GründungsBONUS Plus

GründungsBONUS Plus is a grant from the State of Berlin that funds innovative and sustainable start-ups in their early stages. Administered by IBB Business Team GmbH, this program provides up to 50% cost subsidies on eligible expenses—including rent, salaries, IT, materials, and patent costs—up to a maximum of €50,000 over two years.

Eligible businesses must be legally independent, profit-oriented, based in Berlin, and no more than 18 months old at the time of application. The program targets technological, digital, creative, and socially innovative business models. Founders must hold a majority shareholding and exercise significant management functions.

Sectors such as construction, hotels, and unmodified retail are excluded.

Berlin start-up subsidy - IBB Business Team GmbH You can access the electronic application system here GründungsBONUS Plus - the funding programme for innovative and sustainable start-ups in Berlin The funding programme offered by IBB Business Team GmbH on behalf of the state of Berlin is aimed at new businesses and start-ups in Berlin and provides a cost subsidy for the development, implementation and market establishment of innovative and sustainable products and services.

Funding is available for technological, digital, creative or social business models based in Berlin. The focus is on forward-looking concepts with ecological, economic or social innovation that are no more than eighteen months old at the time of application.

Decisive for this are, for example, the date of signing the articles of association, the confirmation date of the business registration or the date of confirmation from the tax office regarding the registration of the freelance activity. Innovative start-ups are at the centre of the funding. If the innovative strength is not completely convincing, outstanding sustainable approaches and practices can compensate for this.

The provisions of the state of Berlin regarding the GründungsBONUS Plus funding programme can be found in the funding guidelines (pdf - only available in German) . Up to 50 % cost subsidy for setting up your business in Berlin Ambitious start-up projects require courage, a solid business plan, a good idea and often also initial financing.

GründungsBONUS Plus supports founders for up to two years by covering up to 50% of the total eligible costs - up to a maximum of 50,000 euros. This means that, for example, rent, salaries, material costs, IT and patent costs for promising start-ups can be subsidised. Who can apply for the start-up grant?

The funding programme is aimed at legally independent, profit-orientated founders, commercially active social enterprises (more than 50% of revenue is not derived from state subsidies or payments from social insurance institutions) Only companies in which the founders hold a majority shareholding and in which they themselves exercise significant management functions are eligible for funding.

At the time of application, the company must not be older than eighteen months. Decisive for this are, for example, the date of signing the articles of association, the confirmation date of the business registration or the date of confirmation from the tax office regarding the registration of the freelance activity.

A high level of technological innovation is expressly not a condition for initial financial support from GründungsBONUS Plus. Excluded from funding are start-ups in the construction industry and all sectors that are not eligible for funding under the de minimis regulation.

The catering and hotel sectors are also excluded, unless there is an innovation aimed at ecological business management, sustainable food sources or energy efficiency. The retail sector is also excluded from funding, unless companies have developed innovative approaches, such as the sale of sustainable products or a sustainable mail order business.

Funding focus on technological, digital, creative and sustainable business models GründungsBONUS Plus is primarily aimed at promising and innovative business models. The funding focus is on start-up projects based on technological, digital, creative or particularly sustainable business models. A sophisticated level of technological innovation is expressly not a condition for initial funding support through GründungsBONUS Plus.

What does the funding programme for start-ups subsidise? The initial financing of innovative and sustainable start-ups and start-ups based in Berlin is subsidised. The funding programme is aimed at companies whose business model relates to the development, production and market launch or establishment of innovative and sustainable products, applications, services, methods or processes.

The eligible expenses include Material and investment costs for machinery, materials or office equipment, among other things, ongoing operating expenses, e.g. for room rental, electricity, telephone & internet, advertising costs, Personnel costs (gross employee costs), for founders and managing directors max.

EUR 2,000/month per person, External services such as consultancy costs, Costs for IT development, costs for securing rights and patent applications and other associated costs. Only expenses that have not yet been incurred at the time of application will be subsidised. If the costs relate to services, these services must not have been started before the application is submitted.

The share of personnel costs may not exceed 50% of the total funding amount. How much funding is available? The amount of partial funding is up to 50% of the total eligible costs with a maximum funding volume of EUR 50,000.

The total funding amount must be incurred within two years. Only expenditure that has not yet been incurred at the time of application will be subsidised. If the costs relate to services, these services must not have been started before the application is submitted.

Please submit your application for GründungsBONUS Plus funding using the electronic application and management system. You can enter all the relevant information there. The system also provides a convenient document management tool.

Please observe the mandatory eligibility criteria and necessary documents! Please note that applications can only be submitted in German. Please familiarise yourself with the eligibility criteria and necessary documents (only available in German) before applying!

Mo, Di & Do, Fr: 10:00 - 15:00 Uhr gruendungsbonus@ibb-business-team.

de Eligibility criteria and application process at a glance (only available in German) Go to electronic application system (in German) Download funding guidelines (pdf - only available in German) Combine the GründungsBONUS Plus with other funding schemes We have the perfect funding scheme for your start-up, offering diversity and helping you launch and grow your business.

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