In case you decide to locate your green or social business In Germany, you can be sure to receive support through various public funding programs. Both the German and the European funding landscape is well stocked and with good preparatory work, you have good chances of receiving financial support for your project.
There are many options to go for, especially in Berlin as the capital city with the biggest startup ecosystem in Germany. Here we provide a list to give you a head start (list does not claim to be complete).
Public funding programs and public loans
For this overview, we focus on the bigger public funding programs and public loans, one of which is the Investitionsbank Berlin that provides coaching and financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Other programs are dedicated to deliver dedicated support to green and social companies. In any case, you will find programs and loans, no matter in which stage your startup is, from seed to scale-up stage and companies that are about to expand.
Before you decide, do a funding check
Besides the programs listed below, there are numerous other public funding programs that can help to realize your project. Since the funding landscape is complex and changing constantly, it’s important to seek advice from experts who are always up to date. To find out about existing programs and if it is worth the effort to fill out extensive documents and apply with a detailed business plan, you can do a funding check (“Fördermittelcheck”) to pre-select the programs that are most promising and suitable to your project.
Get in touch with us for more information and follow our blog for more information about green funding in Germany.
Agentur für Wirtschaft und Entwicklung: AWE accompanies and advises companies that are active in developing and emerging countries or want to get involved there.
Berliner Programm für Nachhaltige Entwicklung (BENE): BENE provides funding for innovative projects and initiatives that contribute to a climate-neutral and environmentally friendly Berlin between 2015 and 2020. BENE is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
develoPPP.de: With this program, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supports companies and innovative projects in developing and emerging countries that have a long-term benefit for the local population.
GründungsBONUS: This is a program facilitated by the IBB (see below) that supports start-ups and companies based in Berlin with grants for business coaching by selected and qualified coaches.
High-Tech Gründerfonds: The HTGF provides seed-stage financing and support to innovative tech start-ups in the field of software, media, internet, hardware, energy, life sciences and automation.
INVEST – Zuschuss für Wagniskapital: INVEST brings together start-ups and private investors (angel investors) in order to mobilize more private venture capital and helping startups to find investors more easily.
Investitionsbank Berlin: The IBB provides coaching and financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and founders in Berlin.
Design Transfer Bonus: Design services for small and medium-sized companies.
ZIM Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand: This program is for start-ups that have survived the start-up phase and have been in existence for more than two years.