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Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) — EXIST · Germany

EXIST Transfer of Research (EXIST-Forschungstransfer)

Programme — check the current round

Note: applications through a German university or research institution.

Programme overview

Supports particularly demanding, research-based deep-tech start-up projects with high technical risk. Phase I funds technology development and preparing the company at the university; phase II supports the newly founded company.

Who can apply

The project must be based at a German university or research institution, and the company must not be founded during phase I. Pure validation of research results or general feasibility studies are not funded.

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

How to apply

1. Contact your start-up network or transfer office early; the institution submits the application.
2. Plan phase I (technology and business model, company not yet founded) and the follow-on phase II.
3. Check the current application windows and documents on exist.de.

✓ Checked against the official call text on 2026-11-15 (exist.de, programme page EXIST-Forschungstransfer).

From the call text

Who can apply

Technology-oriented start-up projects from universities and research institutions with high technical risk and demanding R&D (deep tech).

Company stage

Phase I: technology development and preparation of the company, which must not yet be founded; phase II follows for the founded company.

Single applicant or consortium

Research team at the institution.

Where applicants must be based

The project is based at a university or research institution in Germany.

Where to apply

The university or research institution submits the application.

Where these facts come from

Official sources

Official call page · EXIST Transfer of Research

The application guidance on this page was checked by hand against the official call text on 15 Nov 2026; other facts were taken from the source on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.

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