2013/2014 Business Support Guide

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2013/2014

Business Support Guide

The guide for businesses and start-ups

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Foreword

Berlin may not be Silicon Valley, but the development of the start-up scene in the city has been receiving international re-cognition. Almost every day new business ideas are being born in offices and auditoriums, in founder centres or cafés, and are being very quickly implemented thanks to the technical possibilities offered by the Internet and mobile applications. Between 1995 and 2011, Berlin was the city with the highest number of IT start-ups.

But major corporations and investors have also quickly come to recognise the city‘s potential and have become involved here with events, contacts and more specifically by provid-ing venture capital and jobs in incubators. The networkprovid-ing of founders with seasoned entrepreneurs as well as with univer-sities and scientific institutes has become the central advan-tage of the city‘s location.

A wide range of business development and promotion pro-grammes is in place to support innovative business ideas and investments in Berlin. With subsidies, loans and equity pro-ducts and support for consultancy services, Investitionsbank is actively helping entrepreneurs in Berlin.

Investitionsbank Berlin‘s portfolio is continuously reviewed and adapted in order to provide advice and support for all businesses in Berlin and to arm them for the future. In au-tumn 2012, for instance, an early phase module was intro-duced for start-up financing in the field of technology; at the beginning of the year, the consultancy programme offered by

IBB-BT GmbH was reorganised and now foresees support for internationalisation projects; with the new guarantee concept and the ERDF guarantee fund from IBB, Berlin‘s Senate has also paved the way for Berlin‘s economy to prepare and adjust itself in anticipation of the effects that will result from the imple-mentation of Basel III.

In this Business Support Guide, we and Investitionsbank Ber-lin (IBB) have compiled the basic features of all relevant pro-grammes. The Guide is designed to give you a first overview of the entire range available. The particular programme that is best suited to your specific project should then be identified in personal talks. IBB‘s Business Customer Centre (Kundenbe-ratung Wirtschaft) is your first point of contact for this. More consultancy offers can be found in the address section of the Business Support Guide and on Berlin‘s website for founders at: www.gruenden-in-berlin.de.

This Guide is your first step towards making use of the support on offer in Berlin. I would like to wish you every success in your entrepreneurial endeavours.

Cornelia Yzer

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Foreword

We are pleased to present to you the new 2013/2014 Business Support Guide. For many years now, this Guide has served as a reliable source of information when it comes to finding support for starting out in business or expanding an exist-ing business. As usual, it also contains all business develop-ment and support offers that can help you to impledevelop-ment your projects. Just like in previous years, we have compiled the Busi-ness Support Guide in co-operation with the Senate Depart-ment for Economics, Technology and Research, the commercial banks active in Berlin as well as other organisations who bear responsibility for Berlin as a business location. We are confi-dent that the Business Support Guide with its tips and infor-mation related to business subsidies and support in Berlin will once again serve as an important reference document for you. More and more founders and young innovative entrepreneurs, in particular, are repeatedly using this Guide in printed or in electronic form. This growing number of users also reflects the fact that Berlin is still Germany’s start-up capital and a true Mecca especially for creative and technology-orientated busi-nesses. With 135 start-ups (average for the rest of country: 78) for every 10,000 people in jobs, Berlin is leading the field where start-ups are concerned.

Investitionsbank Berlin is there to ensure the long-term suc-cess of these young companies. Our portfolio ranges from spe-cial consultancy services and coaching to attractive financing,

right through to modern investment models. This Business Support Guide, for instance, comes with all you may want to know about what IBB Business Team GmbH has to offer, such as the “Coaching BONUS” programme. You will, of course, also find all the business development and promotion pro-grammes which IBB offers to founders and existing businesses during the various phases of a company’s lifecycle, along with comprehensive information regarding the VC funds by IBB Beteiligungsge-sellschaft mbH.

Every company matters in Berlin. It is the companies who pro-vide the jobs which the city needs to maintain and enhance its position as an attractive national and international location. IBB is helping these companies to continuously improve their productivity and competiveness.

I would like to wish you good luck and every success in all your business endeavours. This 2013/2014 Business Support Guide is designed to help you to make your entrepreneurial aims come true. Rest assured, IBB is there to assist you.

Ulrich Kissing

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Introduction

Forewords

Foreword by Cornelia Yzer, Senator for Economics, Technology and Research 4

Foreword by Ulrich Kissing, Chairman of the Board of Investitionsbank Berlin 5

Table of contents 6

Hints and tips / initial points of contact

Hints and tips on how to use this Business Support Guide 10

Initial points of contact 11

Business support programme overview tables

Business start-ups 12

Investment and working capital 13

Technology, research and development 14

Subsidies within the scope of labour market policy 15

Consultancy and in-house training 16

Business support programmes

Business support programmes: Business start-ups

BBB-Start! Coachingprogramm für Existenzgründer / 18

BBB-Start! Coaching programme for founders

Berlin Start 19

Businessplan-Wettbewerb Berlin-Brandenburg (BPW) / 20

Berlin-Brandenburg business plan competition (BPW)

