EXIST-Women
Open continuously
No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.
"Sachmittel in Höhe von 2.000 €" per participant, plus an optional stipend for up to 3 months: students €1,000, with completed vocational training €2,000, graduates €2,500, doctorate holders €3,000, plus €150 per child per month. The programme runs roughly 10 months including mentoring, workshops and network access.
Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), operated by Projektträger Jülich
public · national
Deadline: rolling — Participation is via a university or research institution that runs an EXIST-Women cohort; timings set by each institution.
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Moderate — a form and supporting documents.
Who can apply
- micro enterprises
- Stage: idea, pre_seed
- Female founders
Targets "Studentinnen, Absolventinnen, Wissenschaftlerinnen" at universities and research institutions with an interest in founding and an initial business concept. Universities and research institutions are the formal applicants.
How to apply
- Find a participating university or research institution ("Antragsberechtigt sind Hochschulen und Forschungseinrichtungen"). — link
- Apply to that institution's EXIST-Women cohort with an initial business concept.
- Take part in the ~10-month programme: mentoring by the Gründungsnetzwerk, workshops and the online platform; receive Sachmittel and, if granted, the stipend.
What you will need
- Initial business concept / idea description
- Proof of status as student, graduate or researcher at the institution
Source. https://exist.de/programm/women/ — checked 2026-08-14
"Sachmittel in Höhe von 2.000 € […] Antragsberechtigt sind Hochschulen und Forschungseinrichtungen"