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AVGS start-up coaching · Schwerin

Start Your Business for Free with AVGS Coaching in Schwerin

Do you receive unemployment benefit I (ALG I) or basic income support (Grundsicherungsgeld, formerly Bürgergeld) and want to become self-employed? We support you online with your business plan, financial planning and AVGS application – after written approval, with no personal contribution.

€0

Personal contribution after written approval

500+

Start-ups

4.9 stars

on Google

Since 2018

Experience

  • AVGS program through the AZAV-certified provider UW Unternehmensweg GmbH
  • 100% online & nationwide
  • Personal support instead of an anonymous platform
  • Free & non-binding
  • Reply within 24 hours
  • No obligation
Pavel Deuble, start-up and business consultant
Pavel Deuble, AVGS coaching in Schwerin

4.9 stars

5 out of 5 stars

65 Google reviews

since 2018

Start-ups supported

What Is AVGS Coaching in Schwerin?

AVGS coaching in Schwerin is start-up coaching that you use with an Activation and Placement Voucher (Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, AVGS, § 45 SGB III) from the Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or Jobcenter responsible for Schwerin. Once approved in writing, it comes with no personal contribution. The voucher is a discretionary benefit (Ermessensleistung). The program is delivered online by the AZAV-certified UW Unternehmensweg GmbH (Z-000392-2); the initial consultation (30 minutes) is free of charge.

Qualifications & experience

Your project in experienced hands.

Our credentials and track record at a glance.

4.88 / 5

92 reviews on ProvenExpert

As of October 2026

750+

business plans written

Since 2018

Provider approval

AZAV-approved provider

UW Unternehmensweg GmbH, our sister company

AZAV provider approval Z-000392-2

What does this mean for you?

AVGS programs may only be delivered by approved providers. Our sister company UW Unternehmensweg GmbH, Leverkusen, takes care of this.

Our service

KfW financing support

We put together the documents for your loan application, which your house bank forwards to KfW, and prepare you for the bank meeting.

In practice: Since 2018 we have written more than 750 business plans. 99% of the start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss) applications we supported were approved (internally documented). The start-up grant is a discretionary benefit under § 93 SGB III; the Employment Agency decides on approval.

Track record & funding notes

AVGS programs through the AZAV-certified provider UW Unternehmensweg GmbH

4.88 out of 5 on ProvenExpert

Based on 92 reviews on ProvenExpert (as of October 2026).

4.9 Avg. Google rating
65 Google reviews
750 + projects supported
500 + start-ups since 2018

Your benefits

Why Choose Unternehmenswerk for Your AVGS Coaching in Schwerin?

100% funded after written approval

With an AVGS voucher you pay no personal contribution at all.

AZAV-certified

Programs through the certified UW Unternehmensweg GmbH (Z-000392-2).

500+ approved applications

A proven track record from supporting founders since 2018.

Personal support

A dedicated team of consultants instead of an anonymous hotline, personally for you.

BAFA-registered

Pavel Deuble, consultant ID 191790

100% online

Via Zoom or Teams, with no travel and at flexible times that suit you.

Since 2018

Experience you can trust.

How it works

AVGS Coaching in Schwerin: How Does It Work?

If you receive unemployment benefit I (ALG I) in Schwerin and are planning to become self-employed, you can apply for an Activation and Placement Voucher (AVGS) at the Jobcenter or the Employment Agency in Schwerin. Funded coaching in five steps:

Pavel Deuble explains a business plan on a whiteboard – AVGS coaching in Schwerin
1

Apply for the AVGS

Submit your AVGS application to the Jobcenter or the Employment Agency in Schwerin (main office: Mendelejewstraße 20, 19063 Schwerin).

2

Receive the voucher

If approved, you receive a voucher for up to 120 teaching units, 100% funded after written approval.

3

Choose a provider

Redeem the voucher with an AZAV-certified provider, for example UW Unternehmensweg GmbH (provider certificate Z-000392-2).

4

Get coached online

We deliver the coaching entirely online: business plan, financial plan, marketing, via Zoom or Teams, at flexible times.

5

Secure the start-up grant

With a finished business plan and an expert opinion (fachkundige Stellungnahme), you apply for the start-up grant.

Who is it for?

Am I Eligible for an AVGS?

In 3 short steps, check whether you meet the requirements for an AVGS.

Your 3-step check

Non-binding

1

Do you receive ALG I or basic income support (Grundsicherungs­geld, formerly Bürgergeld)?

Unemployment benefit I or basic income support (ALG II)

Yes No
2

Are you planning to become self-employed?

You have a business idea or want to start a business.

Yes No
3

Does your placement specialist see a need for counseling?

