Preparing for your meeting at the Agentur für Arbeit Frankfurt am Main
Two fillable PDFs to help you prepare for your meeting with the placement officer in Frankfurt — the start-up project overview (Gründungsvorhaben-Übersicht) and the official BA template for the expert opinion (fachkundige Stellungnahme). They complement the bank-ready business plan we prepare for you. Note: the forms are in German, as required by the Agentur für Arbeit.
Table of contents
- 1. What is the Gründungszuschuss?
- 2. Requirements — who qualifies in Frankfurt am Main?
- 3. How much money do you receive?
- 4. Where to apply in Frankfurt am Main
- 5. The qualified expert body in Frankfurt am Main
- 6. Why 90% of applications are rejected
- 7. Step by step to an approved application
- 8. Regional follow-up funding — WIBank (Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen)
The Gründungszuschuss (start-up subsidy) is the most important funding for ALG I recipients on the path into self-employment. It is aimed at internationals, skilled workers and expats in Germany who are currently drawing unemployment insurance benefit (ALG I) from prior insured employment. In Frankfurt am Main — the fifth-largest city in Germany with around 760,000 inhabitants, the financial capital and seat of the European Central Bank, with one of the most active start-up ecosystems in the Rhine-Main region (TechQuartier, Goethe-Universität with the Goethe Unibator, Frankfurt UAS with its Institute for Entrepreneurship) — your chances are good if your application is professionally prepared.
In Frankfurt, ALG I recipients often found in finance-, fintech- and consulting-related fields — no surprise at continental Europe's most important financial centre. For your application, the qualified expert body (fachkundige Stelle) is, depending on your venture, the IHK Frankfurt am Main (Börsenplatz 4) or the Handwerkskammer Frankfurt-Rhein-Main. A cleanly derived financial plan is the crux with both.
1. What is the Gründungszuschuss?
The Gründungszuschuss under § 93 SGB III is a subsidy from the German Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) for unemployed people who want to become self-employed on a full-time basis. It consists of two phases:
The two phases
| Phase | Duration | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Base funding | 6 months | Your ALG I + €300/month for social insurance |
| Phase 2: Build-up phase | 9 months (on request) | €300/month for social insurance |
2. Requirements — who qualifies in Frankfurt am Main?
- ALG I entitlement: You currently receive Arbeitslosengeld I (unemployment insurance benefit — not Bürgergeld!)
- Remaining entitlement: At least 150 days of remaining ALG I entitlement at the time of founding
- Full-time: The self-employment must be your main occupation (at least 15 hours/week)
- Expert opinion: Viability confirmed by the IHK, HWK or a BAFA-listed consultant
- Personal suitability: Professional and personal requirements met
Important: no legal entitlement — the reality in Frankfurt am Main
The Gründungszuschuss is a discretionary benefit. The Agentur für Arbeit Frankfurt am Main decides at its own discretion. Around 90% of all applications — in Frankfurt too — are rejected or never even submitted; a professional application makes the difference.
3. How much money do you receive?
Example calculation for Frankfurt am Main
Assumption: Your ALG I is €1,400/month
Phase 1 (6 months):
(€1,400 + €300) x 6 = €10,200
Phase 2 (9 months):
€300 x 9 = €2,700
Total: €12,900
The higher your previous salary was, the higher your Gründungszuschuss will be — so the total can rise well above the figure in this example.
4. Where to apply in Frankfurt am Main
The Gründungszuschuss is applied for at the Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) — in Frankfurt am Main that is:
Agentur für Arbeit Frankfurt am Main
Address: Fischerfeldstraße 10-12, 60311 Frankfurt am Main
Phone: 0800 4 5555 00 (free)
Online: The application can also be filed via the Federal Employment Agency portal
Important: Submit the application before you register your business (Gewerbe). The funding starts on the day of founding — there is nothing paid retroactively.
5. The qualified expert body in Frankfurt am Main
A key requirement for the Gründungszuschuss is the fachkundige Stellungnahme (expert opinion) on the viability of your venture. In Frankfurt am Main, depending on the type of start-up, the IHK Frankfurt am Main (commercial ventures) or the Handwerkskammer Frankfurt-Rhein-Main (skilled crafts) is responsible. The Agentur für Arbeit accepts opinions from:
| Qualified expert body | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| IHK Frankfurt am Main (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) | Börsenplatz 4, 60313 Frankfurt am Main | 069 2197-0 (start-up advice) |
| Handwerkskammer Frankfurt-Rhein-Main (Chamber of Skilled Crafts) | Bockenheimer Landstraße 21, 60325 Frankfurt am Main | 069 97172-0 |
| BAFA-listed consultants | e.g. Business Start EU (BAFA no. 205985) | 06221 - 3215930 |
Our offer
As a BAFA-listed consultant, we can issue the expert opinion (fachkundige Stellungnahme) for you — based on a professional business plan that we develop together with you.
6. Why 90% of applications are rejected
The most common reasons for rejection:
- Weak financial plan: Unrealistic figures, no clear derivation, no scenarios
- Viability not demonstrated: "Can this person make a living from it?" — if unclear, the application is rejected
- Business plan too thin: No clear target group, no unique selling point
- Negative expert opinion: Doubts from the IHK carry over to the Agentur für Arbeit
- Remaining entitlement too low: Fewer than 150 days of ALG I entitlement
The Agentur asks itself:
Can this person make a living from it? Are the figures realistic? Have they thought of everything? — If you cannot answer these questions clearly, your application will be rejected.
7. Step by step to an approved application in Frankfurt am Main
Step 1: Consultation with your placement officer
Week 1Announce your intention to start a business and ask for the application documents.
Step 2: Create the business plan and financial plan
Weeks 2-4A professional business plan with a complete financial plan — the heart of your application.
Step 3: Obtain the expert opinion
Weeks 4-5The IHK Frankfurt am Main, Handwerkskammer Frankfurt-Rhein-Main or a BAFA-listed consultant reviews the viability of your venture.
Step 4: Submit the application
Weeks 5-6Submit your complete file to the Agentur für Arbeit Frankfurt am Main.
Step 5: Approval and founding
Weeks 6-10Once approved: register your business (Gewerbe) and get started. The subsidy begins on your founding date.
8. Regional follow-up funding — WIBank (Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen)
The Gründungszuschuss covers your living costs in the start-up phase. To finance investments, in Frankfurt the WIBank (Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen) comes into play — the development bank of the state of Hesse. Unlike the Gründungszuschuss from the Agentur für Arbeit, these are loans and equity capital for your company:
| Programme | What for |
|---|---|
| Hessen-Mikrodarlehen (micro-loan) | Loans up to €35,000, without going through a house bank, backed by a guarantee from the state of Hesse |
| Hessen-Kapital II | Equity capital up to €1 million for innovative growth companies — a fit for the fintech and TechQuartier scene in Frankfurt |
| KfW-StartGeld (nationwide) | Up to €125,000 via your house bank — in Frankfurt e.g. Frankfurter Sparkasse or Frankfurter Volksbank |
Why this matters for your application
Anyone planning WIBank or KfW financing alongside the Gründungszuschuss needs a bank-ready business plan with a financial plan anyway — the same basis that the qualified expert body (IHK Frankfurt am Main, Börsenplatz 4) wants to see for the viability certificate. One document, three uses: Agentur für Arbeit, WIBank (Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen) and your house bank.