Coaching in der Vorgründungsphase / 21

Coaching during the pre-establishment phase

ERP-Gründerkredit - StartGeld/ERP-Gründerkredit - Universell / 22

ERP founder loan - StartGeld/ERP founder loan - Universal

Gründungszuschuss / Founder allowance 23

Lohnkostenzuschüsse für Einstellungen in neu gegründeten Betrieben / 24

Labour cost subsidies for employees hired by newly established businesses

Meistergründungsprämie / 25

Start-up bonus for master craftsmen and women

Unternehmerkapital: ERP-Kapital für Gründung / 26

Entrepreneurial capital: ERP capital for start-ups

Appendix / Addresses

Die Strukturfondsförderung der EU in Berlin / EU structural funds in Berlin 136

Glossary - explanation of the most important terms 140

Addresses 144

Alphabetic list of business support programmes 152

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Hints and tips on how to use this Business Support Guide

The Business Support Guide is primarily designed to point the

way for you. It gives you comprehensive information about the business subsidy programmes in the Federal Land of Berlin and the programmes on offer nationwide which can also be used in Berlin.

First orientation and a quick overview

On page 11, you will find first points of contact for:

General consultancy services in matters related to business start-up, growth, consolidation, innovation and rehabilitation Special consultancy services for founders

Special consultancy services for guarantees Special consultancy services for companies

Special consultancy services for technology-orientated compa-nies

Special consultancy services for female founders and entrepre-neurs

Whilst this introduction contains addresses for quick and simple initial contacts, the chapter on “Consultancy and in-house train-ing” provides detailed information about the institutions listed in this document as well as further advisory services.

The range of support and assistance programmes on offer is bro-ken down into chapters which reflect the different contents. The overview pages 12 to 16 present the most important criteria of all the offerings and provide an overview as to whether these can ap-ply to your company and your project.

The editorial team of the Business Support Guide is determined to present the information in an easy-to-understand form. The Busi-ness Support Guide hence presents a concise overview of the ser-vices related to the respective offerings. Whether the programme is suitable for you and your products, which combinations and alter-natives are available to you, and whether you are eligible for special variants should be clarified in personal talks. This is a vital aspect! The Business Support Guide shows you the relevant points of con-tact for every programme. Staff there will be delighted to assist you. The appendix provides you with more information and explana-tions:

Important technical terms are explained in the glossary (refer to pages 140 and following),

the comprehensive list of addresses contains many contact points (refer to pages 144 and following) for your issues, and the register contains an alphabetic list of key words and

pro-gramme titles (refer to pages 152 and following).

Despite careful annual revisions of the Business Support Guide, the editors cannot rule out changes in support guidelines and programmes during the period of this Business Support Guide. Please note that this Business Support Guide does not claim to be exhaustive nor is the information published here legally binding. Please visit the relevant websites where you will find the guide-lines in their latest applicable versions, you can download applica-tions and find additional information.

Please note the following:

Your application must be received prior to commencing your project.

Early planning and acceptance of consultancy offers improve your application‘s prospects for success. In most cases, your application must be submitted prior to commencing your project. Retroactive subsidising is not possible. Furthermore, subsidy funds for the individual programmes are limited and may be exhausted before the programme year is out.

EU subsidy programmes in Berlin

Numerous business promotion and subsidy programmes in the Federal Land of Berlin are co-financed by the European Union. In order to help you find your way, these programmes are marked with the letters in the table of contents and in the overview tables. This is also indicated on the programme pages by the EU flag alone or additionally by the logo of the European structure fund (ESF or ERDF, respectively, refer to pages 139). If you have any questions specifically related to programmes which are directly managed by the EU Commission, please contact the Enterprise Europe Network at Berlin Partner GmbH and TSB Innovations-agentur Berlin GmbH (addresses on page 149). This is also where you can obtain information concerning EU support for innova-tive projects and technology transfer. The programmes which are directly managed by the EU Commission are the general pro-grammes for competitiveness and innovation and/or for research and development, as well as EU subsidy programmes for neigh-bourhood policy and EU accession countries.

Subsidy and promotion programmes of the

federal government

The 2013/2014 Business Support Guide provides an overview of business development and promotion programmes as well as fi-nancial assistance which can be relevant for enterprises from all industries located in Berlin. Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as well as the European Union offer a host of business financing and promotion programmes specifically for developments, for example, in the export sector or technology-orientated industries. It is not possible to include all these programmes in this Business Support Guide. For an over-view as well as detailed information concerning financial assist-ance by the federal government, federal-state governments and the European Union, please refer to the Internet offering of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology at: www.foerder-datenbank.de.

For your copy, please contact:

Free copies of the Business Support Guide are available from: Investitionsbank Berlin

Bundesallee 210, 10719 Berlin

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 2125-2900, fax: -2901 E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.ibb.de

A PDF version of the 2013/2014 Business Support Guide is also available on the Internet at: www.ibb.de/foerderfibel.

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General advisory and consultancy services

The following institutions will be pleased to assist and accom-pany you in your project in the federal land of Berlin - be it a business start-up, growth, consolidation, innovation or reha-bilitation project. Detailed information about the services of-fered by the institutions below as well as further institutions can be found on pages 113 and following.

