OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR START-UPS
For those of you who want to shorten the time until our next workshop or live event with other content worth knowing, here are some of our favorite resources for start-ups.
BLOG ARTICLES & BOOKS
OUR READING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR START-UPS
Want book recommendations for startups? Sure. Feel free to browse our reading list.
Where Female Founders Are Gaining Ground in Venture Capital - Embroker
LISTEN
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PODCASTS
For those of you who want to sweeten your next jog with exciting startup podcasts, here’s our pick of shows worth listening in on.
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CONTENT WORTH SEEING
FASCINATING TALKS & VIDEOS
We love inspiring talks by strong women and would like to share some very worth seeing ones with you here.
PUBLIC FUNDING PROGRAMS
YOUR CHANCE FOR FUNDING
Are you currently in the pre-seed, seed or growth phase and looking for funding? We connect you with great investors! In addition to our network, there are many other great funding opportunities for startups.
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HORIZON 2020 & SME INSTRUMENT
With the Framework Program for Research and Innovation, the EU aims to make a sustainable contribution to building a knowledge- and innovation-based society and a competitive society.
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- Small and medium-sized enterprises (including startups)
- Maximum 250 employees and less than 50 million euros turnover per year
- Largely open to topics and industries
- Focus on promoting scientific and industrial research as well as innovations that can be used to master the challenges facing society, from the energy transition to demographic change.
- As a rule, 70 percent of the project costs, total amount varies from tender to tender in deviation from the “SME Instrument
- As a rule, funding in the implementation phase ranges from 0.5 to 2.5 million euros
- Funding is available for innovative projects with high growth potential, international market dimension and planned market entry in the near future.
- Proven proof of concept
SME INNOVATIVE
The funding program of the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) primarily supports high-risk industrial research and pre-competitive development projects.
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- Small and medium-sized enterprises (max. 250 employees and less than 50 million euros in sales per year), also in association with other SMEs or research institutions
- Startups, if own contribution (50 percent of the project costs) can be demonstrably provided
- biotechnology, medical technology, information and communication technologies, materials research, photonics, production technology, resource efficiency and climate protection. Research for civil security, electronic systems and mobility
- For commercial enterprises, up to 50 percent of eligible costs as a grant
- Funding is provided for innovative projects with high potential for exploitation
- Submission of a project outline with a maximum length of 10 pages
PRO FIT
The funding program launched by Investitionsbank Berlin occupies a special position: It supports companies not only in the research and development of innovative technologies, but also in the associated marketing activities.
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- Legally independent, for-profit SMEs (including startups) with headquarters or a permanent establishment in Berlin
- Non-SME or non-regionally based companies only in association with a regional SME
- Cooperation between science and industry is particularly sought after
- The focus is on information and communication technology, biotechnology, medical technology, optical technologies, transportation technologies
- Up to 80 percent of project expenditures as a grant (up to 400,000 euros) and low-interest loans (usually up to 1 million euros)
- Product, service or process to be developed must have unique selling point
- One of the applicant companies must have its registered office, or at least an independently organized permanent establishment, in Berlin
- Special Pro FIT early-stage funding for companies that are not older than six months (from the date of commencement of business).
GRW FUNDING
The joint task “Improvement of the regional economic structure” (GRW) supports existing companies, but also start-ups in the commercial economy in Berlin. The aim is to create and secure permanent jobs.
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- Start-ups and existing companies
- of the commercial economy with predominantly supraregional sales
- In addition to freelancers, other industries are excluded from the subsidy.
- Funding starts from an investment amount of 10,000 euros. If it can be proven that this investment will simultaneously create jobs and that the business activities are supra-regional, up to 30 percent of such investments can be subsidized.
CENTRAL INNOVATION PROGRAM FOR MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES (ZIM)
The Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM) is a nationwide funding program that is open to all technologies and industries. The ZIM is intended to sustainably strengthen the innovative strength and thus the competitiveness of medium-sized companies. It is intended to contribute to economic growth, in particular by unlocking value-added potential and raising the level of applied knowledge.
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- For startups that have survived the founding phase and have existed for more than two years
- For individual projects, depending on the size of the company and the location, between 25 percent and 45 percent of the eligible costs of up to EUR 380,000
- The technological innovation content and good market opportunities of the funded R&D projects are essential for approval. The ZIM aims to create framework conditions that are suitable for SMEs and is geared to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.
AVGS
- free consulting for founders from unemployment
- If you are registered as a job seeker and are thinking about starting your own business, you can use the activation and placement voucher (AVGS) from the employment agency to get free help from certified coaches – e.g. for drawing up a business plan and/or a financing concept – and thus get a little closer to your dream of owning your own business.
