technology-oriented business
- Your company must be incorporated less than 6 years ago
- Have less than 10 employees
- Prove the project will be carried in Bavaria.
|
KMU-Innovativ (by Federal Ministry of Research & Education) | GER country-wide | GrantProject-basedindustry-agnosticSMEs | The funding program of the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) primarily supports high-risk industrial research and pre-competitive development projects. | Up to 50% of eligible costs for an innovative project as a grant (can e.g. be the costs for developers of software) | SMEs (max. 250 employees and less than EUR 50m p.a.), also in association with other SMEs or research institutions. Startups, if own contribution (50 percent of the project costs) can be demonstrably provided. |
Pro FIT Project Financing (by IBB) | GER Berlin | GrantProject-basedindustry-agnosticSMEs | The funding program launched by Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) occupies a special position: It supports companies in the research and development of innovative technologies and the associated marketing activities. | Up to 80% of project expenses as a grant (up to EUR 400k) and low-interest loans (usually up to EUR 1m). | Legally independent, profit-oriented SMEs (including startups) with their registered office or a place of business in Berlin. Cooperation between science and business is particularly sought after. |
Pro FIT Early Phase Financing (by IBB) | GER Berlin | GrantExpendituresindustry-agnosticStage-agnostic | With the "Pro FIT -Early Stage Financing" Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) helps founders to build up the company infrastructure and necessary personnel capacities. It is aimed at supporting innovative projects. | Early phase 1- Expenditure is financed 50% each by a non-repayable grant and a loan
Early phase 2 - Expenditures are financed with a loan.
Funding of 100% of eligible expenses is possible in both early phases. The total grant can amount to a maximum of EUR 500k for both phases, of which a maximum of EUR 200k is allocated to early phase 1. | Newly founded, technology-oriented small enterprises (KU) based in Berlin are eligible to apply. They aim to carry out an innovation project ("R&D anchor project") and must be no more than 12 months old to be eligible for funding from early stage 1, and no more than 24 months old if only funding from early stage 2 is applied for. |
Innovationsassistent (by IBB) | GER Berlin | GrantHiring / WagesUniversityTechnology | One popular program offered by Investitionsbank Berlin is the "Innovation Assistant". It supports the hiring of up to two university graduates per year, for example to strengthen the IT team of startups. | The wage of the new employees (up to two simultaneously) are subsidized by 50% each, max. EUR 20k. | Technology-oriented, legally independent SMEs in the commercial sector and the social economy that develop their own products, processes or services and carry out the main development steps themselves. One (of the) office(s) must be located in Berlin. |
GRW (by IBB) | GER Berlin | GrantProject-basedHiring / Wagesindustry-agnosticSMEs | GRW funding is aimed at existing companies and start-ups in the commercial sector. With an investment or wage cost subsidy, Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) supports investment projects to create and secure permanent jobs on behalf of the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Operations. | Grants are available for investments (starting from EUR 10k) in fixed assets or for wage continuation - up to 30 percent is subsidized with an investment period of 36 months. | Support is provided for start-ups and existing commercial enterprises with predominantly supra-regional sales. In addition, the company's headquarters should be located in Berlin. There are regional differences in the amount of funding depending on the region. |
Gründungsbonus (by IBB) | GERBerlin | GrantExpendituresTechnologySustainabilityCreativeSMEs | Backed by Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), GründungsBONUS is a grant funding scheme which helps fund SMEs and startups cover the costs incurred in their first 2 years of operation. | The grant offers funding for 50% of startups costs up to EUR 50k maximum. | In order to be eligible for the grant your startup must:
- Be incorporated less than 12 months at the time of application
- Be operating within a technological, digital, creative or sustainable industry
- Must have its business headquartered and/or operate in Berlin for at least 3 years after the last payment of the grant has been made |
Berlin Start (by IBB) | GERBerlin | LoanGuaranteeindustry-agnosticSMEs | With "Berlin Start", IBB offers you favorable loans, even if you bring hardly any collateral with you. The start-up loan is granted in conjunction with a guarantee from the BBB (Bürgschaftsbank zu Berlin-Brandenburg). | - House bank procedure in conjunction with a guarantee of up to 80% from BBB Bürgschaftsbank zu Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH.
- Business start-up loan of up to EUR 1.5m (minimum loan amount EUR 5k)
- Financing share is up to 100% | Supported are:
- Start-ups in the field of trade and industry and the liberal professions,
- SMEs in the commercial sector,
- freelancers, whose date of foundation is no more than 7 years prior to application.
- Companies based in Berlin. |
Gründung Innovativ (by ILB) | GER Brandenburg | GrantExpendituresTechnologySMEs | This funding program of the Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB) is aimed specifically at start-ups. The aim is to support young companies with innovative business ideas, especially in financing production facilities, as well as to finance fees for external consultants and part of the personnel costs. | Up to 75% of the total eligible expenses as a grant (between EUR 25k and 100k). | SMEs in the first three years after establishment with a registered office or a place of business in Brandenburg. One of the founders holds at least 10 percent of the company, self-employment as main occupation, financing of the start-up must be secured and the project to be funded has not yet started. |
Pfif | GERLahr (Baden-Württemberg) | research and development | PFIF assists the selection process (determines optimal funding opportunity), successful application, and funding bureaucracy in the proper processing of funds. | work performance-based (only pay if successful), no funding more finding the best financing option and helping with bureaucratic effort | -only supports research and development projects |