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Unclaimed
Discovery tool, not advice. Every figure is the published rule, not a decision on your case.
Grants

Start-up Subsidy (for unemployed founders)

Gründungszuschuss

Status

Open continuously

No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.

Always open
Amount
€300

Phase 1 (6 months): the founder's previous Arbeitslosengeld amount plus €300 per month. Phase 2 (9 months): €300 per month towards social security cover. The individual total depends on the founder's ALG I entitlement, so no fixed maximum.

Funder

Bundesagentur für Arbeit

public · national

Deadline: Open all year — Applied for at the point of taking up self-employment, while ALG I entitlement remains.

Your odds
Not published

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.

Effort
major

Major bid — written case, budget, possibly partners.

Who can apply

Requires at least 150 days of remaining ALG I entitlement at start of self-employment (exception for people with disabilities, Sect. 19 SGB III). Discretionary benefit (Ermessensleistung): no legal entitlement; agency must be convinced of success prospects. Phase 2 must be applied for separately with proof of full-time self-employment.

How to apply

  1. Confirm at least 150 days of remaining Arbeitslosengeld entitlement.
  2. Obtain a Tragfähigkeitsbescheinigung from a fachkundige Stelle (IHK, HWK, bank or business consultant) confirming the long-term viability of the business.
  3. Submit the application online through the Bundesagentur für Arbeit portal with the supporting documents. — link
  4. After 6 months, apply for the second phase (€300/month for 9 months).

What you will need

Related reading: How grant deadlines actually work · The EU SME definition (Recommendation 2003/361)

Apply on the funder's site

Source. https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/arbeitslos-arbeit-finden/arbeitslosengeld/gruendungszuschuss-beantragen

"mindestens 150 Tage Anspruch auf Arbeitslosengeld ... Phase 1 (6 Monate): zuletzt erhaltenes Arbeitslosengeld plus 300 Euro; Phase 2 (9 Monate): 300 Euro"

Last checked against the official page on 5 October 2026

Source: www.arbeitsagentur.de

Report an error Something wrong or out of date? Tell us.

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Paid, separate from Unclaimed

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