Investitionsbank Berlin

Kundenberatung Wirtschaftsförderung (Business Customer Centre)

Bundesallee 210, 10719 Berlin

Hotline: +49 (0) 30 / 2125-4747, fax: -4329

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.ibb.de

Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Technologie und Forschung (Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research) Martin-Luther-Straße 105, 10825 Berlin

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 90 13-0

E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.berlin.de/sen/wtf Industrie- und Handelskammer Berlin (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) Service Center

Ludwig Erhard Haus - Fasanenstraße 85, 10623 Berlin Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 3 15 10-0, fax: -1 66

E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.ihk-berlin.de Handwerkskammer Berlin

(Chamber of Skilled Crafts and Small Businesses in Berlin) Blücherstraße 68, 10961 Berlin Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 2 59 03-01, fax: -2 35 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.hwk-berlin.de KfW Bankengruppe Palmengartenstraße 5-9, 60325 Frankfurt Internet: www.kfw.de

Business start-ups

The Business Support Guide contains extensive information for your start-up project. The Internet portal of the Berlin Founder Network is another helpful source of information. Internet: www.gruenden-in-berlin.de.

Guarantees

BBB BÜRGSCHAFTSBANK zu Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH pro-vides guarantees in order to support profitable and promis-ing projects that do not have sufficient customary collateral. Detailed information can be found on page 118.

BBB BÜRGSCHAFTSBANK zu Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH Schillstraße 9, 10785 Berlin

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 31 10 04-0, fax: -55 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.buergschaftsbank-berlin.de

Business service Berlin

Berlin Partner GmbH is the business promotion and location marketing organisation of the Federal Land of Berlin. Its busi-ness service supports investors moving to Berlin and assists Berlin-based companies in their expansion, internationalisa-tion and locainternationalisa-tion consolidainternationalisa-tion efforts. Detailed informainternationalisa-tion can be found on page 118.

Berlin Partner GmbH

Ludwig Erhard Haus - Fasanenstraße 85, 10623 Berlin Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 3 99 80-0, fax: -2 39

E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.berlin-partner.de www.businesslocationcenter.de

Technology-orientated companies

The following institutions support technology-orientated companies and start-up projects. Detailed information can be found on pages 117 and 121.

TSB Innovationsagentur Berlin GmbH

Ludwig Erhard Haus - Fasanenstraße 85, 10623 Berlin Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 4 63 02-5 00, fax: -4 44

Internet: www.tsb-berlin.de IBB Business Team GmbH Bundesallee 210, 10719 Berlin

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 46 78 28-0, fax: -23

Internet: www.ibb-business-team.de

Female founders and entrepreneurs

Berlin‘s Senate Department for Labour, Integration and Women will be pleased to assist in all matters related to subsidy and consultancy offers specifically for women. More detailed infor-mation and other contact details can be found on page 123. Senatsverwaltung für Arbeit, Integration und Frauen (Senate Department for Labour, Integration and Women) - Dept. of Women‘s Affairs -

Martin-Luther-Straße 105, 10825 Berlin

Geschäftsstelle Expertinnen-Beratungsnetz-Berlin (Office of the Berlin advisory network of female experts) Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 90 13-89 16, fax: -89 02

Internet: www.berlin.de

Initial points of contact

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The following tables provide an overview of the subsidy, financing and consultancy offers which are presented in the following chapters of this Business Support Guide:

Start-ups

Investment and working capital Technology, research and development

Subsidies within the scope of labour-market policy Consultancy and in-house training

First decide to which target group you belong. Are you about to start up in business? Suitable subsidies for you are marked with the letter in the table of contents and on the programme pages. This letter is also used in the fifth column (from the left) of the overview tables. As an initial orientation aid, these programmes are compiled in the “Business start-ups” table. Please note that certain programmes are only available prior to establishment whilst other programmes can also be ap-plied for by small, young companies during the establishment phase, i.e. during the first two to three years of existence. Fur-thermore, several programmes are open to both existing com-panies and business start-ups, so that the letter can also be found in other tables.

Are you interested in support and subsidy offerings for your ex-isting business? Offers which are suitable for you are marked by red dots in the sixth column. Programmes which are avail-able solely to so-called small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as defined by the EU (p. 141) are marked in the seventh column. Offers marked by a red dot in the fourth column are not subject to any restrictions.

The tables compile the key points of the programmes. The page number in the first column (from the left) guides you to detailed information on the programme page. Please always refer to the detailed information on the programme pages in order to find out whether an offering fits the conditions for your particular enterprise.

No overview table exists for the chapter “Business support pro-grammes: commercial property and space, founder and innova-tion centres”. You can find the programmes on pages 125 to 134. The centres for women starting up in business are compiled on page 130. In just the same manner as for the business support programmes, the names of contact partners, contact data and Internet addresses are provided for more detailed queries.

Overview Tables

Important technical terms are explained in the glossary (refer to page 140 and following)

Page Programme EU Who For what What How much Misc.

