Tool · Financial planning
Calculate Your Capital Requirements
How much capital do you need for your start-up? Enter your figures. The calculator determines the total capital requirement and the debt capital requirement for your development loan.
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Start-up consultant & BAFA-registered business consultant
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Capital requirements calculator
Non-binding estimate, not a financing commitment. Your individual financial plan is what counts. It is best to carry the figures over into the financial plan template. As of June 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Capital Requirements
What belongs in the capital requirements?
Investments (e.g., equipment, machines, goods), one-time incidental start-up costs, the running costs and your private living expenses for the start-up phase, as well as a liquidity buffer for the unexpected.
How large should the liquidity buffer be?
As a rule of thumb, several months’ worth of costs as a reserve. The more uncertain the revenue planning, the higher it should be. The buffer prevents short-term bottlenecks from endangering your start-up.
What is the debt capital requirement?
The part of the capital requirement that you do not cover from equity and therefore finance through loans or development loans, such as the KfW StartGeld of up to €200,000.