Startup grants closing soon in Germany — 2026

Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen (SPRIND)

Amount not published

Hessisches Ministerium für Digitalisierung und Innovation

Amount not published

Hessisches Ministerium für Digitalisierung und Innovation

Amount not published

Hessisches Ministerium für Digitalisierung und Innovation

Amount not published

Projected from the months this call usually opens — not a date the funder has confirmed.

Projected from the months this call usually opens — not a date the funder has confirmed.

Rolling. Note that BFB Frühphasenfonds Brandenburg GmbH is listed by ILB as 'i. L.' (in liquidation) — confirm which vehicle is currently investing before relying on this record.

Run as periodic Projektaufrufe (calls for project carriers) under the ESF+ 2021–2027 period; a further round was announced by the Berlin Senate in 2026. Watch IBB and stipendium.berlin for the next incubator intake.

Semi-annual rounds with funding starting on 1 April and 1 October; applications must be submitted before each round's deadline and are selected competitively.

Status depends on the annual federal budget. Check the BMWE and BAFA pages and the game industry association (game - Verband der deutschen Games-Branche) for the current intake. Regional games funds in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg and Berlin-Brandenburg remain separate and continue to run.

Project outlines (Skizzen) on 15 March and 15 September; full applications on 1 August and 1 February respectively.

Follows Phase 1; same twice-yearly submission rhythm (outlines 15 March / 15 September).

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Project outlines (Projektskizzen) can be submitted continuously; the evaluation cut-off dates are 15 April and 15 October each year.

Annual or biannual themed calls across healthcare, life science and electronics

Pause announced as temporary due to backlog; no resumption date published. Monitor gruendungsstipendium.nrw for the restart of jury sessions.

Exposé deadlines 15 March, 15 June, 15 September and 15 December; corresponding formal application deadlines 1 May, 1 August, 1 November and 1 February. Current Gründungsrichtlinie dated 3 January 2026; co-financed by the EU (ESF Plus).

Application stop in force since 7 July 2026, 12:00. BMWE states that lifting the suspension is targeted for early 2027 ('Anfang 2027'), subject to funds being available in the 2027 federal budget.

Explicitly exempted from the ZIM application stop of 7 July 2026: applications involving international partners under bilateral/multilateral calls are still accepted.

Application stop in force since 7 July 2026, 12:00. BMWE states that lifting the suspension is targeted for early 2027 ('Anfang 2027'), subject to funds being available in the 2027 federal budget.

Application stop in force since 7 July 2026, 12:00. BMWE states that lifting the suspension is targeted for early 2027 ('Anfang 2027'), subject to funds being available in the 2027 federal budget.