Fin an ce d / co -fi na nc ed Ev er yt hi ng w ith ou t r es tri cti on Fo un de rs Ex ist in g b us in es se s SM Es on ly In ve stm en t W or kin g c ap ita l W ag e c os ts Lo an s Gr an t In ve stm en t Gu ar an te e Co m bi na tio n p os sib le De -m in im is

Business start-ups

18 BBB-Start! Coachingprogramm



Free of charge for guarantee customers of BBB



für Existenzgründer

BürgschaFtsBank zu Berlin-Brandenburg gmbh

within the first twelve months after starting up

in business

19 Berlin Start



EUr 5,000 to EUr 250,000



20 Businessplan-Wettbewerb Free participation, prizes for

Berlin-Brandenburg selected business plans

21 Coaching in der Vorgründungs-



Up to 30 hours prior to establishment;

phase (START: Chance) own share of 5%

22 ERP-Gründerkredit - Startgeld/



ErP founder loan - start Money: Up to 100%,



ERP-Gründerkredit - Universell EUr 100,000 max., of which working capital of

up to EUr 30,000 max.; ErP founder loan -

Universal: Up to 100%, EUr 10m max.

23 Gründungszuschuss



at least equal to the unemployment



benefits I received last

24 Lohnkostenzuschüsse



subsidies are available for a maximum of two



für Einstellungen in neu jobs; maximum subsidy of EUr 7,500 for the

gegründeten Betrieben wage costs per employee for one year

25 Meistergründungsprämie



Basic subsidy: EUr 7,000

 

Job creation bonus: EUr5,000

26 Unternehmerkapital:



30% max. (old Federal Laender),

 

(12)

28 BBB-Express!



EUr 200,000 guarantee, 70% max.



29 Berlin Kapital



Up to EUr 5m max.



30 Berlin Kredit



Up to EUr 10m



31 Beteiligungen der MBG



typically up to EUr 1m



32 Bürgschaft ohne Bank (BoB)



80% max., guarantee also possible



without the applicant‘s bank

33 Bürgschaften für Investitions-



80% max.



und Betriebsmittelkredite

34 EFRE-Bürgschaftsfonds



EUr 1.25m to EUr 5m



35 ERP-Beteiligungsprogramm



EUr 1m max.; up to EUr 2.5m in exceptional cases



36 ERP-Regionalförderprogramm



3m max. per project



37 Filmproduktion: Filmförderung



Project-dependent



und Standortmarketing

38 Filmproduktion:



Project-dependent, minimum sum typically



Zwischenfinanzierung EUr 100,000 (guaranteed credits and loans)

39 Garantien f. Arbeitnehmerbeteilig.



Maximum guarantee sum of EUr 1m

 

40 GRW Gemeinschaftsaufgabe



c subsidy regions: 35% small, 25% medium-sized and



15% other enterprises; D subsidy regions: 20% small, 10% medium-sized and 7.5% other enterprises

(EUr 200,000 max. in 3 years)

41 Handwerker-Sofortkredit



EUr 100,000 max., max. guarantee of 80%



42 IBB-Wachstumsprogramm



at least EUr 500,000, EUr 15m max.



43 Investitionszulagen



2.5% to 5% for investments commenced in 2013



45 KapitalPLUS



EUr 1m max.



46 KfW-Energieeffizienzprogramm



EUr 25m max. per project, special low interest

 

rates are available to sMEs

47 KfW-Filmfinanzierung



EUr 3m max.



(intermediate financing: EUr 5m max.)

48 KfW-Programm



“standard” programme part: EUr 25m max.;



Erneuerbare Energien “Premium” programme part: EUr 10m max.

49 KfW-Umweltprogramm



EUr 10m max. per project, special low interest rates

 

are available to small enterprises (sEs)

50 KfW-Unternehmerkredit



Outside capital: EUr 25m max. per project /



working capital: EUr 5m max. per project; entrepreneurial / junior capital: EUr 4m max. 51 KMU-Fonds



Up to EUr 10m; maximum amount without a



commercial bank: EUr 250,000; in exceptional

cases also for non-sMEs

52 KMU-Fonds - Mikrokredite b. 25 TEUR



Up to EUr 25,000



53 Konsolidierungsfonds



typically up to a maximum of EUr 1,022,000

54 Liquiditätsfonds



typically up to EUr 1m max.

55 Netzwerkbildung MOE



50 - 100% of the expenditure eligible for subsidy

 

56 Neue Märkte erschließen



Individual measures (Opening up new markets -



sMEs): 50% max., amounts depend on projects; joint projects: up to 100%, EUr 150,000 max.

58 Sofortkredit für Kaufleute



EUr 100,000 max., max. guarantee of 80%

 

59 VC Fonds Kreativwirtschaft Berlin



Up to EUr 3m as a minority shareholding in

the company’s equity / capital stock

60 Zusammenarbeit mit



30% to 80% of the costs eligible for subsidy

EU-Nachbarstaaten maximum amount: EUr 150,000

Investment and working capital

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Technology, research and development

62 7. Forschungsrahmen-



Project-dependent: 50% to 100% of

programm der EU the costs eligible for subsidy

63 Berlin Kredit Innovativ

    

Up to EUr 500,000

 

64 Design Transfer Bonus



70%, EUr 15,000 max.

