GründungsBONUS - the funding scheme for innovative founders and start-ups in Berlin

IBB Business Team GmbH provides funding on behalf of the State of Berlin that is aimed at innovative founders and start-ups in Berlin and provides subsidies to cover the costs of developing, implementing and establishing innovative products and services on the market. Funding is provided to companies with their registered office in Berlin which are no older than twelve months at time of application and which have technological, digital, creative or particularly sustainable business models.

You can find the State of Berlin's Terms and Conditions for the GründungsBONUS funding in the Funding Guidelines (pdf - only available in German).

Who can apply for the start-up grant?

This funding scheme is aimed at:

• legally independent, profit-oriented founders;
• start-ups and; 
• small enterprises;

with their registered office in Berlin.

Funding is only provided to companies where the founders hold the majority of shares and exercise key managerial functions.

The company may not be older than twelve months at time of application. The age of the company is determined by the date on which its articles of association were signed, the date on which its application to the commercial register was confirmed, or the date on which the Tax Office approved the application to register as a sole trader.

A sophisticated level of technological innovation is explicitly not a condition for receiving seed capital funding from the GründungsBONUS.

Founders and start-ups in construction, gastronomy, hotels and retail (except mail-order retail) and all sectors which are considered ineligible for funding according to the De Minimis Regulation are not eligible for funding.

What does the funding scheme for founders and start-ups cover?

Grants are provided for initial financing of innovative start-ups whose registered office is in Berlin.

The funding scheme is aimed at companies whose business model is focused on developing and producing applications, products, services, methods or processes that are new or not yet established on the market.

Expenses that can be subsidised are:

• Material and investment costs, including for machines, tools or office equipment;
• Regular business expenses, e.g. for leasing premises, energy, telephone and internet utilities, advertising costs;
• Staff costs (gross employee costs) for founders and CEOs up to a maximum €2,000/month per person (up to max 50% of total funding);
• Third-party services, such as consulting costs;
• IT development costs;
• Costs for securing rights and patent applications, and other related costs.

Only expenditure that has not yet been incurred at time of application can be subsidised. If the costs relate to services, these services may not have begun before the application is submitted.

The share of staff costs may not exceed 50% of the total funding amount.

How much funding is available?

Co-financing is provided for up to 50% of total eligible costs, up to a maximum funding total of €50,000. The total funding amount must be claimed within two years.

Only expenditure that has not yet been incurred at time of application can be subsidised. If the costs relate to services, these services may not have begun before the application is submitted.

The share of staff costs may not exceed 50% of the total funding amount.

Combine the GründungsBONUS with other funding schemes

We have the perfect funding scheme for your start-up, offering diversity and helping you launch and grow your business.

^{Image credits: PeopleImages from iStock // skynesher from iStock // TommL from iStock // fauxels from Pexels}