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- ALG I recipients
- ALG II recipients (Hartz IV)
- Jobseekers
- Erwerbsaufstocker
- Career Returner
- University graduates
- Persons shortly before the end of a fixed-term contract or notice of termination
- Founders registered as unemployed
- Not eligible for an AVGS are job seekers who are in permanent employment and are seeking a change for personal reasons.
HOW MUCH?
- The activation and placement voucher (AVGS), which unemployed persons can easily apply for through the employment office, covers 100% of the consulting costs for start-ups.
- allows a subsidy of ALG I plus 300 € per month for 6 months. For a further 9 months, the start-up grant can then amount to €300.
- Clarification of formalities and framework conditions of a foundation
- Development of a sustainable business model
- Preparation of the business plan and financial plan
- Expert opinion
- Research for additional funding or grants
- Development of a marketing strategy
- Insight into human resources or accounting
- Training of soft skills such as time management
REQUIREMENTS
- Basically, it is necessary that they have a start-up idea and the motivation to start a business.
ERP CAPITAL FOR STARTUP
With the “ERP Capital for Start-ups” funding program, the BMWi offers start-ups and young companies equity-like funds in the form of long-term subordinated loans from the ERP Special Fund up to three years after they start their business.
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- Start-ups (also freelancers)
- Company successor
- young companies starting a business
- young companies wishing to consolidate a young company (up to 3 years after starting business)
- young companies, which participate in a company as a managing director
- young companies that take over a company in the context of a business succession
- young companies that want to run a business as their main occupation
- You need at least 10% or 15% of your own funds.
- You must use your existing assets (except for 10,000 euros lump sum) – total financing of your project is not possible.
- They can increase existing own funds – in the old federal states from 15% to a maximum of 45%, in the new federal states and Berlin from 10% to a maximum of 50% of the eligible costs.
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INNOVATION ASSISTANT OF THE IBB
A popular program of 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.
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- Technology-oriented, legally independent small and medium-sized enterprises (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.
- Non-technology-oriented SMEs in the commercial sector and the social economy, if the project in which the innovation assistant is to be deployed and their activities have a strong technological connection, including to a significant extent their own development work.
- Applicant companies must have at least one operating site in Berlin.
- The wage costs of the new employees are subsidized by 50 percent each, max. 20,000 euros.
EXIST FOUNDER SCHOLARSHIP
Starting a business out of university – that’s what the EXIST start-up grant from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy supports. Funding is available for students, graduates and scientists from the following institutions
Universities and non-university research institutions. The scholarship for one year ensures personal living expenses.
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- Scientists from public, non-profit non-university research institutions and 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, although the team may not consist of a majority of students.
- Founder teams up to max. three people.
- One of the up to three team members can also be supported with qualified vocational training as a technical employee. Likewise, a team member may have graduated more than five years ago.
- PhD founders 3,000 euros/month
- Graduates with university degree 2,500 euros/month
- Technical employee 2,000 Euro/month
- Students 1.000 Euro/month
- Child supplement: 100 euros/month per child
- Material expenses: up to 10,000 euros for individual start-ups (max. 30,000 euros for teams)
- Coaching: 5.000 Euro
BAFA - MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
The “Promotion of entrepreneurial know-how through management consultancies” refers to a support program that has existed in Germany for founders and entrepreneurs since 01.01.2016.
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The aim of the support is that freelancers and tradesmen increase their performance and competitiveness with the help of external consulting (max. five consulting days) and thus secure jobs.
HOW MUCH?
The amount of the grant is based on the assessment basis, i.e. the maximum eligible consulting costs. In addition, the location of the company is crucial. In the new federal states (excluding Berlin and the Leipzig region), 80% of the costs are reimbursed; the Lüneburg region is subsidized at 60%. In the other regions, a subsidy rate of 50% applies. Regardless of age and location, 90% of the consulting costs for companies in difficulty are subsidized
REQUIREMENTS
- Young companies operating for a maximum of two years
- Existing companies that have been on the market for three years, and last, regardless of the period since the start of the business
- Company in economic difficulties
INVEST BAFA
Young, innovative companies are certified as eligible for INVEST as part of the application process.
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- a small and innovative company younger than seven years.
- Private investors are encouraged to acquire business shares in young innovative companies. The private investor will be reimbursed 20 percent of the issue price of his shares as an acquisition subsidy.
- The company must be a corporation headquartered in the European Economic Area (EEA), with at least one branch office in Germany that is entered in the Commercial Register or a permanent establishment in Germany that is entered in the Trade Register.
MICROMEZZANINE FUND
In the legal and economic sense, mezzanine capital represents a hybrid form of equity and debt. With a micromezzanine investment, economic equity is provided to the company without the investor having any voting or influence rights.
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- Applications can be submitted by small and young companies as well as start-ups that have little equity capital themselves
- Companies that provide training, that are founded from unemployment, or that are run by women or people with a migration background
- commercially oriented social enterprises and environmentally oriented enterprises