EXIST

What EXIST does

EXIST is a German federal government startup funding program operated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), established in 1998 and headquartered in Berlin. Its purpose is to support the transition of scientific ideas, research results, and deep tech innovations into market-ready companies, serving students, graduates within five years of graduation, researchers, and founding teams drawn from German universities and non-university research institutions. The program operates a multi-tiered structure: exist Gründungsstipendium (monthly stipends of €1,000–€3,000 over up to 12 months plus coaching and materials budgets), exist Forschungstransfer (up to €250,000 in non-dilutive funding across two phases for research-intensive deep tech, spanning up to 36 months), exist Women (mentoring, qualification, and stipends targeted at female entrepreneurs), exist Modellprojekte (pilot projects covering AI, migration, Africa-Germany exchange, chemistry, and regional industrial transformation), ten exist Startup Factories (regional public-private innovation hubs), and GCCC (visa certification for non-EU founders). Outreach and application handling are routed exclusively through Germany's network of more than 100 university startup networks (Gründungsnetzwerke) and the Startup Factories.

Program implementation is contracted to Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH as project carrier, with strategic guidance from a 16-member expert Advisory Board constituted in March 2022 under Prof. Dr Friederike Welter. Funding is provided by BMWE with co-financing from the European Social Fund. There is no proprietary technology product; EXIST's "platform" is its institutional infrastructure, stipends, grants, coaching budgets, and quality-seal signaling effect. Reported outcome metrics include an 86%+ founding rate among funded teams, ~80% five-year survival rate, and 3,000+ stipends awarded since 2007. Named beneficiaries span AI (Tentris, TalentNet.AI), sustainability / water treatment (Porelio), climate / construction (Co-reactive), HR tech, and chemistry deep tech.

The business model is government expenditure, not revenue generation: EXIST disburses public funds rather than charging customers. Pricing is structured as monthly stipends scaled to applicant qualification (students €1,000/month; vocational graduates €2,000/month; higher-education graduates €2,500/month; doctorate holders €3,000/month) with a €150/month child supplement, €30,000 materials budget per team, and €5,000 coaching budget. Distribution occurs entirely through institutional channels — university startup networks, research transfer offices, ten regional Startup Factories, and international support programs such as GCCC — making the go-to-market community- and sales-led via public-sector intermediaries.

Name

EXIST

Legal name

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE)

Website

https://exist.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EXIST is a German federal government startup funding program, operated by BMWE and implemented by Forschungszentrum Jülich, that provides non-dilutive stipends, coaching, and grants to students, graduates, and researchers spinning out science-based and deep tech ventures from German universities and research institutions, distributed through 100+ university networks and ten regional Startup Factories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Startup Funding Programs

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Government startup funding
• Science-based grants
• Research transfer programs
• University entrepreneurship support
• Deep tech incubation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding Distribution: EXIST is a government expenditure program that provides financial support to science-based startups. It does not generate revenue. The program is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EXIST is a German federal startup funding program that provides non-dilutive grants, stipends, coaching, and mentoring to science-based and research-driven founders from universities and non-university research institutions. It is operated on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and implemented by Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, with co-financing from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Its portfolio spans multiple sub-programs covering early-stage founder scholarships, research-transfer projects, women founders, model projects, and regional startup factories.

Product overview

EXIST is a comprehensive startup funding program by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) that supports the transition of scientific ideas, research results, and deep tech innovations into successful startups. The program operates as a multi-tiered ecosystem comprising: exist Gründungsstipendium (startup grants for early-stage founders), exist Forschungstransfer (research transfer funding for complex deep tech projects), exist Women (female entrepreneurship support), exist Modellprojekte (pilot projects for new approaches including AI, migration, and sustainability), exist Startup Factories (regional innovation hubs), and GCCC (visa support for international teams). The program combines financial support with coaching, mentoring, university infrastructure, and access to Germany's startup ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EXIST Gründungsstipendium: Funding program for students, graduates, and researchers from universities and research institutions in the pre-founding phase
• EXIST Forschungstransfer
• EXIST Women
• EXIST Modellprojekte
• Startup Factories
• GCCC

