Founding Support Funding

EXIST Research Transfer is intended to support start-up teams at universities and research institutions in the preparation and implementation of particularly high-risk and complex technical development work. EXIT research transfer contributes to a particularly effective form of knowledge and technology transfer - preferably in areas with long development times such as energy, environment and biotechnology.

• Target groups: Research teams and start-ups at universities and research institutions
• Funding: Personnel costs and material resources for product development and business plan preparation
• Total: Funding phase I: max. € 180,000; funding phase II: max. € 250,000
• Period: Funding phase I: 18 to 24 months, funding phase II: 18 months

The EXIST Start-up Grant is intended to support founders at universities and research institutions in the phase before and at the beginning of their innovative start-up. The grant is intended to help support innovative and sustainable business start-ups whose start-up ideas and specialist expertise originate from a university or research institution with the aim of mobilizing technology and knowledge-based start-ups from universities or research institutions.

• Target groups: Students, academics, graduates up to 5 years after graduation as individual founders or start-up teams
• Funding: Living expenses, material resources and coaching
• Total: €1,000 to €3,000/month grant plus up to €30,000 for material resources and €5,000 for coaching
• Period: Max. 1 year

GO-Bio supports life science research teams from universities and non-university research institutions in setting up their own company. In addition to substantial financial support in the pre-start-up and start-up phase, the teams receive a comprehensive package of support services to ensure a successful start-up.

• Target groups:  Research teams with start-up intentions in the life sciences sector
• Funding: Personnel costs, material resources and coaching
• Total: Depending on the start-up project
• Period: Funding phase I: max. 2.5 years, funding phase II: max. 3 years

The “Young Innovators” funding program supports young scientific staff from universities, non-university research institutions and academies in setting up their own business with the production and sale of innovative products or business models. Preparations for business start-ups involving products, processes or services based on inventions by start-ups, software developed by them or their technological know-how are eligible for funding.

• Target groups: Scientists with a degree or doctorate
• Funding: Targeted preparation for setting up a business, living expenses and coaching, university infrastructure
• Total: 1/2 TV-L position plus up to €20,000 for material resources and €5,000 for coaching
• Period: usually 1 year

The Start-up BW Pre-Seed program is aimed at the early phase of innovative start-up projects, in which private investors and VC companies are still very cautious due to the risk involved. The financial requirements of the applicant start-ups should be between €50,000 and €200,000.

• Target groups: Start-ups in the early start-up phase
• Funding: Necessary costs of the start-up project, investment costs or running costs
• Total: 50,000 € - 200,000 €
• Period: 1-2 years

The VIP+ funding measure supports researchers from universities, non-university research institutions (funded by the federal and state governments) and educational institutions with R&D tasks in examining and demonstrating the innovation potential of research results and developing possible areas of application. In this way, VIP+ creates the conditions for the further development of research results into innovative products, processes or services.

• Target groups: Researchers from universities and non-university research institutions
• Funding: Personnel, material and travel expenses, project-related equipment investments
• Total: € 500,000 per project and year (€ 1,500,000 in total)
• Period: Max. 3 years