For EXIST you first submit an Ideenpapier (idea paper), and by the end of the funding you should have a viable business plan. VENTUREPLAN supports you with both.
Starts with the “Funding Programs (EXIST & more)” template
The EXIST-Gründungsstipendium (EXIST start-up grant) funds innovative, technology- or knowledge-based start-ups from universities and research institutions. It's a program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy). Students, graduates and researchers usually receive a stipend for living costs for twelve months, plus funds for materials and coaching. The university or research institution submits the application together with you. The core of the application is an Ideenpapier (idea paper); during the funding period you develop it into a business plan that convinces investors or banks.
The route to EXIST always goes through the start-up network of your university or research institution. That's where you find out whether your idea fits and find a mentor.
Describe the innovation, customer benefit, market, competition, team and a work and milestone plan for the funding period, plus a financial plan for the materials budget.
The university submits the application to the Projektträger (program administrator). Allow a few months for the review.
During the twelve months you develop your product or prototype further, validate the market and work out your business plan.
At the end you have a business plan you can use to convince investors, banks or follow-up funding programs.
Chapter by chapter: what the reviewer wants to see in each part.
01
What's new, and why is it technically or methodologically hard to copy? Reviewers want to see the degree of innovation clearly.
02
What specific problem do you solve, for whom, and how much is the solution worth to customers?
03
Target market, market size, existing solutions and your unique selling point, with sources.
04
How will you make money? Pricing model, sales channel, first assumptions on revenue and costs.
05
Who's on the team, what skills do the members cover, and which are still missing?
06
What will you achieve in the twelve months? Specific, verifiable milestones, from prototype to founding the company.
07
What will you use the materials budget and coaching for? Reviewers check whether the spending fits the work plan.
08
What happens after EXIST, and how will you finance the time after that?
This is how the people deciding on your application think.
Many idea papers explain the technology in detail, but not who should buy it and why. Reviewers look for both.
“There is no competition” is almost never true and comes across as naive. Show existing alternatives and why your solution is better.
“Develop the product further” isn't a milestone. Set verifiable goals with a date.
If business or technical know-how is missing, say so and explain how you'll close the gap.
The structure covers innovation, customer benefit, market, team and work plan: the building blocks of the idea paper and the later business plan.
An AI advisor specialized in German funding programs checks your paper for degree of innovation, clarity and gaps before the reviewers do.
Keep working in the same plan: add financial planning, revenue models and capital requirements when you prepare for follow-up financing.
Invite co-founders, your mentor or the university's start-up advisory service straight into the plan and work together with comments.
Founders often combine these routes or weigh them against each other.
Stipends and grants from the German states for founders, for example the Gründungsstipendium.NRW with up to €1,200 a month. Usually with an idea paper and a jury pitch.
Read the guideWhat business angels and VCs want to see in a business plan (market, team, unit economics and funding needs) and how it holds up in due diligence.
Read the guideKfW's ERP-Gründerkredit – StartGeld: up to €200,000 through your Hausbank, with KfW taking on 80% of the risk. The bank requires a bankable business plan.
Read the guideThe monthly stipend depends on your qualification and ranges from €1,000 for students to €3,000 for PhD holders, plus €150 per child. On top of that come materials funds of €10,000 (solo founders) or €30,000 (teams) and €5,000 for coaching. The figures in the current guideline are what count.
For the application you submit an Ideenpapier (idea paper), not a full business plan. The business plan is one goal of the funding period: by the end you should have a viable plan for founding the company and for follow-up financing.
The university or research institution submits the application together with you. Your first point of contact is your university's start-up network or start-up advisory service.
Yes, graduates are eligible as long as they didn't graduate too long ago. The current guideline sets the exact deadlines.
The program funds innovative technology- or knowledge-based start-ups. Innovative services can also qualify if they're based on scientific findings and have a clear unique selling point.
Yes. Many German states have their own founder grants, for example the Gründungsstipendium.NRW. Depending on your situation, the Gründungszuschuss (start-up grant) or a KfW founder loan may also be an option.
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Last reviewed: 16 October 2026. VENTUREPLAN is an independent service and is not affiliated with any of the funding bodies mentioned. All information without guarantee; the current guidelines and the decision of the responsible body are what count.
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