Funding programs

The EXIST start-up grant is a funding program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF). Funding is provided to teams of students, graduates and scientists from universities and non-university research institutions who want to realize their start-up idea and turn it into a business plan. 

Who is supported?

• Scientists
• 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, whereby the team may not consist of a majority of students.
• Founding teams of up to a maximum of three people.
• One of the up to three team members can also be funded with a qualified vocational training as a technical employee. Likewise, one team member may have graduated more than five years ago.

What is funded?

• Innovative technology-based start-up projects.
• Innovative knowledge-based services based on scientific findings.

How is funding provided?

• Securing of personal livelihood via a scholarship for up to 3 founders
• Up to 10,000 euros in material expenses for individual start-ups (max. 30,000 euros for teams)
• Coaching funds of more than 5,000 euros
• The maximum funding period is 12 months
• Application
• Possible at any time
• It is recommended to contact the funding advisory service of Kilometer1 at least 2-3 months before the planned submission of the application.
• Application must be submitted through the university/Kilometer1

Important! At the start of the funding period, no company (corporation) may have been founded yet!

With its Young Innovators program, the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts (MWK) supports academic staff and graduates from Baden-Württemberg universities in the (further) development of innovative product ideas or services with the aim of setting up a business. Funding is provided for the preparation of a business start-up.

Who receives funding?

• Up to three start-up entrepreneurs
• Scientific employees
• University graduates and former scientific employees (up to three years after graduation or retirement)

What is supported?

• The production and/or distribution of an innovative product or process or the provision of an innovative service.
• The product, process or service must be based on an invention of the funded start-up, on software developed by the start-up, or on his/her technological know-how.
• Funding is not provided for the business start-up as such, but for the targeted preparation for it, which takes place in the care of the university or research institution in Baden-Württemberg. Companies that have already been founded are excluded from the funding.

How is funding provided?

• Employment of the founder at the university for one year to the extent of a half-time position in the TV-L up to max. level 13-3
• Funding for materials and capital expenditures up to 20,000 euros (the purchased items belong to the property of the university or research institution)
• Possibility of free/no-cost use of the university's or research institution's resources
• Business management training through group or individual coaching worth 5,000 euros
• The maximum funding period is 12 months.

Application

• In March and September Submission deadline (exact date will be published or announced via Kilometer1 newsletter).
• It is recommended to contact Kilometer1's funding advice at least 2-3 months before the planned application submission.
• The application must be submitted via the university/Kilometer1.

Important! At the start of the funding period, no company (corporation) may have been founded yet!

Innovation vouchers can be awarded by the state of Baden-Württemberg to start-ups or young companies. They are intended to provide financial support for the development, implementation and further development of innovative products, services or production processes.

Only costs charged by external research and development institutions for services rendered (e.g. also prototype construction) are funded.

Information on the different categories of innovation vouchers can be found on the website of the Ministry of Economy, Labor and Tourism.

Applications are submitted directly by the start-ups or companies.

Gründermotor is the cross-university platform for start-ups in Baden-Württemberg. The University of Konstanz is a partner of this state initiative and supports its offerings.

Founders and startups from the universities can, for example, participate in the master class or ASAPbw formats to further develop their ideas or to find suitable industrial partners/investors.

The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt supports start-ups in the field of environment, ecology and sustainability.

Framework conditions for funding:

• In the founding phase as well as start-ups up to 5 years old.
• up to 125,000 euros per project
• up to 24 months duration
• multi-stage application review

Application is made directly to the DBU

The aim of the first funding phase of EXIST-Forschungstransfer is to carry out development work to prove technical feasibility, to develop prototypes, to draw up the business plan and finally to found the company.

In funding phase I, research teams at the university (a maximum of three scientists and technical assistants) and one person with business management expertise can be funded.

How is funding provided?

• Material resources and expenses for assistants up to 250,000 euros
• Up to four staff positions
• Funding period of 18 months (can be extended to 36 months)
• Seminar "Start-up team"

Application

• By 31.8. and 30.11.
• Two-stage procedure
• It is recommended to contact the funding advice of Kilometer1 at least 2-3 months before the planned submission of the application
• Application must be submitted via the university/Kilometer1

The VIP+ funding measure supports scientists in testing and demonstrating the innovative potential of research results and in developing possible areas of application.

