Start-Up Grant in Berlin

How High Is the Start-Up Grant in Berlin?

The amount is set nationwide and does not depend on location: in phase 1 (6 months) you receive your last ALG I rate plus €300 per month, in phase 2 (up to 9 more months) only the €300. Over 15 months this adds up to around €13,500 to roughly €20,000.

Requirements for the Start-Up Grant

• Receipt of unemployment benefit I (not basic income support (Grundsicherungsgeld, formerly Bürgergeld) / ALG II)
• At least 150 days of ALG I entitlement still remaining when you start the business
• Self-employment as your main occupation (at least 15 hours/week)
• Personal and professional suitability
• Viable business plan with a reliable financial plan
• Expert opinion from a qualified body (fachkundige Stelle)

You will find all details, example calculations of the amount, and the complete process in the start-up grant guide. Do you receive basic income support instead of ALG I? Then in Berlin the entry allowance (Einstiegsgeld) from the Jobcenter may be an option.

Start-Up Grant in Berlin: Your Employment Agency

Berlin is divided among three Employment Agencies. The one responsible is the agency at your place of residence, not the one at your future business location.

• Employment Agency Berlin Mitte, Charlottenstraße 87-90, 10969 Berlin
• Employment Agency Berlin Nord, Königin-Elisabeth-Straße 49, 14059 Berlin
• Employment Agency Berlin Süd, Sonnenallee 282, 12057 Berlin

The service number 0800 4555500 is toll-free. The postal addresses differ from the visitor addresses; for letters, use the postal address of your agency.

Tell your placement specialist about your plan before you begin the self-employed activity. The start-up grant is a discretionary benefit under § 93 SGB III: even if all requirements are met, the agency decides case by case, and there is no legal entitlement. The three Berlin agencies work under the same nationwide rules but differ in appointment availability and processing time. Therefore, build in a buffer as long as your remaining ALG I entitlement is still well above 150 days.

Which of the three agencies and which Jobcenter in your district can give you a voucher for start-up coaching is explained on our page AVGS coaching in Berlin.

Qualified Bodies in Berlin

The law expressly names chambers of commerce and industry (Industrie- und Handelskammern), chambers of crafts (Handwerkskammern), professional chambers, trade associations, and credit institutions as qualified bodies. For Berlin, these are mainly:

• Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Berlin, Fasanenstraße 85, 10623 Berlin
• Chamber of Crafts Berlin, Blücherstraße 68, 10961 Berlin

The usual process: you submit your business plan, a financial plan with revenue, profitability, and liquidity planning, your résumé, and proof of qualifications. The body checks viability, asks follow-up questions or invites you to a conversation, and then issues the opinion. Depending on workload, allow from a few working days up to several weeks; depending on the body, a fee may apply.

The list in the law is not exhaustive. Tax advisors, banks, trade associations, and business consulting firms can also be considered qualified bodies. Clarify in advance with your agency which body it accepts. We prepare your documents so that the body can review them without requesting additional material.

In Berlin, the IHK charges €70 plus VAT for the expert opinion; according to its information sheet, the Chamber of Crafts issues it free of charge for craft start-ups.

Regional Funding Alongside the Start-Up Grant

The start-up grant is intended to cover your living expenses. For the project itself, Berlin has its own state program through the Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), Bundesallee 210, 10719 Berlin:

• GründungsBONUS Plus: non-repayable grant of 50 percent of the eligible start-up costs, up to €50,000, as de minimis aid. Eligible to apply are start-ups based in Berlin that are no more than 18 months old at the time of application and pursue a technological, digital, creative, or social business model. Eligible costs include investments, ongoing operating expenses, personnel costs, and consulting costs; funds are paid out on an expense reimbursement basis in up to four tranches. Applications are submitted electronically to IBB Business Team GmbH. You can read what the program funds in detail and how we support you with the application on our page on the GründungsBONUS Plus Berlin.

The former IBB program for consulting fees has been discontinued. Consulting costs are now eligible under the GründungsBONUS Plus; after the business has been founded, BAFA consulting funding may also be considered, in Berlin with a 50 percent grant.

Before you apply, clarify with the body concerned whether a program can be combined with the start-up grant.

Two Examples From Berlin

The following examples are typical situations from our consulting practice. They are constructed and do not reflect individual clients. The Employment Agency decides on approval in each individual case.

Software and digital services. A developer loses her job at a Berlin software company and wants to build an analytics tool for small online shops. She still has eight months of ALG I entitlement and two former clients as pilot customers. The financial plan has to show when pilot projects turn into recurring license revenue and what she lives on in the first nine months. For the expert opinion, market definition and price calculation are the critical points.

Creative industries. A communication designer continues working for two regular clients after his agency job ends and wants to become self-employed as his main occupation. He rents a spot in a coworking studio and buys camera and lighting equipment. Two questions are decisive: do the day rates hold up at a realistic 15 billable days per month, and how can he overcome the dependence on one major client. For the purchases, he checks whether a development loan is cheaper than using his own funds.