 

65 Eco-Innovation



Up to 50% of the costs eligible for subsidy

66 ERP-Innovationsprogramm



EUr 5m max. r&D phase;



EUr 2.5m max. market launch phase

67 ERP-Startfonds

 

  



EUr 5m max.

68 EXIST-Forschungstransfer



 



Depending on support phase and project



69 EXIST-Gründerstipendium



Depending on the particular project



70 Förderinitiative KMU-innovativ



Depending on the particular project; eligible

project-des BMBF related costs of up to 50% and sME mark-up 71 High-Tech Gründerfonds



combination of open participation and



junior loan of up to initially EUr 500,000

and a total of EUr 2m

72 INNO-KOM-Ost



non-profit external industry research facilities receive EUr 375,000 max. for market-orientated projects and EUr 500,000 max. for preparatory

research projects, max. investment allowance

of EUr 500,000

73 Intelligent Energy – Europe II (IEE-II)



Up to 75% of the project costs eligible for subsidies 74 Pro FIT-Frühphasenfinanzierung



 

Up to 100% of the costs eligible for financing;



grant and interest free loan for early phase 1 (each 50%, EUr 200,000 max.); low-interest loan for early phase 2; total support for both phases:

EUr 500,000 max.

76 Pro FIT-Projektfinanzierung



Financing of EUr 400,000 max. per project or in

 

the case of group projects, for each partner;

loans of up to EUr 3m max.

78 ProgrammInnovationsassistent/-in



Personnel-cost grant of up to EUr 20,000 for



12 months; up to 2 jobs can be subsidised at

the same time.

79 SIGNO KMU-Patentaktion



EUr 8,000 max.



80 Transfer BONUS



First-time variant: EUr 3,000 max.,



standard variant: EUr 15,000 max.

81 Unterstützungsprogramm für



Up to 50% of the project costs eligible

die IKT-Politik der EU for subsidies

82 VC Fonds Technologie Berlin



Up to EUr 3m as open minority shareholdings in

the company’s equity / capital stock

83 Wissens- und Technologie-



complimentary service

transfer (WTT)

84 Zentrales Innovationsprogramm



Depending on the applicant and project: up to

Mittelstand (ZIM) 55% of the eligible costs for r&D projects; up to 100% of the eligible costs for collaborating research institutes; in the case of network

management beginning with 90% in the first

year to 30% in the fourth year

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Subsidies within the scope of labour-market policy

88 AFBG/Meister-BAföG



costs of measures totalling up to a maximum of

EUr 10,226 (of which 30.5% as subsidy),

tenance (non-repayable grant and loan)

ing on income and property, different loan

release options

90 Arbeits- und Ausbildungs-



Maximum of EUr 25,000 as allowance,

plätze für Schwerbehinderte maximum of EUr 10,000 as loan 91 Ausbildungszuschuss



Integrated group training EUr 7,500 max.,

disadvantaged youths: EUr 10,000 max.,

women: EUr 7,500 max., trainees from insolvent/

closed-down companies: EUr 5,000 max.;

single parents: EUr 7,500 max.

92 Berliner Jobcoaching



Depending on the particular case: 50% max.



of the gross pay paid by the employer and

qualification costs of up to EUr 1,440 for

each newly employed former recipient of

unemployment pay II

93 Berufliche Weiterbildung



Up to 100%, including a flat-rate share in the

Ungelernter total social security contributions 94 Eingliederungszuschuss



Depending on the particular case, generally

nach §§ 88ff. SGB III maximum of 50% of pay paid by the employer 95 Einstiegsqualifizierung



Up to EUr 216

nach § 54 a SGB III

96 Lehrgangskosten der



Up to 100% of personnel and material costs,

beruflichen Weiterbildung including costs for auditors

97 WeGebAU



grant to further training costs and pro rata

in relation to the wage

98 Zielgruppenförderung für KMU



Maximum of EUr 7,500 per person per year



(15)

Consultancy and in-house-training

100 Beratungsförderung



Maximum of EUr 1,500 per single application,



maximum total of EUr 9,000 during the term 101 Betriebliche Qualifizierung



the amount depends on the type of qualification.

Financing is available for up to 80% in the case

of small enterprises and up to 70% in the case

of medium-sized enterprises.

102 BMWi-Innovationsgutscheine



50% of consultancy services



(go-Inno)

103 Coaching BONUS



Demand-dependent



(previously TCC/KCC)

104 eBusiness Lotse Berlin



Free information meetings, information events



and information material on all topics related to

the professional use of It solutions for sMEs

105 Einfach Intuitiv - Usability



Free information on usability, information



für den Mittelstand material and events, service for pilot companies 106 Energieberatung Mittelstand 2012



total allowance for initial consultancy:

EUr 1,280 max. or EUr 4,800 max. for detailed

consultancy

107 Gründercoaching Deutschland 2012



50% of the relevant daily rate of EUr 800 max.