Application possible at any time
Maximum duration 3 years
Funding per project and year maximum 500,000 euros
This program offers universities and research institutions the opportunity to validate their research results from all research areas with regard to possible applications.

To encourage significant innovation, the bridge between research and the exploitation or application of research results must be further strengthened. To this end, the innovation potential of research results must be examined at an early stage and demonstrated to such an extent that a low-risk final development is subsequently possible, also with the financial participation of third parties. For the purposes of this funding measure, this process is called validation.

Funding is available for projects from all research areas that systematically demonstrate the feasibility and practicability as well as the innovation potential of research results and are in the validation phase. In particular, projects are to be funded whose results can lead to significant innovations (level of innovation) and which demonstrate a high economic or societal innovation potential.

Further information can be found here.

Applications can be submitted at any time and must be made through the university.

If you are interested, please contact Lisa Kuner (Grants Advisory Service).

The BMBF wants to strengthen the innovation potential of start-ups in cutting-edge research on interactive technologies for health and quality of life. To this end, the opportunities for founding start-ups of suitable research teams are to be promoted at an early stage and in a targeted manner already at universities. Funding will also be provided to start-ups already established in high-risk pre-competitive research.

Further information can be found here.

Application

from 16.02.2024 - 15.07.2024
Two-step procedure
It is recommended to contact Lisa Kuner at least 2-3 months before planned application submission
Application must be submitted via the university/kilometer1

The German Federal Foundation for the Environment supports solution-oriented research projects in the fields of environmental technology, research and communication, nature conservation and cultural heritage protection. There should be a high probability of implementation.

- Individual and cooperative projects with companies are funded.

- Applications can be submitted continuously

- 2-stage application (first short outline, then application) possible.

Here you can find further information.
 

The Committee for Research Issues (AFF) reviews internal applications for performance-based start-up and co-financing of research projects and prepares funding recommendations for the Rectorate. It is chaired by the Vice Rector for Research, Career Development and Research Infrastructures.

Transfer platforms are established on the initiative of scientists from Constance who hold a doctorate or are pursuing a doctoral degree. In transfer platforms, findings of researchers at the University of Konstanz are achieved, made usable and further developed together with partners from industry or the public sector within the framework of jointly supported, time-limited projects (A) or the preparation of innovative start-up projects (B) is supported.

Transfer platforms are primarily used for start-up financing and are initially set up for a period of two years. They are designed for transfer to third-party funded projects (e.g. projects with partners from industry, VIP funding from the BMBF, EXIST start-up grants, etc.) or spin-offs. The foundation of a company and the start-up of a business activity may not take place during the term of the funding.

Applications up to a total funding amount of 10,000 euros can be submitted at any time.

Applications with a funding amount of more than 10,000 euros can be submitted by 15 February, 15 April, 15 June and 15 October.

Further information can be found on the AFF website (with university access) or via the Funding Advisory Service.

Many innovative business ideas are never realized because many founders lack the necessary financing, especially in the early start-up phase. For this reason, the "Start-up BW Pre-Seed" funding instrument was created. Start-up BW Pre-Seed is a funding instrument that starts at an early stage. In this phase, institutional investors are reluctant to act due to the increased risk and uncertain prospects for the success of the start-up project, which is why the state of Baden-Württemberg steps in as a co-investor.

The application and support of the program is done by a Start-up BW Pre-Seed Partner (not the university!).

More information and contacts can be found here.

Innovation vouchers can be awarded by the state of Baden-Württemberg to start-ups or young companies. They are intended to provide financial support for the development, implementation and further development of innovative products, services or production processes.

Only costs charged by external research and development institutions for services rendered (e.g. also prototype construction) are funded.

Information on the different categories of innovation vouchers can be found on the website of the Ministry of Economy, Labor and Tourism.

Applications are submitted directly by the start-ups or companies.