The specialist decides this in the conversation.

Yes No

Not sure? Don’t worry. In the free initial consultation we clarify your situation and answer all your questions.

Personal AVGS start-up consulting in conversation at Unternehmenswerk

The AVGS is a discretionary benefit, not a legal entitlement.

We support you personally and as equals.

Check first, then apply. We support you.

We check your eligibility free of charge and without obligation in the initial consultation.

Local expertise

Schwerin: A Strong Location for Your Start-Up

Central location, strong industries, and good networks: Schwerin offers ideal conditions for your self-employment. We support you throughout, entirely online.

approx. 98,000 inhabitants
4 strong industries
500+ approved applications
100% AVGS-funded after written approval
Schwerin – AVGS coaching and start-up consulting on site

Photo: Pengchar · CC BY-SA 4.0

Schwerin, Germany’s smallest state capital, on Lake Schwerin (Schweriner See), is the administrative, services, and tourism center of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The local economy is shaped by the public sector and state administration, by tourism and hospitality around the palace and the lake landscape, and by the healthcare and social sector, with the Helios Kliniken as a major employer. There is also a growing IT and creative sector, skilled trades and commerce, as well as educational institutions such as the Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit (the Federal Employment Agency’s university of applied sciences) and the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (university of applied sciences for small and medium-sized businesses). Pavel Deuble and his nationwide team have supported many founders from Schwerin in these industries, entirely online and regardless of location.

Food & beverage industry

In the Schwerin industrial park (Industriepark), Nestlé operates Europe’s largest plant for Nescafé Dolce Gusto capsules, complemented by manufacturers of plant-based milk alternatives such as Mona Sojaland.

Healthcare industry & medical technology

The Helios Kliniken Schwerin as a major care provider (Schwerpunktversorger) and a growing cluster of medical technology companies are among the city’s most important growth industries.

Plastics & mechanical engineering

Manufacturing companies such as the reusable packaging maker Schoeller Allibert shape the industrial location around the 350-hectare Schwerin industrial park.

Administration & tourism

As the state capital of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schwerin is an important location for public administration, while Schwerin Palace (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) supports tourism and hospitality.

We support founders in Schwerin and the surrounding area, including Wismar, Ludwigslust, Hagenow, and Parchim, entirely online and regardless of location.

Trade tax in Schwerin: municipal multiplier of 458%

The city of Schwerin levies trade tax (Gewerbesteuer) at a municipal multiplier (Hebesatz) of 458% (as of 2026, source: State Capital Schwerin). The multiplier determines how much trade tax is due on your profit and therefore belongs in every financial plan.

Sole proprietorships and partnerships have an allowance of €24,500 of profit per year. The tax office (Finanzamt) also credits a large part of the trade tax against income tax, up to 4.0 times the tax base amount (§ 35 EStG). Freelancers, such as physicians, architects, or journalists, do not pay trade tax.

Example calculation with €60,000 profit per year

  • Sole proprietorship: €5,691 trade tax. Up to €4,970 of this can be credited against income tax, leaving an additional burden of around €721.
  • GmbH (limited liability company; no allowance, no credit): €9,618 trade tax.

Simplified calculation without add-backs, solidarity surcharge, and church tax; the credit is also limited to the income tax attributable to business income. This does not replace tax advice. In your business plan we calculate with your municipality’s multiplier. Which legal form makes financial sense for you is shown by the legal form finder (Rechtsform-Finder).

Apply for the AVGS

Your Point of Contact in Schwerin

Where you apply for your AVGS depends on your benefit: ALG I recipients go to the Employment Agency; people receiving basic income support go to the Jobcenter Schwerin.

Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) & Jobcenter Schwerin

For ALG I

Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) Schwerin

Mendelejewstraße 20
19063 Schwerin

0800 4555500

For basic income support (ALG II)

Jobcenter Schwerin

Mendelejewstr. 24
19063 Schwerin

Important: Issuing the AVGS is at the discretion of your caseworker. In-person visits are by appointment only. We prepare you flexibly online for the conversation.

30 minutes before your AVGS appointment: just for you

In the free initial consultation we clarify together:

  • What do you need to tell your caseworker?
  • Which documents do you need?
  • How do you make a convincing case at the appointment?

Online via Zoom or by phone, at flexible times that suit you.

Local overview

Advice & Contact Points for Founders in Schwerin

If you start a business in Schwerin, you have several official contact points: from funding to registration to tax registration. Here is an overview of who is responsible for what.

Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) Schwerin

Mendelejewstraße 20, 19063 Schwerin
0800 4555500
  • Start-up advice for recipients of unemployment benefit I
  • Start-up grant (discretionary benefit under § 93 SGB III)
  • AVGS voucher for start-up coaching & business plan
  • Establishment number (Betriebsnummer) and voluntary unemployment insurance

Jobcenter Schwerin

Mendelejewstr. 24, 19063 Schwerin
  • Start-up advice for recipients of basic income support (ALG II)
  • Entry allowance (Einstiegsgeld) under § 16b SGB II
  • AVGS voucher for start-up coaching & business plan

Tax Office (Finanzamt) Schwerin

  • Tax registration (questionnaire for tax registration)
  • Issuing of the tax number and, if applicable, the VAT ID
  • Tip: tax questions are best clarified with a tax advisor

Trade Office (Gewerbeamt) of the City of Schwerin

  • Business registration (trade license)
  • Fees usually around €20–60 depending on the legal form (as of 2026)
  • Freelancers register directly with the tax office, not the trade office

Economic Development Agency (Wirtschaftsförderung) Schwerin

  • Guides you through the start-up process and connects you with contact persons
  • Information on regional funding and networking opportunities

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK)

  • Contact for commerce, services, and hospitality
  • Checks permit requirements, offers start-up seminars
  • Can issue expert opinions for the start-up grant

Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer, HWK)

  • Contact for craft start-ups (register of craftsmen, Handwerksrolle)
  • Clarifies the master craftsman requirement or whether the trade is exempt from licensing
  • Offers start-up seminars

We take care of navigating these offices for you.

Expert opinion, bankable business plan, and preparation for the Employment Agency, Jobcenter, or bank: through AVGS coaching in Schwerin, 100% funded after written approval.

Pavel Deuble, start-up consultant

Personally for you

Your Contact in Schwerin

Pavel Deuble · Start-up consultant & owner of Unternehmenswerk

Pavel supports founders nationwide: BAFA-registered (consultant ID 191790), AZAV programs through the sister company UW Unternehmensweg GmbH, and more than 500 approved applications since 2018. Personal, structured, and entirely online.

Personal 1:1 support

Nationwide for Schwerin

Practical & results-oriented

100% online & regardless of location

My goal: to guide you safely and in a structured way into self-employment, with clarity, experience, and a plan that fits you.

Book an appointment with Pavel

Get started

Your First Step to a Successful Start-Up

Clarity in 30 minutes: we answer your questions about AVGS, funding, and starting a business, 100% free and non-binding. Online.

Free initial consultation

  • Your AVGS eligibility
  • The best application process
  • How to convince your caseworker

Pavel Deuble & team

more than 500 successfully approved applications

AVGS coaching through an AZAV provider

  • AZAV-certified: UW Unternehmensweg GmbH
  • “Businessweg” – start-up coaching (120 teaching units)
  • “JobWeg” – applicant & job coaching (80 teaching units)
30 minutes

Clarity for
your start

100% online

via Zoom or by phone

Flexible

evenings also possible

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions About AVGS Coaching in Schwerin

Which office in Schwerin is responsible for my AVGS?

That depends on your benefit. If you receive ALG I, the Employment Agency in Schwerin is responsible (Mendelejewstraße 20, 19063 Schwerin; phone 0800 4555500). If you receive basic income support (ALG II), the Jobcenter Schwerin is your point of contact (Mendelejewstr. 24, 19063 Schwerin). In both cases your caseworker decides on the AVGS. In-person visits are only possible by appointment; we prepare you flexibly online for the conversation.

Where do I find AZAV-certified providers in Schwerin?

You can find an official list of AZAV-certified providers in the KURSNET of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). We, UW Unternehmensweg GmbH, are an AZAV-certified provider (provider certificate Z-000392-2, area 1) based in Leverkusen that offers AVGS programs nationwide. Our programs are delivered entirely online, flexibly and without travel. We offer two programs: “Businessweg” (Z-000482-2) for start-up coaching and “JobWeg” (Z-001366-3) for applicant & job coaching.

How long does AVGS approval take in Schwerin?

The approval time depends on your caseworker and the current workload of the Employment Agency in Schwerin. It typically takes 2–4 weeks from application to approval. For well-prepared applications with a clear rationale and a viable concept, the approval rate is considerably higher. We prepare you for the conversation with your caseworker, online and at flexible times that suit you.

What is special about the start-up scene in Schwerin?

Schwerin, Germany’s smallest state capital, on Lake Schwerin (Schweriner See), is the administrative, services, and tourism center of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The local economy is shaped by the public sector and state administration, by tourism and hospitality around the palace and the lake landscape, and by the healthcare and social sector, with the Helios Kliniken as a major employer. There is also a growing IT and creative sector, skilled trades and commerce, as well as educational institutions such as the Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit (the Federal Employment Agency’s university of applied sciences) and the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (university of applied sciences for small and medium-sized businesses). Pavel Deuble and his nationwide team have supported many founders from Schwerin in these industries, entirely online and regardless of location.

