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EXIST-Gründungsstipendium in 2026: up to 3,000 euros a month for 12 months, 30,000 euros for costs, 5,000 euros coaching. Who qualifies and how to apply.
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The EXIST-Gründungsstipendium is the federal founder grant for teams coming out of universities and research institutes. It pays a personal stipend for 12 months, set by qualification: 3,000 euros a month for founders with a doctorate, 2,500 euros for university graduates, 2,000 euros for team members with a recognised vocational qualification and 1,000 euros for students. A child supplement of 150 euros a month per child is added.
On top, the project gets up to 10,000 euros for material costs for a single founder (up to 30,000 euros for a team) and 5,000 euros for start-up coaching. The figures are those published by the project agency Jülich (PtJ), and the programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus.
Scientists at universities and non-university research institutes, graduates and former research staff up to five years after graduating or leaving, and students who have completed at least half of their studies, as part of a team. Teams can have up to three people; one member may have a vocational qualification or a degree older than five years.
The project must be an ambitious, innovative, knowledge-based startup idea. A good idea alone is not enough: the university's start-up network has to back it, because the university or research institute applies on your behalf and supports the team during the year.
Start with your university's start-up service or transfer office. Together you write a short business idea paper and the application, which the institution submits to the project agency. Applications are possible until 31 December 2029 under the current guideline.
Use the year to reach a business plan that investors can fund and, where it fits, a prototype. EXIST is designed to end with a company founding and a financing round, so plan the next step, for example EIC or national seed funding, before the stipend ends.
EXIST also runs EXIST-Forschungstransfer for research-intensive spin-offs that need longer technical development, and the EXIST Startup Factories, which build regional ecosystems for knowledge-based startups. Check exist.de for the current terms of each; the stipend is the usual entry point for a team still at the university.
3,000 euros a month for founders with a doctorate, 2,500 euros for graduates, 2,000 euros for team members with a vocational qualification and 1,000 euros for students, for 12 months, plus 150 euros a month per child.
Up to 10,000 euros for material costs for a single founder or 30,000 euros for a team, and 5,000 euros for start-up coaching.
The university or research institute applies on behalf of the founding team, through its start-up network. Teams can have up to three people.
Under the current guideline, applications are possible until 31 December 2029.
How the EU Funding & Tenders Portal works: finding a call, reading a topic page, the PIC, partner search, submission and the calls EU projects run for startups.
How Enisa participative loans work in 2026: 25,000 to 1.5 million euros, no guarantees, two years interest-only, and what Enisa checks before it lends.
Germany's Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM): who it funds, funding rates up to 60%, project types, and the 2026 application stop.
Every open and forthcoming Horizon Europe call by cluster, with the next deadlines, rebuilt from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal whenever the calls change.
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Use EUACC to explore “EXIST Founder Grant Germany (2026 Rates)” (https://www.euacc.ai/guides/exist-germany). Help me apply this guide to my startup. What information do you need from me? Cite the available sources and flag missing or outdated information.