Products and services

• EXIST Gründerstipendium Non-dilutive scholarship program that supports individual founders and small teams from universities and research institutions in developing their startup ideas, covering living expenses, materials, and coaching costs.
• EXIST Forschungstransfer Grant program that funds the resource-intensive development phase of research-based startup projects, including proof of concept, prototype development, and preparation for market entry.
• EXIST Women Dedicated funding and support program for women scientists and researchers founding technology- or science-based startups from universities and research institutions.
• EXIST Modellprojekte Project funding for universities and research institutions to develop and test innovative model concepts for supporting science-based startups and improving startup culture at higher-education institutions.
• EXIST Startup Factories Program funding regional consortium-based startup factories that bundle support services for science-based founders by linking universities, research institutions, and ecosystem partners.
• EXIST Coaching and Mentoring Services Structured coaching and mentoring support available to founders and startups participating in EXIST funding programs, delivered through partner networks and funded through program grants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86%+ founding rate among funded teams
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SMILE (Leipzig University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2025Leipzig University's startup initiative that supports science-based founding ventures. Provided support to TalentNet.AI before they received the EXIST startup grant.
• The Migrant AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024A model project within the EXIST ecosystem supporting founders with migration backgrounds who want to start companies in Germany. Provides community building, mentoring, workshops, and an accelerator program for knowledge and technology-based startups. Contributes to attracting international talent to Germany's innovation landscape.
• StArfrica (Startup Germany-Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024Connects founding teams from Germany and Africa and facilitates access to respective startup ecosystems, networks, and markets. Supports science-based startup ideas on their path to EXIST founding grants and fosters exchange, market access, and cooperation between both regions.
• WES+ (Women Entrepreneurship in Science)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024Supports women from science, studies, and founding through mentoring, qualification, and strong networks on their path to entrepreneurial independence. The model project connects with universities, companies, investors, and experienced female founders to encourage more women to take entrepreneurial action.
• ChemstarscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024Supports startups in the chemistry and chemistry-related deep tech sector by connecting European founding teams with industry-specific mentoring, industrial partners, investors, and a strong ecosystem. Aims to accelerate the sustainable transformation of the chemical industry.
• Startup Labor SchwedtminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024Brings together startups, universities, and industry to develop innovative solutions for industrial transformation in Schwedt/Oder and test future technologies under real conditions. Startups with sustainable technologies gain access to regional industrial partners, technical infrastructure, expertise, and financing.
• K.I.E.Z. BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024AI model project in Berlin supporting particularly innovative AI startups beyond regular EXIST funding. Part of EXIST's effort to strengthen AI innovation in key German AI regions.
• AI Startup Rising (Darmstadt)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024AI model project in Darmstadt supporting particularly innovative AI startups beyond regular EXIST funding. Connects with Hessian.ai for entrepreneurship support.
• AI + MunichcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024AI model project in Munich supporting particularly innovative AI startups beyond regular EXIST funding. Part of the Munich startup ecosystem initiative.
• boOst Startup-FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures. Part of the flagship competition to significantly increase the number and quality of knowledge-based spin-offs.
• BRYCK Startup AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures. Focus on building high-performing ecosystems for innovation transfer.
• FUTURY - The Future FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures. Focus on industrial transformation and future technologies.
• Gateway FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures.
• GOe FUTUREcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures.
• Impossible FounderscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures.
• JUINcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures.
• NXTGNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures.
• SouthwestXcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures in Southwest Germany.
• ZOHO FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024One of ten Startup Factories creating strong regional innovation hubs for science-based startups and DeepTech ventures.
• Jülich Research Centre (Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH)coreOthers · 21 November 2024Project carrier and administrator for EXIST program. Responsible for project management, coordination with universities and research institutions, and overall program implementation on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UnternehmerTUM: Europe's largest center for business creation at TU Munich, founded and led by EXIST advisory board member Prof. Helmut Schönenberger. Operates university-to-startup programs functionally similar to EXIST's university startup networks at scale.
• High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF): Germany's leading early-stage deep tech investor, co-investing where EXIST-funded companies raise. Frequently referenced in EXIST ecosystem (HTGF's investment manager Dr Marie Asano serves on EXIST advisory board). Most direct deep tech funding peer in Germany.
• Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG): Austria's national funding agency for applied research and startup spin-offs, structurally analogous to EXIST and explicitly benchmarked in EXIST's advisory board (Silvia Laimgruber). Offers spin-off fellowships and incubators (AplusB) comparable to EXIST Gründungsstipendium.
• Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND): German federal innovation agency sponsored by BMWE focused on breakthrough technologies. Operates alongside EXIST as a complementary public funding vehicle for higher-TRL, more disruptive ventures emerging from Germany's research base.
• Helmholtz Association: Germany's largest research organization, with dedicated spin-off support and proof-of-concept programs for Helmholtz researchers. Operates a parallel, but smaller, technology transfer pathway that overlaps with EXIST's research transfer (Forschungstransfer) mandate.
• Max Planck Innovation: Technology transfer office of the Max Planck Society, supporting spin-offs from Max Planck research. Comparable to EXIST's mission of commercializing basic research through licensing and startup creation, with a more research-institute-specific focus.

Broad incumbents

• Bpifrance: France's national public investment bank with deep tech and startup funding programs structurally comparable to EXIST's federal mandate. Functions as the French national equivalent, with much larger AUM and broader product set.
• Innovate UK: UK's national innovation agency funding business-led R&D and innovative ventures. Direct international analogue to EXIST with a similar mission to convert research into commercial ventures through non-dilutive grant funding.
• Israel Innovation Authority: Israel's national agency funding applied R&D and deep tech ventures. Provides comparable grant-based support to research-based startups, with stronger emphasis on technology transfer from defense and academia.

Regional players

• Investitions- und Förderbank Niedersachsen (NBank): One of Germany's state-level development banks that co-funds EXIST-qualified startups through regional programs. Comparable mechanism (public funding + private match) but operates at a single state rather than federal level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAQ9CMBdKVe5Ef9q63jxQCg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bmwe-exist

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments64 records

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Frequently asked questions about EXIST