Get funding for your business idea
There are several possibilities of funding for innovative business ideas. Which funding programs you may be eligible for and what the chances of success are depends on your individual business idea.
StartGlocal helps you during the whole funding process. We support you with the information about funding programs, in the application process and also after the funding has been received.
Gründungsstipendium.NRW
The start-up scholarship Gründungsstipendium.NRW is provided by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and is a great opportunity to get your innovative business idea off the ground and become part of North Rhine-Westphalia’s regional start-up community. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation, and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia supports founders and founding teams by providing a monthly grant of € 1200 per person for a maximum of one year, bridging the gap between the end of your studies and the start of your own entrepreneurial activity.
Quick facts
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What is funded?
Funding is provided for innovative start-up ideas with focus on
- future-oriented technologies
- innovative services
- innovative business models -
Who is funded?
Founder teams up to a maximum of 3 persons who can devote to the scholarship full-time.
- university graduates
- students in the last semester of their studies
- external persons outside the university -
How is the funding provided?
- funding period of 12 months
- € 1200 gross / month per person
- start-up related coaching from an accredited start-up network -
Requirements
- founders must have a permanent residence in North Rhine-Westphalia
- alongside the scholarship only a side job of max. 14,99 hours per week can be pursued
- a business should be founded within the first 6 months of the scholarship
EXIST Business Start-up Grant
The funding program EXIST Business Start-up Grant (EXIST-Gründungsstipendium) supports students, graduates, PhD students and scientists from our university who are interested in founding a company. The start-up team receives a grant of max. € 3.000 per person for a period of 12 months to develop a business plan and to undertake all necessary steps for an establishment of a start-up company. The whole process is accompanied by the university, which applies for the grant in your name. The most important prerequisite is that the planned business idea must be an innovative technology-oriented or knowledge-based product with significant unique selling points and good prospects of economic success. Services are also eligible for funding under those conditions.
Quick facts
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What is funded?
Funding for innovative start-ups from universities and research institutions with focus on:
- technology-oriented, knowledge-based product innovations
- innovative, knowledge-based services with high customer benefit and clear unique selling propositions -
Who is funded?
Founder teams up to a maximum of 3 persons who can devote to the scholarship full-time.
- scientists from universities and research institutions
- university graduates and former scientists (up to 5 years from leaving the university)
- students who completed at least half of their studies
- technical employees with vocational training -
How is the funding provided?
- duration of the scholarship is 12 months
- max. € 3.000 gross / month per person
- max. € 10.000 / person; max. € 30.000 / team for material expenses
- max. € 5.000 / team for coaching -
Requirements
- a company should NOT be established before the application is submitted
- the team should be as interdisciplinary as possible
- mentor from the university (e.g. professor) should be found
EXIST-Forschungstransfer
The funding program EXIST-Forschungstransfer supports outstanding research oriented projects that involve expensive and high-risk resource development. It has two phases of funding:
In the first phase, results of research that have the potential of becoming the basis of a start-up business are developed further. The objective is to carry out further resource development to clarify fundamental problems involved in converting academic findings into technical products and processes. The business concept based on these findings should be made into a business plan and the planned business start-up should be prepared systematically.
In the second phase of funding further resource development, measures to start business operations and meeting the prerequisites for external business financing are at the centre of interest.
Quick facts
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What is funded?
funding for innovative sophisticated start-ups from universities with focus on:
- technology-oriented, research-based innovations with high technical risk and time to market > 2 years
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Who is funded?
- universities and research institutions
- research teams of max. 4 persons (3 scientists + 1 person with business knowledge) -
How is the funding provided?
Funding phase I (university):
- technical feasibility (near-industry/professional prototype)
- IP strategy
- start-up preparation (business plan, company foundation)
- up to € 250.000 for 18 months (or in an exceptional case 36 months)Funding phase II (companies founded in the support phase I):
- product development, market launch, securing of financing
- up to € 180.000 for 18 months -
Requirements
- application via university
- research team submits project proposal (innovative product idea, roadmap to proof the technical feasibility, economic implementation concept)
- mentor from the university
- deadlines for application are January and July of each calendar year
