Note: apply at a participating university or research institution.
Programme overview
Helps women with a first start-up idea at universities and research institutions to develop it, take first steps towards a start-up and prepare follow-on funding such as the EXIST Business Start-up Grant.
Who can apply
Women interested in founding, at a participating German university or research institution; the idea can still be at an early stage.
Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.
How to apply
Find a participating university or research institution and apply there.
During the programme of up to ten months, build an individual start-up roadmap with next steps.
Funding: €2,000 material costs per founder; some participants also receive a stipend of up to 3 months (criteria set by the institution; amount by status).
Prepare a follow-on application, for example EXIST-Gründungsstipendium or EXIST-Forschungstransfer.
✓ Checked against the official call text on 2026-11-15 (exist.de, programme page EXIST Women).
From the call text
Who can apply
Women interested in founding, from participating universities and research institutions; a first idea is enough.
Company stage
Very early: the idea can be at the very beginning; programme of up to ten months.
Single applicant or consortium
Individual participants.
Where applicants must be based
At a participating university or research institution in Germany.
Where to apply
Apply at a participating university or research institution.
Where these facts come from
Fact
Value
How we know
Taken from the source
Deadline
Unknown — not stated in the source we hold
unknown
—
Amount per applicant
€1,000 – €2,500 per applicant “€2,000 material costs per founder; some participants receive a stipend of up to 3 months (€1,000–2,500 per month by status)”
read from the official text
14 Nov 2026
Total budget
Unknown — not stated in the source we hold
unknown
—
Funding rate
Fixed amounts; no co-funding
checked by hand
15 Nov 2026
Who can apply
Women interested in founding, from participating universities and research institutions; a first idea is enough.
checked by hand
15 Nov 2026
Where to apply
Apply at a participating university or research institution.
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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