 

in the west german federal states; up to 90%

for previously unemployed founders

108 Potenzialberatung



EUr 10,000 (basic consultancy EUr 5,000,



advanced consultancy EUr 5,000)

109 Qualifizierungsberatung



Free on-site consultancy and support,

in Unternehmen independent of specific providers

110 Schulungsförderung für



Maximum of EUr 1,2oo to EUr 1,800



Workshops und Veranstaltungen

111 SIGNO Erfinderfachauskunft

First-time information meeting at no cost for

up to four hours

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The Business Support Programmes

Business start-ups

Pages 17 to 26

Investment and working capital

Pages 27 to 60

Technology, research and development

Pages 61 to 86

Subsidies within the scope

of labour-market policy

Pages 87 to 98

Consultancy and in-house taining

Pages 99 to 124

Commercial property and space,

founder and innovation centres

Pages 125 to 134

?

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BBB-Start! Coachingprogramm für Existenzgründer /

BBB-Start! Coaching programme for founders

Aim

To identify risks and problems at an early point in time and to eliminate them on time through fast and competent assist-ance.

Who

BBB-Start! is available free of charge to all customers of BBB BÜRGSCHAFTSBANK zu Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH for the first twelve months after issuing a guarantee.

What

In addition to the guarantee, founders receive hands-on checks for the first financial year. At certain intervals, founders perform a complete self-assessment:

• After six months: quick check • After twelve months: company check

If the checks come up with first problems or plan deviations, the founders can examine and, when necessary, optimise their project in co-operation with Berlin‘s Chamber of Skilled Crafts and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

How

Applications must be submitted with a guarantee to BBB BÜRGSCHAFTSBANK zu Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH.

Where

BBB BÜRGSCHAFTSBANK zu Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH Schillstraße 9, 10785 Berlin Mr Dirk Borgmann Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 31 10 04-15 Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 31 10 04-55 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.buergschaftsbank-berlin.de

Further subsidy offers which are also suitable for founders are marked by the letter in the following chapters.

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Aim

Founders and young companies in need of up to EUR 250,000 are supported when setting up their business activities.

Who

Founders in the commercial sector (production industry, crafts, trade and other services) as well as freelance profes-sionals who have the required technical and commercial qualifications for the entrepreneurial activity.

Companies in the commercial sector as well as freelance pro-fessionals who have been in business for no more than five years prior to submitting the application. Applicants must be small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as defined by the EU Commission. The place of investment must be in Berlin.

What

Low-interest loans are granted in conjunction with an up to 80% guarantee by BBB Bürgschaftsbank zu Berlin-Branden-burg GmbH (BBB) when

• a new company is established, • an existing company is taken over,

• projects are carried out up to five years after establish-ment (consolidation) via the applicant‘s bank.

Financing is available for the following: • investment costs,

• costs of initial inventories, • take-over price,

• operating equipment.

The maximum financing share totals 100%.

The minimum loan sum totals EUR 5,000, the maximum sum EUR 250,000.

The term totals between six and ten years with up to two redemption-free initial years, fixed interest over the entire term. After expiration of the redemption-free years, redemp-tion takes place in equal instalments payable four times a year.

100% payout.

Nominal and effective interest rates are fixed by IBB and shown in IBB‘s terms and conditions which are available at www.ibb.de/ berlinstart.

At the time of application, a handling fee for the guarantee is charged which currently totals 1.5% of the loan applied for - at least EUR 250. The guarantee commission currently to-tals 1.25% p.a. of the loan sum. The guarantee fees must be paid to BBB.

The standby commission totals 0.25% per month for the loan sum approved but not yet paid out, commencing two bank-ing days and one month followbank-ing the date of approval. In addition to the BBB guarantee, customary collateral is

ex-pected in as far as possible.

Non-scheduled redemption is possible.

How

Applications - including applications for a BBB guarantee - must be submitted via the applicant‘s bank. The documents can be downloaded from the IBB website at:

www.ibb.de/berlinstart.

This programme is subject to de-minimis rules (refer to page 140).

Where

Applications must be submitted via your bank. Consultancy services are also available from Investitionsbank Berlin

Kundenberatung Wirtschaftsförderung (Business Customer Centre)

Bundesallee 210, 10719 Berlin Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 2125-4747 Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 2125-4329 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.ibb.de

Berlin Start

(EU) EUROPEAN UNION European Regional Development Fund Investment in your future

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Businessplan-Wettbewerb Berlin-Brandenburg (BPW) /

Berlin-Brandenburg business plan competition (BPW)

Aim

The Berlin-Brandenburg business plan competition (BPW) is designed to initiate business start-ups in Berlin and Branden-burg. The practically orientated support programme is free of charge and is designed to help participants develop their business ideas to form a tenable business concept and at the same time to set up networks. Prizes are awarded to the best business plans.

Who

The BPW competition is designed for anybody with a good idea and planning to implement this in Berlin or Branden-burg. The BPW is open to all industries.

Concepts for successor company schemes can also compete. For detailed participation information and requirements concerning contributions by participants, please refer to the BPW manual or the Internet.

What

Knowledge: Seminars, webinars and forums offer partici-pants the opportunity to develop and improve fundamental commercial and economic knowledge related to all subjects relevant for establishment.

