EXIST Gründerstipendium

Amount

€30K + €2,500–€3,0

Monthly stipend plus lump sum

Deadline

Rolling

Odds

Not published

Effort

1–4 weeks

Can you get this?

✓Must be student, graduate, or researcher

✓Must be affiliated with German university or research institution

✓Idea or early development stage only

✓Any industry eligible

✕Applicants without university affiliation are not eligible

Your real odds

This program is competitive and well-established, funding teams across Germany year-round through participating universities.

Your host university acts as a gatekeeper, submitting your application on your behalf, so the incubator or transfer office there is your first real hurdle. Exact acceptance rates are not published, though the program has supported thousands of teams since launch.

What it takes

Identify and approach a participating host university or incubator to sponsor your application1–4 weeks

Prepare your application with required documents (business concept, CV, support letter from university)2–6 weeks

Submit through the host university to EXIST/BMWK for reviewOngoing; no fixed national deadline

Worth knowing

Your university must formally back your application before it goes anywhere, so build that relationship with the entrepreneurship or technology transfer office well before you plan to apply.

Apply on funder's site →

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