Start?Zuschuss! 23rd Competition (2026/2027 funding round)

About

A Bavarian state grant competition supports early-stage digital and technology startups with one year of 50% cost funding up to €36,000, subject to jury selection.

Benefits

• 💰Grant funding
• 50% of eligible expenses, capped at €36,000, for a one-year funding period, provided under the De-minimis Regulation.
• 📊Eligible cost coverage
  Eligible expenses include personnel, rent, product market launch, and research and development.
• 🏆Competitive selection
  Funding is conditional on selection by an external jury and on the selected applicant submitting a funding request to the authorised government.
• 🗓️ Funding period
  For the 23rd competition, the funding stage is stated as 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028.

Eligibility Criteria

• Technology-oriented new business foundation or startup in the field of digitisation
• Must have a particularly future-oriented, innovative business model
• Founding must be no more than two years before the application deadline; for the 23rd competition, the founding date must not be earlier than 11 January 2025
• Must have a company seat, branch, or operating establishment in Bavaria by the application deadline; foreign companies may apply if this requirement is met
• The funded business model must be implemented and established in Bavaria
• May apply in the pre-founding phase only if the commercial founding is completed by the application deadline
• Legal form is not restricted; self-employed persons in liberal professions are not eligible, including through a GbR
• A valid online application during the competition period and successful selection by the external jury are required

Participation Commitments

• Submit the online application during the 23rd competition window: 25 November 2026, 12:00 PM to 10 January 2027, 12:00 PM (Bavaria local time).
• The online application form is only available in German; answers may be submitted in English.
• A valid participation requires the online application; additional documents cannot be uploaded and documents sent separately by email are not considered.
• Selection is by an external jury, with the jury decision expected by mid-February 2027.
• Selected applicants must submit the online funding request to the responsible government by the end of March 2027.
• The funding stage for selected applicants is stated as 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028.
• No participation fee is stated; BayernPortal lists costs as none.
• If also applying for exist Women, the exist Startup Grant, or exist Research Transfer Phase I, those applications must be submitted and approved before Start?Zuschuss! because those exist fundings require that the company has not yet been founded; otherwise there is a risk of rejection.

Target Sector

Agriculture & Food, Defense & Security, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Real Estate & Construction, Retail & Consumer, Semiconductors & Electronics, Sports & Fitness, Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, Travel & Hospitality, Other

Target Location

Germany