Funding programmes for founders

Ongoing support programs for founders

The federal and state governments offer various scholarship programmes for prospective entrepreneurs. Here we introduce you to EXIST-Gründungsstipendium, Gründungsstipendium.NRW and EXIST-Forschungstransfer. If you are interested in one of the programmes, please contact Start-up-Manufaktur for more information.

The scholarships are non-repayable loans and finance your living expenses so that you can fully concentrate on your start-up project.

Requirements:

• Idea: You are working on an innovative technology-oriented start-up project or an innovative knowledge-based service that is based on scientific findings.
• Team: You are an individual founder or you are founding a team. In the case of a team start-up, up to three people can be funded; the start-up team itself can also be larger.

Amount of funding:

• Between €1,000 and €3,000 per month per person, depending on your most recent degree
• Funding period: 12 months
• Additional funding for material expenses (up to 10,000 €) and coaching services (up to 5,000 €)

Procedure

• The applicant for the EXIST-Gründungsstipendium is always the university.
• Applications can be submitted at any time.
• After reviewing the documents, the Project Management Organisation Jülich decides whether to accept or reject the application.
• Approved funds are paid out to the university, which administers them for the founding team
• Funded teams present the first results of the business plan after five months and submit the final business plan after ten months.

More information on the EXIST start-up grant can be found directly on the website:

Requirements:

• Idea: You have a business idea in the field of future-oriented technologies and innovative services.
• Team: You are an individual founder or you are founding a team. In the case of a team start-up, up to three people can be funded; the start-up team itself can also be larger.
• Foundation: Your company was founded no more than twelve months ago or is due to be founded in the next twelve months.
• Location: Your place of residence is in NRW.

Amount of funding:

• 1,000 per month per person
• Funding period: maximum 12 months
• Individual coaching

Procedure:

• The H-BRS advises and supports you in the application process and puts you in contact with an accredited start-up network.
• You prepare an idea paper and present your idea to a qualified jury.
• If the jury recommends funding, you submit an official funding application.
• Once the application has been approved, the funding period begins
• Applications can be submitted at any time.

You can find more information about the Gründungsstipendium.NRW directly on the website:

Requirements:

• Idea: You are working on an innovative software product (optionally with hardware components)
• Company: Your company has already been founded but is no more than 3 years old, is headquartered in North Rhine-Westphalia, employs fewer than 10 people, and has annual revenue or total assets of less than 2 million euros. No profits may have been distributed to date.
• Support: The funding is contingent upon receiving ongoing guidance from a coach and an industry mentor (these roles are provided by Start-up-Manufaktur).

Funding Amount:

• External services are eligible for funding of up to €50,000 as a non-repayable grant as part of a co-financing arrangement covering up to 70% (max. €35,000 grant)
• Coaching and mentoring are eligible for funding of up to €5,000 (max. €3,500 grant)
• Minimum grant amount: €15,000
• Funding period: up to 12 months

Process:

Applications may be submitted on an ongoing basis until October 31, 2026.

Requirements

Phase I of Funding

• Idea: You have an innovative idea with a high technical risk and have already been researching it for over a year. The realisation requires pure development work of at least one to one and a half year.
• Team: Funding is available for teams of three scientists from universities or non-university research institutions and one person with business management expertise. All team members must have at least a Master's degree.
• Company: The company must not have been founded at the start of the project, but may be founded during the period of funding.

Phase II of Funding

• In order to be eligible for phase II, the project must have successfully completed phase I and founded a GmbH.
• The company founded in Phase I is the applicant (not the university as in phase I ) and contributes its own funds to the funding in a ratio of 1:3.

Funding amount

Phase I of Funding

• between 0.5 million and 1.5 million euros (personnel expenses as well as material expenses up to a total of 250,000 €)
• Funding period: 18 months (optionally up to 36 months)

Phase II of Funding

• A maximum of 180,000 €, but no more than 75 percent of the specific costs of the project
  Funding period: 18 months

Procedure

Phase I of Funding

• The applicant is the university
• Project outlines can be submitted by 31.01 or 31.07.
• If the project outline is evaluated positively, the team pitches the project pitch before a jury of experts, who decide whether the project is accepted or rejected.
• Generally, the project can start at the earliest 6 months after submission of the project outline.

Phase II of Funding

• The application is submitted by the company established in Phase I
• The decision on funding in Phase II will again depend on the recommendation of the expert jury, which meets four times during the course of a year.
• Applications for Phase II of funding can already be submitted approx. 6 months before the end of Phase I.

More information on the EXIST Transfer of Research can be found directly on the website:

Requirements

• Idea: You are working on a project that is highly relevant to the environment (e.g., climate protection, resource efficiency, nature conservation) and at the same time has a viable business model and market potential.
• Team:  Founding teams receive financial support to enable them to work full-time on the startup. The funding is aimed at early-stage startups; the company must not be older than 5 years.
• Impact: Environmental sustainability must be at the core of your business model.

Funding amount

• up to €2,000 per month per person as a contribution toward living expenses
• Funding period:24 months
• Additional funds: Material costs and external services may also be funded. However, these costs should represent a smaller portion of the total amount.

Procedure

• The process consists of three stages: online application, in-depth interview, and pitch to a jury.

You can find more information about the DBU Green Start-up Program directly on the website

Requirements

• Unemployment Benefits: You are receiving unemployment benefits and still have at least 150 days of remaining entitlement when you start your self-employment.
• Full-Time Status: You are engaged in self-employment as your primary occupation.
• Viability: You have a positive assessment from a competent authority (e.g., Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Chamber of Crafts, or a bank) regarding the viability of your business idea.

Funding Amount

The startup grant is divided into two phases

• Phase 1 (Months 1–6): Monthly Unemployment Benefit I at the usual rate + a flat rate of €300 for social security.
• Phase 2 (Months 7–15): A monthly lump sum of €300 for social security (upon separate application).

The startup grant is completely tax-free.

Procedure

• Schedule a consultation with the responsible placement specialist at the Employment Agency
• Obtain a viability assessment and statement from a qualified authority
• Submit an application for Phase 1 and provide supporting documentation
• After 6 months: Provide proof of full-time employment and apply for Phase 2.

Contact persons at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg

The university is your first contact and partner when applying for either the EXIST programmes or the Start-up Grant NRW.

In our start-up consultation, we advise you on the right programme for you and give you feedback on your idea and the documents to be submitted.

Katharina Kämmer from ZWT will assist you with the application process.