Table of contents
- 1. What is the Gründungszuschuss?
- 2. Requirements — who qualifies in Berlin?
- 3. How much money do you receive?
- 4. Where to apply in Berlin
- 5. The fachkundige Stelle (certified expert body) in Berlin
- 6. Why 90% of applications are rejected
- 7. Step by step to an approved application
- 8. Berlin's broader funding landscape
The Gründungszuschuss (Start-up Subsidy — federal grant for ALG I recipients becoming self-employed, § 93 SGB III) is the single most important federal support for unemployment-insurance recipients on their path into self-employment. In Berlin — Germany's start-up capital, home to TU Berlin, FU Berlin, HU Berlin and one of Europe's liveliest founder ecosystems — your chances are real, provided your application is professionally prepared.
1. What is the Gründungszuschuss?
The Gründungszuschuss under § 93 SGB III is a grant from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (German Federal Employment Agency) for unemployed people who plan to become self-employed full-time. It consists of two phases:
The two phases
| Phase | Duration | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Base funding | 6 months | Your ALG I benefit + 300 EUR/month for social security |
| Phase 2: Build-up phase | 9 months (on application) | 300 EUR/month for social security |
2. Requirements — who qualifies in Berlin?
- ALG I entitlement: You currently receive Arbeitslosengeld I (ALG I — German unemployment insurance benefit, SGB III; not the same as Bürgergeld/SGB II).
- Restanspruch (remaining entitlement): At least 150 days of remaining ALG I entitlement at the time of founding.
- Full-time activity: Self-employment must be your main occupation (at least 15 hours per week).
- Fachkundige Stellungnahme: Viability confirmed by IHK Berlin (Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Handwerkskammer Berlin (Berlin Chamber of Crafts), or a BAFA-listed consultant.
- Personal suitability: Professional and personal prerequisites are met.
Important: no legal entitlement — the Berlin reality
The Gründungszuschuss is an Ermessensleistung (discretionary benefit — not a legal entitlement). The Agentur für Arbeit Berlin decides at its own discretion. Roughly 90% of all applications nationwide are either rejected or never filed in the first place — a professionally prepared application is what makes the difference.
3. How much money do you receive?
Berlin example calculation
Assumption: Your ALG I benefit is 1,500 EUR/month
Phase 1 (6 months):
(1,500 EUR + 300 EUR) x 6 = 10,800 EUR
Phase 2 (9 months):
300 EUR x 9 = 2,700 EUR
Total: 13,500 EUR
The higher your previous salary, the higher your Gründungszuschuss. In Berlin — with its tech firms, media houses and international start-ups — above-average salaries (and therefore above-average start-up subsidies) are not unusual.
4. Where to apply in Berlin
Berlin has four regional offices of the Agentur für Arbeit Berlin. The office responsible for you is the one covering your home district:
| Office | Address | Districts |
|---|---|---|
| AA Berlin Mitte | Charlottenstraße 90, 10969 Berlin | Mitte, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Pankow |
| AA Berlin Nord | Wexstraße 15, 13353 Berlin | Reinickendorf, Spandau, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf |
| AA Berlin Ost | Schwarzburgstraße 2, 12527 Berlin | Treptow-Köpenick, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Lichtenberg |
| AA Berlin Süd | Potsdamer Straße 186, 10783 Berlin | Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Neukölln |
Phone availability
National service hotline: 0800 4 55 55 00 (toll-free, Mon–Fri 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Online: Applications can also be submitted through the Bundesagentur portal.
Important: Submit the application before you register your trade. Funding starts on the date of founding — nothing is paid retroactively.
5. The fachkundige Stelle (certified expert body) in Berlin
A central requirement for the Gründungszuschuss is the fachkundige Stellungnahme (expert assessment of business viability — mandatory for Gründungszuschuss). In Berlin, the Agentur für Arbeit accepts assessments from:
| Certified expert body | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| IHK Berlin | Fasanenstraße 85, 10623 Berlin | 030 31510-0 |
| Handwerkskammer Berlin | Blücherstraße 68, 10961 Berlin | 030 25903-0 |
| Tax advisors (Steuerberater) | Various offices in Berlin | - |
| BAFA-listed consultants | e.g. Business Start EU (BAFA No. 205985) | 06221 - 3215930 |
What we offer
As a BAFA-listed consultancy (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle — BAFA, German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control; lists certified consultants who can also provide the fachkundige Stellungnahme), we can issue your fachkundige Stellungnahme — based on a professional business plan that we develop together with you.
6. Why 90% of applications are rejected
The most common rejection reasons:
- Weak financial plan: Unrealistic figures, no derivation, no scenarios.
- Viability not demonstrated: "Can this person live off it?" — if unclear, the application is rejected.
- Business plan too thin: No clear target group, no unique selling proposition.
- Negative fachkundige Stellungnahme: Doubts from the IHK carry over to the Agentur.
- Insufficient Restanspruch: Fewer than 150 days of remaining ALG I entitlement.
The questions the Agentur asks itself:
Can this person live off it? Are the figures realistic? Have they thought of everything? — If you do not answer these questions clearly, your application will be rejected.
7. Step by step to an approved application in Berlin
Step 1: Counselling appointment with your placement officer
Week 1Inform the Agentur für Arbeit Berlin of your founding intent and request the application documents.
Step 2: Prepare business plan and financial plan
Weeks 2–4A professional business plan with a complete financial plan — the centrepiece of your application.
Step 3: Obtain the fachkundige Stellungnahme
Weeks 4–5IHK Berlin, Handwerkskammer Berlin or a BAFA-listed consultant assesses the viability of your project.
Step 4: Submit the application
Weeks 5–6Submit the complete documents to the regional Berlin office responsible for your district.
Step 5: Approval and founding
Weeks 6–10After approval: register your trade and get started. The subsidy begins on the date of founding.
8. Berlin's broader funding landscape — what else applies
Berlin offers further funding programmes you can combine with the Gründungszuschuss:
| Programme | Funding |
|---|---|
| IBB-Gründungskredit | Subsidised loan from Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) for Berlin-based founders |
| Berlin Start-up Stipendium | Up to 2,500 EUR per month for innovative start-ups (up to 12 months) |
| BAFA consulting subsidy | Up to 50% of consulting costs (max. 1,750 EUR) |
Our recommendation for Berlin
Combine AVGS coaching (free of charge) → Gründungszuschuss. This maximises your funding and means you launch into Berlin's founder scene with professional support all the way.