Preparing for your meeting at the Agentur für Arbeit Kassel
Two fillable PDFs to help you prepare for your meeting with the placement officer in Kassel — 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
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 Kassel — the largest city in North Hesse (Nordhessen) with around 197,000 inhabitants on the river Fulda, a central pole of the North Hesse economic region, with an established research and academic landscape (the University of Kassel, the Fraunhofer IEE and the Science Park Kassel) — your chances are good if your application is professionally prepared.
In Kassel, ALG I recipients often found in services, science- and craft-related fields — the environment around the University of Kassel and the Science Park Kassel attracts research and technology start-ups. For your application, the qualified expert body (fachkundige Stelle) is, depending on your venture, the IHK Kassel-Marburg (Kurfürstenstraße 9) or the Handwerkskammer Kassel. 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 Kassel?
- 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 Kassel
The Gründungszuschuss is a discretionary benefit. The Agentur für Arbeit Kassel decides at its own discretion. Around 90% of all applications — in Kassel too — are rejected or never even submitted; a professional application makes the difference.
3. How much money do you receive?
Example calculation for Kassel
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 Kassel
The Gründungszuschuss is applied for at the Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) — in Kassel that is:
Agentur für Arbeit Kassel
Address: Lewinskistraße 6, 34127 Kassel
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 Kassel
A key requirement for the Gründungszuschuss is the fachkundige Stellungnahme (expert opinion) on the viability of your venture. In Kassel, depending on the type of start-up, the IHK Kassel-Marburg (commercial ventures) or the Handwerkskammer Kassel (skilled crafts) is responsible. The Agentur für Arbeit accepts opinions from:
| Qualified expert body | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| IHK Kassel-Marburg (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) | Kurfürstenstraße 9, 34117 Kassel | 0561 7891-0 (start-up advice) |
| Handwerkskammer Kassel (Chamber of Skilled Crafts) | Scheidemannplatz 2, 34117 Kassel | 0561 7888-0 |
| 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 Kassel
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 Kassel-Marburg, Handwerkskammer Kassel 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 Kassel.
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
The Gründungszuschuss covers your living costs in the start-up phase. To finance investments, in Kassel the WIBank comes into play — the development bank of Hesse. Unlike the Gründungszuschuss from the Agentur für Arbeit, these are loans and grants for your company:
| Programme | What for |
|---|---|
| Hessen-Mikrodarlehen (WIBank micro-loan) | Micro-loan of €3,000 up to €35,000, term up to 7 years, up to 100% of eligible costs, no standard bank collateral required, via your house bank |
| Hessen-Kapital (WIBank) | Equity and mezzanine financing (Gründungs- und Mittelstandsförderprogramm Hessen) for growth-oriented ventures in Hesse |
| KfW ERP-Gründerkredit StartGeld (nationwide) | Up to €200,000 (of which up to €80,000 for working capital) via your house bank — in Kassel e.g. the Kasseler Sparkasse or a regional cooperative bank |
Why this matters for your application
Anyone planning IB 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 Kassel-Marburg, Kurfürstenstraße 9) wants to see for the viability certificate. One document, three uses: Agentur für Arbeit, WIBank and your house bank.