Setting up a business: BMWi entrepreneur portal

Are you aware of the support programmes for people setting up in business?

The Federal Republic of Germany, Germany’s individual Länder and the European Union all have programmes to support people setting up in business. This is particularly the case in the eastern part of Germany. Most of these programmes take the form of loans, but some involve non-repayable grants. Government support loans typically have low interest rates, long repayment periods and in many cases a grace period before you need to commence repayment.

The leading Federal Government support programmes for new businesspeople

The Federal Government (not the Länder) offers the following support loans. These are managed by the KfW Mittelstandsbank and have to be applied for via your own bank:

KfW-Launch money (“KfW-StartGeld”)
ERP entrepreneur capital for new start-ups (“ERP-Unternehmerkapital für Gründungen”)
Business loan (KfW-Unternehmerkredit”)

Grants offered by the Employment Agency (“Agentur für Arbeit”) to the recipients of unemployment benefit (ALG) wishing to set up in business:

Start-up grant [Gründungszuschuss]

For recipients of unemployment benefit II (ALG II)

"Einstiegsgeld" (initial financial support for people setting up in business)

Whether or not you receive the "Einstiegsgeld" is at the case manager’s discretion.

Submit application early

Do not enter into any financial commitments without finding out about such support programmes. Support funding must be applied for before the launch of the project. No support funding is approved subsequently.

Preconditions for support

You should always be able to document adequate professional and accounting expertise.

Further information:

BMWi info-telephone for SMEs and start-ups
Times: Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 noon
Tel. 0180 5 615 001 (0.14 €/min.)

KfW Mittelstandsbank
Information line: 01801-241124

Support for advice services

Setting up a business - Ways to self-employment