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Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and SMEs (CENTIM)

Support Programmes

Good ideas want to be supported! Current funding programmes, scholarships and awards at a glance.

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Your ideas are important to us! We are happy to support you with specific questions regarding the application for subsidies. Please contact Ms. Christine Haake christine.haake@h-brs.de or Ms. Joyce Treptow joyce.treptow@h-brs.de to arrange a digital consultation appointment.

Founder's Scholarship NRW (Gründerstipendium NRW)

The NRW start-up grant opens up the opportunity to get innovative business ideas off the ground and to enter the start-up scene in the respective region. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia supports all founders who are about to start with a monthly grant of 1,000 euros for a maximum of one year to facilitate their start in the world of entrepreneurs. In addition, they are given the opportunity to exchange ideas in start-up networks and to be accompanied by individual coaching.

Women’s STEM Award (Frauen-MINT-Award)

STEM students from all over the world have the opportunity to apply for the much sought-after Women's STEM Award with their thesis in a STEM subject (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics). The thesis (Bachelor / Master thesis or diploma thesis) can be written in English or German and has been submitted within the last 18 month. The best (inter)national paper will be rewarded with a prize of 3,000 euros. In addition, 500 Euro per growth field will be awarded to the author of the best paper and to the winner of the Social Impact Special Prize.

Roman Herzog Research Prize for Social Market Economy (Roman Herzog Forschungspreis – Soziale Marktwirtschaft)

The Roman Herzog Institute awards the Roman Herzog Research Prize for Social Market Economy to young academics who, in their dissertations or habilitations, deal with the sustainability of the social market economy and thus with the central regulatory policy issues of the 21st century. The prize is awarded annually and is endowed with prize money totalling 35,000 euros. The prize is intended to support researchers and thought leaders who work scientifically on this complex of topics and present them in an excellent way that can be understood by the general public.

EXIST Business Start-up Grant (EXIST-Gründerstipendium)

The EXIST Business Start-up Grant supports students, graduates and scientists from universities and research institutes who want to turn their business idea into a business plan. The start-up projects should be innovative technology or knowledge-based projects with significant unique features and good commercial prospects of success. The scholarship promotes the securing of personal livelihood, material expenses as well as coaching and is granted for the maximum duration of one year.

START-UP TRANSFER NRW

The newly launched "START-UP transfer.NRW" programme is intended to support people from North Rhine-Westphalian universities and non-university research institutions with headquarters in North Rhine-Westphalia who are willing to set up their own company, in order to further develop research results/know-how with great market potential and a convincing business concept, and to implement these results/know-how in the establishment of their own company. The programme supports projects based on technological, business or social innovations. Those interested can apply for funding of up to 240,000 euros for projects with a maximum funding period of 18 months.

Heinrich Blanc Foundation's Sponsorship Award (Förderpreis der Heinrich Blanc Stiftung)

The Heinrich Blanc Foundation's sponsorship award honors outstanding bachelor's or master's theses or comparable academic theses that contribute to the strengthening of small and medium-sized businesses in Germany, particularly in Heinrich Blanc's former sphere of activity in Baden-Württemberg, through innovative product ideas, production concepts, marketing concepts or entrepreneurial strategies. The first prize is endowed with 5,000 euros and is awarded annually.