Consultancy: Seasoned experts support the participants in personal talks when it comes to concrete questions. Network: The business plan competition network offers an

opportunity to establish contacts with prospective investors, founder partners as well as customers. Participants meet like-minded people and have the opportunity to round off their founder teams.

Competition: The BPW network of banks, business con-sultancies and many other experts performs confidential checks of the business plans submitted and provide all ap-plicants with tailor-made feedback on all stages regarding the optimisation potential of their business concepts. A total prize sum of EUR 50,000 is available for a total of 28 business plans within the scope of the three-stage competition. Participation in the business plan competition, including all the services offered, is free. Participants are under no obliga-tion whatsoever.

How

The competition is organized in three stages as follows. The re-quirements concerning the contents and scope of the business plan increase from stage to stage until the participants have developed a fully-fledged concept at the end of the third stage. The first stage focuses on the description of the product or service idea with special emphasis on the specific customer benefits on the one hand as well as the presentation of the founder team on the other.

Based on this, the second stage covers a qualified market analysis and the resultant, concrete marketing measures. The third, and last, stage focuses on finance planning and

is rounded off by elaborations on the subjects of “company“ and ”company organization“.

When

It is possible to enter the competition at any time. Start: end of October of each year

Ends: June of the following year

The competition manual and the latest information about events can be found at: www.b-p-w.de.

Where

Businessplan-Wettbewerb Berlin-Brandenburg (BPW) Berlin-Brandenburg business plan competition (BPW) Office at Investitionsbank Berlin

Bundesallee 210 (entrance in Regensburger Straße), 10719 Berlin

Hotline: +49 (0) 30 / 2125-2121

Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 2125-2120

Internet: [email protected]

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(EU) EUROPEAN UNION European Social Fund Investment in your future

(STArT: Chance)

Aim

To advise and support prospective founders during the pre-establishment phase

Who

Individuals having their place of residence in Berlin and planning to start up a business either on a full-time basis or in addition to employment.

Prior to attending coaching measures, interested partici-pants are obliged to take part in an assessment process or-ganised by the programme sponsor in order to determine the demand for coaching.

What

Coaching with the aim of developing and implementing es-tablishment concepts and support, for example, with regard to product development, identification of customer groups, development of marketing and price strategies, parallel com-petence development.

How

Up to a maximum of 30 coaching hours can be subsidised dur-ing the pre-establishment phase. The subsidised hourly rate totals EUR 56.25 net, i.e. without VAT. The founders themselves must bear 5% of the costs.

Where

zukunft im zentrum GmbH Team Coaching Rungestraße 19, 10179 Berlin Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 27 87 33-0 Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 27 87 33-36 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.start-chance.de

Coaching in der Vorgründungsphase / Coaching during the pre-establishment phase

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Aim

ERP founder loan - Start Money

To finance all forms of start-ups, i.e. establishment or take-over of a business as well as acquisition of a share in Ger-many

Secondary occupation designed to become a full-time occu-pation in the medium term

Consolidation measures within three years after commenc-ing business

Support for repeated business set-up projects can be grant-ed if no past liabilities exist from earlier self-employgrant-ed ac-tivities.

ERP founder loan - Universal

Low-interest financing of projects in Germany and abroad for founders, freelance professionals as well as small and medium-sized enterprises which have been in business for less than three years

Who

Individuals setting up a business or freelance activities or performing consolidation measures in this respect if the project commences within three years after the date of starting up in business

Small enterprises in the commercial sector (within the meaning of the EU‘s definition) which have been existing on the market for less than three years. As a precondition, at least one partner/shareholder must fulfil the application conditions for individuals.

What

Up to 100% of the total external capital requirement, EUR 100,000 max., including working capital of up to EUR 30,000 max.

KfW does not impose any specific guarantee/collateral re-quirements.

80% liability exemption for the applicant‘s bank Fixed market rate for the entire term

ERP founder loan - Universal

Up to 100% of the investment costs and/or working capital eligible for support

Maximum sum: EUR 10m max. per project Customary collateral

The interest rate is determined by the applicant‘s bank with a view to the borrower‘s economic situation and the collat-eral provided.

How

Applications must be submitted prior to commencing the project.

Premature repayment of the loan as a whole or in part is possible against payment of a prepayment penalty.

A second application can be submitted as long as the loan sum of EUR 100,000 is not exhausted.

Where

Please submit your application via your bank to KfW. KfW Bankengruppe

Palmengartenstraße 5-9, 60325 Frankfurt

Internet: www.kfw.de

ERP-Gründerkredit - StartGeld/ERP-Gründerkredit - Universell /

ERP founder loan - StartGeld/ERP founder loan - Universal

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Founder allowance to promote self-employment

pur-suant to section 57 of Volume III of the German Social

Security Code (§ 57 SGB III)

Aim

Applicants commencing self-employment in order to termi-nate unemployment can receive a founder allowance during the start-up phase in order to secure their subsistence and social welfare.

Who

Employees commencing self-employment as their principal professional activity

Employees who until the time of commencing self-employed activities can claim allowance payments pursuant Volume III of the German Social Security Code (SGB III) or who worked in a position which was subsidised under a job creation pro-gramme within the scope of Volume III of the German Social Security Code.

