EXIST-Women: Targeted support for female founders

The start-up funding program “EXIST – Start-ups from Science” has been expanded to include the “EXIST-Women” funding line. This is intended to encourage women from universities and research institutions to embark on the path to entrepreneurial independence. This should lead to more innovative start-ups by women in the future. The federal government is providing a total of 6.5 million euros for the new program line in 2023. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) is being supported by Project Management Jülich (PtJ) in the implementation of EXIST-Women. With the funding program “EXIST – Start-ups from Science”, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) has been helping to increase the number and quality of spin-offs from science and improve the start-up climate at universities and non-university research institutions for many years. The BMWK is expanding start-up funding for female entrepreneurs and founders from the scientific environment. To this end, the established EXIST funding program has been expanded to include the new “EXIST-Women” funding line: The aim of this program line is to encourage women from universities and research institutions to take the step into entrepreneurial independence so that more women will act as managing directors and shareholders of innovative start-ups in the future.

Strengthening the potential of female founders

With this new funding line, the BMWK is implementing an important project of the federal government’s startup strategy. The promotion of female startup founders and diversity is one of the fields of action in the strategy. To date, the proportion of women in business start-ups in Germany remains low, meaning that a significant proportion of the available start-up potential is not being exploited. In the EXIST program, the proportion of female founders has averaged around 20 percent in recent years. This proportion is to be significantly increased in the coming years. The federal government is providing a total of 6.5 million euros for the new program line in 2023. The funding is open to all topics and technologies.

Project progression with EXIST-Women

During the 12-month qualification program in the funding period, the prospective female founders are supported in particular in the development of their entrepreneurial personality and the (further) development of their start-up idea. The funded women receive workplaces at the applicant institution (e.g. in start-up centers, libraries, etc.) as well as the opportunity to use the infrastructure, take part in support and training measures offered both centrally and decentrally by the local start-up network, network with other women in the EXIST Women cohort and regularly exchange ideas with an entrepreneurial mentor with start-up experience. Together with coaches and supporters, the future founders validate their start-up idea, develop a suitable business model and draw up a roadmap for the next steps towards self-employment. This also includes the search for co-founders and questions about follow-up financing, e.g. via a start-up funding program such as the EXIST start-up grant or EXIST research transfer.     Further links:   EXIST-Women EXIST Women Guideline Project progression with EXIST-Women   Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) Project Management Jülich (PtJ)