The prototype scholarship

Berliner Startup Scholarship Women

The Berlin Startup Stipendium Women supports female founders and non-binary people who have a prototype and/or an MVP and are in the process of preparing for market maturity.

The aim of the funding is to establish the company and launch the startup on the market. We are looking for female and non-binary founders who continuously test their ideas in accordance with the Lean Startup Method and develop their products in a user-centered manner.

Program

The scholarships are awarded at the Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR Berlin) and financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the State of Berlin (Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises).

In addition to financial support for the scholarship holders, each scholarship includes the use of the infrastructure of the SIB – Startup Incubator Berlin and the HWR Berlin.

The scholarship also includes support from our internal SIB coaching team, our pool of external advisors, academic mentors from the HWR Berlin and mentors from our business network.

Even before receiving the scholarship, joining our Startup Now program can offer great added value.

The documents should preferably be submitted in German.

  • 1-4 female founders/non-binary persons per team receive 2,200 euros (gross) per month per person for 9 months.

  • The Startup Incubator Berlin provides workstations, a prototype workshop and other infrastructure during the funding period.

  • In addition to the BSS Women scholarship, there is an extra budget per start-up team for external specialist coaching (in coordination with the lead coach).

  • In addition to the BSS Women scholarship, there is an extra budget per start-up team for external specialist coaching (in coordination with the lead coach).

  • Funding focuses on business models that offer solutions to social, economic and ecological problems. In addition to tech and SaaS start-ups, we are increasingly looking to promote the area of social start-ups.

  • As key experts, the potential scholarship holders are significantly involved in the development of the business model, the development of the product or service and the subsequent management.

  • As key experts, the potential scholarship holders are significantly involved in the development of the business model, the development of the product or service and the subsequent management.

  • The business model is foreseeably geared towards sustainable economic success.

  • The company may be not yet founded or not yet economically active on the market.

  • The team is supported by a professor as Mentor*in accompanied. Proof of mentorship must be provided after the pre-selection.

  • The female founders preferably have a university degree.

  • The founders work full-time on their start-up project, mainly on site (SIB Co-Working Space) at the workplace provided.

  • We are particularly pleased to welcome applicants from the HWR Berlin.

  • The place of residence (registration address) of all eligible female founders is in Berlin.

  • Female founders who have already received a Berlin start-up grant from another provider or the EXIST start-up grant are unfortunately excluded from participation.

From A to Z

Your path to funding

For the scholarship start on March 1, 2025, see timeline below. Please check our website and social media channels for current dates.

Application process

Timeline

Online info events:

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Application

Monday, December 2, 2024 until Sunday, January 26, 2025

Application BSS Women

Deadline for uploading application documents:

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Examination of incoming applications:

until Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Notification of the result of the pre-selection/admission to the pitch:

Monday, February 3, 2025

Selection pitch in front of the jury:

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Notification of the final decision on funding:

Friday, February 14, 2025

Mentor-Matching:

Individual consulting

Signing of the contracts:

until Friday, February 28, 2025

Scholarship phase:

March 1, to October 31, 2025

Start of the scholarship at SIB:

Saturday, March 1, 2025

FAQ

Question and Answers

No, if you have engaged in any form of a previous registered business activity, it is no longer possible to receive the scholarship.

The scholarship recipients preferably have a university degree. The BSS is a full-time scholarship, a grantee can not maintain any study or work engagement parallel to the scholarship.

In the course of the application process, each team should search for a mentor from the HWR. The SIB team supports applicants in this process if necessary. The search for the mentor can only commence after the pre-selection of the applications for the pitch.

No. For the Berlin Startup Scholarship it doesn’t matter in which year you have finished your degree.

The application documents should preferably be submitted in German, since the project language is German. By prior arrangement, the documents can be completed in English, but there are no English application forms. The pitch in front of the selection jury can be held in English or German. And most events and workshops at the SIB are held in English.

The scholarship is paid out as a gross amount. The fulfillment of legal obligations (taxes, social security contributions, health insurance, etc.) that may arise as a result of the scholarship is the responsibility of the scholarship recipient. If you have any questions, we strongly recommend that you contact your responsible tax office as early as possible.

If you want to know about your Visa requirements, watch our video for helpful hints.

Scholarship and Visa

Until January 26, 2025

Funded by