When commencing self-employed activities, the applicant must have acquired a minimum entitlement for unemploy-ment benefits I for a period of 150 days.

This founder allowance programme is not available to recipi-ents of unemployment benefits II.

Repeated subsidies are not available if less than 24 months have expired since the termination of a previous subsidy programme for self-employed activities.

What

The founder allowance can be paid as discretionary support a for a period of six months. An extension by another nine months is examined on request in which case applicants have no legal claims to benefits; founder allowances are paid for a period of six months to the amount of the unemploy-ment benefits last paid to the employee, plus EUR 300 per month.

Founder allowance of EUR 300 per month can be paid for another nine months if the applicant submits suitable docu-ments as proof of his or her business activity.

Note: Prior to starting up in business, applicants may be re-quired to attend a programme designed to verify their eligibil-ity or to prepare them for starting up in business. This may be subject to a prior advisory meeting at the job centre (Agentur für Arbeit).

How

Applications must be submitted prior to commencing self-employment or before the seminar or programme begins. As a precondition for granting a founder allowance, a

state-ment by a competent body confirming the feasibility of the start-up must be submitted. For more detailed information, applicants can contact IHK, HWK, professional associations and chambers, as well as banks.

Proof of commencement of self-employment must be fur-nished, for example, by submitting a business registration document for trading companies, or by submitting confir-mation of registration with the tax office for freelance pro-fessionals.

There is no legal obligation to grant investment founder al-lowance hereunder.

Where

Applications must be submitted to the job centre (Agentur für Arbeit) in the district where the applicant is registered. Further information is available from Berlin-based job

centres (refer to page 144) and on the Internet at www. arbeitsagentur.de.

Gründungszuschuss / Founder allowance

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Lohnkostenzuschüsse für Einstellungen in neu gegründeten Betrieben /

Labour cost subsidies for employees hired by newly established businesses

Aim

To create additional permanent jobs in small and medium-sized enterprises.

To integrate employees from job creation measures, from measures pursuant to section 16 d of Volume II of the Ger-man Social Security Code (§ 16 d SGB II), other unemployed people who have been registered as unemployed for at least three months, and former trainees who, following comple-tion of training, are not employed further by the company where they were trained.

Who

Berlin-based, legally independent small and medium-sized enterprises which have not been on the market for more than two years and which do not employ more than ten people.

What

Granting of a maximum subsidy of EUR 7,500 for the gross wage costs per employee per year.

Support/subsidies are available for two people.

How

Formal application.

To be commenced at the applicant‘s own risk as soon as the application is submitted.

Maximum subsidy term: one year.

This programme is subject to de-minimis rules (refer to page 140).

Where

Application forms and addresses for the different districts of Berlin:

For Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Lichtenberg, Treptow-Köpenick and Neukölln:

comovis GbR

Kronenstraße regional office Kronenstraße 6, 10117 Berlin Ms Sandra Stephan

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 2 84 09-2 59

Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 2 84 09-2 10

For Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Spandau, Steglitz- Zehlen-dorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg:

comovis GbR

Bernburger Straße regional office Bernburger Straße 27, 10963 Berlin Mr Jens Ramlow

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 69 00 85-31

Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 69 00 85-85

For Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Mitte, Pankow, Reinickendorf: comovis GbR

Rungestraße regional office Rungestraße 19, 10179 Berlin Ms Antje Klages Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 27 87 33-57 Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 27 87 33-36 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Internet: www.comovis.de

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Aim

To support business start-ups by craftsmen and women in Berlin.

Who

Master craftsmen and women who, within three years after passing the examination as a master craftsman or woman, es-tablish their first own business in their trade.

What

Two-stage subsidy 1st_{stage: basic subsidy}

Conditionally repayable subsidy. The subsidy totals EUR 7,000.

Three years after starting up, the recipient of the bonus is obliged to prove that he or she is still self-employed. Furthermore, proof must be furnished that no income was

generated from employed or other self-employed activities (exceptions subject to prior approval).

2nd_{stage: job creation bonus}

Another bonus of EUR 5,000 is paid if the founder proves that he or she has hired at least one employee who is regis-tered with the social insurance company for a minimum of twelve months. A training job can be created and a trainee hired for this job as an alternative.

How

Applications for basic subsidy must be submitted to the Ber-lin Chamber of Skilled Crafts which then forwards them to the Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Technologie und For-schung (Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research).

The application for the job creation bonus can be submit-ted to the Chamber of Skilled Crafts within three years after starting up in business.

Combination with other programmes, such as Berlin Start, is possible.

Where

Handwerkskammer Berlin

(Chamber of Skilled Crafts and Small Businesses in Berlin) Blücherstraße 68, 10961 Berlin

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 2 59 03-4 71

Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 2 59 03 -4 68

For further information, please contact

Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Technologie und Forschung (Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research) Referat (Division) III D, 10820 Berlin

Telephone: +49 (0) 30 / 90 13-81 20 / -83 89

Meistergründungsprämie / Start-up bonus for master craftsmen and women

(EU) EUROPEAN UNION European Regional Development Fund Investment in your future