Who gets an AVGS voucher?

Primarily ALG I recipients whose caseworker sees a need for counseling get an AVGS. People receiving basic income support (ALG II) can also receive an AVGS in certain cases. Issuing the AVGS is at the caseworker’s discretion; there is no legal entitlement to start-up coaching. Important: you must apply for the AVGS BEFORE the counseling begins, otherwise later funding is not possible.

How much does AVGS coaching cost?

With an AVGS voucher: 100% funded after written approval, so you pay nothing at all. The costs are billed entirely through your activation voucher. If you do not receive an AVGS, there are alternative routes: BAFA-funded consulting with a reduced personal contribution, or self-pay consulting. In the free initial consultation we clarify which route fits your situation.

How long does AVGS coaching take?

AVGS coaching comprises up to 120 teaching units (UE), spread over 2–6 months. The exact number is stated in your AVGS voucher. We align the schedule flexibly with your availability, for example 2–3 sessions per week of 90 minutes, online via Zoom or Teams. Content: business plan, financial plan, marketing, and preparing the start-up grant application.

What is the difference between the AVGS and the start-up grant?

The AVGS is a COUNSELING voucher for coaching (for example start-up coaching). The start-up grant is direct FINANCIAL support for your living costs during the start-up phase (6 months of ALG I plus €300 per month). The two can be combined: AVGS coaching can be exactly the way to prepare your start-up grant application professionally.

AVGS Coaching in Neighboring Cities

From our practice

Successful Start-Ups We Have Supported

Three start-ups out of more than 500 supported applications. Each with a real name and verifiable. From AVGS coaching with a BAFA follow-up, to the start-up grant with financing, to the KfW start-up loan: depending on your starting position, we find the right path. And we support not only start-ups but also existing businesses with business plans and financing.

Christian Szymanski, Second Stage GmbH

Christian Szymanski

  • Second Stage GmbH
  • Berlin
Start-up grant + business plan

Starting point

Christian and his two co-founders were unemployed and wanted to start a digital marketing agency for the gaming industry. For the start-up grant they needed a convincing business plan.

What we did

We refined the existing business plan, formulated the business idea precisely, and covered all aspects of the start-up, quickly and to the point.

Result

All three founders received the start-up grant. Second Stage GmbH has launched successfully as an agency for digital marketing solutions.

Annika Dahl, HR consulting & recruiting

Annika Dahl

  • HR consulting & recruiting
  • Berlin
Start-up grant + business plan

Starting point

Annika brought many years of experience in recruiting and talent acquisition and wanted to become self-employed, focusing on sales and business positions at international, fast-growing tech companies. To get started, financial security through the start-up grant was important to her.

What we did

After a disappointing experience with another coaching provider, she came to us on a recommendation. We created a solid, comprehensible business plan, with a particular focus on reliable calculations and the financial aspects.

Result

Start-up grant approved, a decisive step into her self-employment as a recruitment consultant in Berlin.

Peter Baldowski

  • IT consulting
  • Bremen
Start-up grant + business plan

Starting point

Peter brought many years of experience as an IT specialist and manager, but no practical experience with professional business plans. The Employment Agency had to be convinced of his eligibility for the start-up grant.

What we did

We quickly and directly created a convincing business plan and clarified all open questions on management, marketing, and financial planning.

Result

Start-up grant approved. Peter was able to start his IT consulting on a solid financial footing, smoothly and promptly.

What these start-ups have in common:

  • Early planning: at least 6–8 weeks lead time
  • Systematic preparation of business plan + financial plan
  • Active support until approval through the right funding route
  • A one-person start-up becomes a scalable brand
4.9

Google

65 reviews

4.88

ProvenExpert

92 reviews

5.0

UW Unternehmensweg GmbH

37 reviews

Video testimonials

First-Hand Experiences

See how founders experienced the path to funded self-employment, with real names and verifiable on request.

5 out of 5 stars

4.9 / 5 · 65 Google reviews

In 30 minutes we answer all your questions, free of charge and without obligation.

Knowledge that helps

The Most Important Articles for Your Application

Your Next Step into Self-Employment

We check your AVGS eligibility in Schwerin free of charge and show you how to submit your application successfully.

Free initial consultation

Non-binding & approx. 30 minutes

100% flexible

Online via Zoom or by phone

Personal support

No call center, but real consultants

Reply within 24 hours

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