The Berlin Startup Scholarship

Program basics

  • 1. What is the context of the programme?

    The support of startups is among the most successful instruments of forward-looking economic promotion strategies. As part of the ESF+ programme of the funding period 2021-2027, innovative startups are being supported in the framework of “founders’ workshops” and similar formats. The funding relates to new skills requirements in connection with innovation processes of the economy, technological change (in particular related to the use of modern information and communication technologies or the advancing digitisation) as well as ecological objectives (e.g. climate protection, energy efficiency and use of renewable energies).

  • 2. What is the programme about?

    The aim of the programme is to promote innovative, technology-related startups through coaching, training and scholarships, especially in the context of ICT, digitisation and internationalisation. For this purpose, the founding teams (usually two to five people) are being provided the necessary technical infrastructure such as workplaces or laboratories. Prerequisite for the founders are at least initially developed business plans and prototypes or prototype-like procedures. The participants are being selected through competitive procedures of the project providers (incubators) and supported over a period of six to twelve months. The aim of the projects is to improve the skills of the founders, and to develop the marketability of the relevant products and services.

  • 3. How does it work?

    The selection of coaching and training staff is carried out by the project partners (incubators) according to the needs of the projects and startups. Funding is being provided to startup centres namely incubators at universities, research institutions and companies with research and development focus. The volume of the scholarships amounts up to 2.200 € per person and month for a certain amount of time depending on the project partner.

    Project partners are specialised organisations with the tasks of overall coordination, application, implementation, accounting, public relations and networking as well as evaluation if necessary. In the context of European State Aid Law, the de minimis Regulation is applied to every single startup supported. The implementation of the programme is managed by the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises of the State of Berlin in cooperation with the Investitionbank Berlin (IBB), which is a trustee of the Land of Berlin and the approval authority.

  • Project partner

    Avant Now GmbH

  • Project name

    Avant Now Accelerator

  • Industry focus

    Startups with social and ecological impact

  • Application periods

    Batch 1: until 31. Jul 2023 – Start 1. Sep 2023
    Batch 2: until 15. Oct 2023 – Start 1. Dec 2023
    Batch 3: until 15. Jan 2024 – Start 1. Mar 2024
    Batch 4: until 15. Apr 2024 – Start 1. Jun 2024
    Batch 5: until 15. Jul 2024 – Start 1. Sep 2024

  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    Berlin Innovation Agency (berlinplusone GmbH)

  • Project name

    ClimateX Startup Accelerator

  • Industry focus

    Climate tech, Urban innovation, Smart city: energy, mobility, logistics, trade, construction, overlapping climate related products with other industry sectors (health, work, care, etc.)

  • Application periods

    Cohort 1: Jul – Sep 2023
    Cohort 2: Jun – Aug 2024

  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    Berliner Hochschule für Technik – BHT

  • Project name

    Berliner Startup Stipendium

  • Industry focus

    Technology oriented innovation & SMART CITY: sustainable solutions for social, economic and ecological problems in the areas of energy, mobility, logistics, trade, construction and housing

  • Application periods

    1. Call: applications from 01.- 15. Jul 2023 – Start: August 2023
    2. Call: applications from 01. Aug – 31. Dec 2023 – Start: 01.Feb 2024
    3. Call: Bewerbungen 01. Feb – 10. Apr 2024 – Start: 01. Jul 2024
  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft

  • Project name

    Berliner Startup Stipendium an der HTW Berlin

  • Industry focus

    Tech, Design & Sustainability

  • Application periods

    1. Call: Jul until 04. Sep – Start: October 2023
    2. Call: Apr until Jun 2024 – Start: July 2024
  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    MotionLab ML GmbH

  • Project name

    Hardtech Innovation Accelerator

  • Industry focus

    Hardtech: core technologies AI, robotics, new materials and IoT ,
    Climate Tech, Smart City and urban innovation: energy,
    mobility, construction, logistics, food systems, sustainability

  • Application periods

    Batch 1: 14. Aug 2023 – 30. Sep 2023 – Start: Nov 2023
    Batch 2: 14. Sep 2024 – 30. Sep 2024 – Start: Nov 2024

  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    Reaktor.Berlin BR 22 GmbH

  • Project name

    Reaktor Berlin

  • Industry focus

    Projects with impact which provide solutions for societal challenges e.g. mobility, environmental technologies, environmental sustainability, health industry and digital solutions

  • Application periods

    Batch 1: 17. Jul 2023 until 03. Sep 2023 – Start: Oktober 2023
    Batch 2: Mar 2024 until May 2024 – Start: June 2024
    Batsch 3: Nov 2024 until Jan 2025 – Start: Feb 2025

  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    SIBB e.V.
    Verband der Digitalwirtschaft Berlin-Brandenburg

  • Project name

    SIBB Digital Transition Incubator

  • Industry focus

    Digitale innovations

  • Application periods

    1. Batch: Jun – Jul 2023 – Start: Sep 2023
    2. Batch: Apr – Jun 2024 – Start: Sep 2024

  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    Startup Colors UG

  • Project name

    Vision Health Pioneers Incubator

  • Industry focus

    Health solutions, MedTech, Digital Health

  • Application periods

    Cohort 1: until 31. Jul 2023 – Start: 1. Sep 2023
    Cohort 2: 1. – 31. May 2024 – Start: 1. July 2024

  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    Science & Startups (Konsortium der Universitäten Berlin und der Charité Berlin)

  • Project name

    Science & Startups for Future

  • Cooperation partner

    Technische Universität Berlin
    Freie Universität Berlin
    Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
    Universitätsmedizin der Charité Berlin

  • Industry focus

    Sustainability x Society
    Technology x Resources
    Healthcare x Prevention

  • Application periods

    Batch 1: 1. Aug 2023
    Batch 2: 1. Feb 2024
    Batch 3: 1. Aug 2024

  • Contact

  • Website / further information

  • Project partner

    Universität der Künste Berlin

  • Project name

    Creative Prototyping x Sustainability

  • Industry focus

    creative industries & sustainability

  • Application periods

    Batch 1: July 2023
    Batch 2: January 2024
    Batch 3: July 2024
    Batch 4: January 2025

  • Contact

  • Website / further information