Funding

The EXIST Business Start-up Grant of the BMWE supports teams with a university background who want to turn their start-up idea into a business plan and prepare for the establishment of an innovative knowledge- or technology-based company. To apply an innovative business idea related to preparatory work in studies or research, a competent team  and good commercial prospects of success are required.

Time and money:

• Fixed project duration: 12 months
• In addition to scholarships for subsistence, EUR 30,000 in kind and EUR 5,000 for start-up-related coaching are available.

We are happy to advise and accompany you through the entire process of your application and during the project period.
 

The BMWE funding program EXIST Transfer of Research is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and supports outstanding research-based start-up projects associated with complex and risky development work.

The funding consists of two phases. Funding phase I (before founding) includes development and business work for start-up preparation and is aimed at researchers at universities and non-university research institutions (maximum three scientists and technical assistants) and one person with business competence.

The funding phase II (after the foundation) includes further development work at the start of the company and is aimed at small technology-oriented corporations with a master contribution of at least EUR 25,000 who have previously gone through funding phase I.

Time and funding:

• Phase 1: Personnel costs for the project team and material expenses up to 250,000 EUR for projects of 18 months duration. Particularly demanding and complex projects can be funded with justification up to 36 months and with a higher volume of material resources.
• Phase 2: Up to 180,000 EUR grant. As a prerequisite for funding, the company must present its own resources and, if necessary, equity capital in a ratio of 1:3 to the promotion. In principle, funding phase II should not exceed a period of 18 months.

We are happy to advise and accompany you through the entire process of your application and during the project period.
 

In this program, the State of Saxony-Anhalt, using funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), supports graduates and researchers with innovative start-up projects up to the point of company formation.

The funding covers personnel and material expenses for development work and for refining the business concept within the university environment. All members of the founding teams who are to be funded must already hold a university degree. The start-up projects must demonstrate sustainable economic prospects and convincing market potential.

Applications are submitted with our support through the university.

We are happy to advise and accompany you throughout the entire application process.

Time and funding:

€75,000 per funded person, which can be allocated flexibly between personnel costs (up to a maximum of a half-time position per person) and material expenses.

The project duration is flexible as a result of this funding structure.

The Start-up Grant of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, funded by the European Social Fund for Germany (ESF), supports founders and business successors with innovative or technology- and knowledge-based projects during the process of company formation.

We are happy to advise and support you throughout the entire application process.

Time and funding:

• Personal stipends for up to three people, each receiving €2,000 per month
• Funding can be granted within a period starting 12 months before and up to five years after the company’s founding

The objective of this BMBF funding program is the identification and further development of early-stage, research-based commercialization ideas in the life sciences. The program is particularly aimed at individuals who are in a career orientation phase.

The GO-Bio initial funding starts from very early, sketch-like commercialization ideas, for which no patented technology is required at this stage.
Project outlines can be submitted once per year, with a deadline of 15 February.

We are happy to advise and support you throughout the entire application process (via the university) and during the entire project duration.

Time and funding:

• For an initial “exploration phase”, the project budget is up to €100,000 for personnel and material expenses for a period of up to 12 months
• If successful, this may be followed by a “feasibility phase” lasting 24 months, with a substantially larger budget for development activities
   

With the GO-bio next funding program of the BMFTR, research teams in the life sciences that are interested in founding a start-up are supported in two possible, consecutive stages. The aim is to translate innovative research approaches from the life sciences into market-ready products and companies.

The program is particularly suitable for research teams at universities and research institutions that have already developed a proof of concept or a functional idea in the life sciences and wish to further develop it, as well as for projects with high commercialization potential that would be difficult to realize without public funding due to long development timelines, high costs, or risks. Teams that are planning a spin-off (start-up) or have already founded one and want to bring their technology to market readiness are also eligible for funding.

The program consists of two phases:

Phase I – Further development of the proof of concept and creation of exploitation and business strategies.

Phase II – Support for young companies in market entry, scaling, and, if applicable, securing follow-up financing.

We are happy to advise and support you throughout the entire application process (via the university) and during the project period.

Time and funding:

In line with the high ambitions of the projects, substantial funding is available in funding stage one for personnel positions and material costs, for a duration of up to three years per stage.