Table of Contents
- 1. What is an AVGS and who is eligible?
- 2. AVGS in Rostock — where to apply
- 3. What happens during the coaching?
- 4. Which training provider is responsible in Rostock?
- 5. Rostock's founder landscape — maritime economy and universities
- 6. Common mistakes when applying for the AVGS
- 7. How we support you in Rostock
The AVGS (Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein — German Activation and Mediation Voucher) is the entry point into self-employment for many founders in the Hanseatic and university city of Rostock. As the location of Germany's largest Baltic Sea port, with a tradition-rich university and a growing maritime technology cluster, Rostock offers unique conditions — and with the AVGS, you can receive your founder coaching completely free of charge.
Rostock: maritime economy meets founder spirit
Rostock's start-up scene is strongly shaped by the maritime future cluster Ocean Technology Campus (OTC) with the Digital Ocean Lab and the International Ocean Accelerator — as well as by the health economy cluster BioCon Valley. If you found a business here, you can combine the AVGS coaching with the university structures of the University of Rostock (Center for Entrepreneurship, founder spaces) in a targeted way. At the same time, the AVGS coaching market in Rostock is occupied by several local providers — our strength: nationwide online support with the BAFA quality standard and full business plan expertise.
1. What is an AVGS and who is eligible?
The AVGS pursuant to § 45 SGB III (German Social Code, Book III) is a funding instrument of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (German Federal Employment Agency). It allows you to receive professional founder coaching with 100% of the costs covered.
Eligibility for the AVGS
- ALG I: You currently receive ALG I (German unemployment insurance benefit, contribution-based), or
- Bürgergeld: You receive Bürgergeld (German basic welfare benefit since 2023, formerly ALG II)
- Intent to found: You plan to enter full-time self-employment
- Remaining entitlement: You still have sufficient remaining entitlement to benefits
- Suitability: You are personally and professionally suited for self-employment
Important: no legal entitlement
The AVGS is a discretionary benefit — you have no automatic right to it. The decision lies with your case worker. A convincing founder concept and professional preparation significantly increase your chances.
2. AVGS in Rostock — where to apply
Depending on which benefit you receive, a different authority is responsible for your AVGS application. Important for Rostock: the Jobcenter (German welfare/job placement office) for the city of Rostock is the Hanse-Jobcenter Rostock — not the separate Jobcenter for the rural district of Rostock.
| Your situation | Responsible authority | Address |
|---|---|---|
| ALG I | Agentur für Arbeit Rostock | Kopernikusstraße 1a, 18057 Rostock Phone: 0800 4 55 55 00 (toll-free) |
| Bürgergeld | Hanse-Jobcenter Rostock | Erich-Schlesinger-Straße 35, 18059 Rostock Phone: 0381 4611-0 |
The path to the AVGS — step by step
Step 1: meeting with your case worker
Day 1Inform your case worker about your intent to found a business and request a consultation about the AVGS.
Step 2: prepare your founder concept
Weeks 1-2Prepare a short summary of your business idea (1-2 pages is sufficient).
Step 3: select a coach
Week 2Choose an AZAV-certified coaching provider (AZAV is the German accreditation framework for training providers under SGB III; we cooperate with certified carrier providers).
Step 4: apply for the AVGS
Weeks 2-3Submit the application to your case worker together with the provider's Maßnahmenbeschreibung (German measure description) and Maßnahmenummer (training-measure number, format XXX/YYYY/ZZZZ).
Step 5: start coaching
After approvalOnce approved, coaching can start immediately — with us also fully online.
3. What happens during the coaching?
AVGS founder coaching is not a theoretical training course — it is intensive 1:1 support on your way into self-employment.
Typical coaching content
- Business model: sharpening your idea, target group, unique selling proposition
- Market analysis: competitors, market potential, positioning in Rostock and the region
- Financial plan: capital requirements, revenue forecast, liquidity planning
- Business plan: bank-ready documentation for funding applications
- Administrative steps: trade registration, IHK/HWK (Chambers of Commerce and Skilled Crafts), tax office
- Funding: Gründungszuschuss (German start-up grant), BAFA (Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control), MV-Gründerstipendium (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern founder scholarship), Mikrodarlehen MV (micro-loan)
Number of hours
A typical AVGS founder coaching consists of 80-120 coaching units spread over several weeks to months. The exact duration depends on your individual needs.
4. Which training provider is responsible in Rostock?
The AVGS can only be redeemed with an AZAV-certified training provider. Business Start EU cooperates with certified carrier providers who meet the formal requirements — while we, as your coach, take care of the actual content work.
Our model
We ourselves are not AZAV-certified; instead, we cooperate with established carrier providers (e.g. Starthilfe Bildungswerk GmbH). The result for you is identical: professional coaching, 100% free of charge via the AVGS — but with the BAFA quality standard that we bring as a listed consultant.
5. Rostock's founder landscape — maritime economy and universities
As the location of Germany's largest Baltic Sea port and as a university city, Rostock offers an unusually broad founder landscape — from maritime technology to the health economy. As a founder, you benefit from:
Universities and founder centers in Rostock
| Institution | Founder program |
|---|---|
| University of Rostock — Center for Entrepreneurship (ZfE) | Support for students, doctoral candidates and researchers from idea to implementation; founder spaces (early-stage incubator) |
| Ocean Technology Campus Rostock (OTC) | BMBF future cluster, International Ocean Accelerator for maritime start-ups; Digital Ocean Lab (underwater test field in the Baltic Sea) |
| BioCon Valley | Health economy cluster Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; #HEALTH regulars' table for the Rostock region |
| Gründungswerft / GründerMV | Regional start-up and accelerator platform for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
Local contact points and networks
- IHK zu Rostock (Industrie- und Handelskammer — Chamber of Commerce) — Ernst-Barlach-Str. 1-3, 18055 Rostock, Phone: 0381 338-0 · fachkundige Stelle (qualified expert body) for the Gründungszuschuss: Martina Pfordte, Phone 0381 338-650
- Handwerkskammer Ostmecklenburg-Vorpommern (Chamber of Skilled Crafts) — Schwaaner Landstraße 8, 18055 Rostock, Phone: 0381 4549-0 · qualified expert body for skilled crafts start-ups
- Rostock Business (economic development agency) — Schweriner Str. 10/11, 18069 Rostock · location marketing, founder culture section
6. Common mistakes when applying for the AVGS
The most common reasons for problems with the AVGS application:
- Applying too early: without a clear founder concept, the funding does not appear effective
- No coach selected: without a concrete provider/coach, the case worker cannot process the application
- Weak concept: if the viability of the idea (Tragfähigkeitsbescheinigung — German business viability certificate later required for the Gründungszuschuss) appears doubtful
- Wrong Jobcenter: in Rostock the rule is: ALG I → Agentur für Arbeit Rostock, Bürgergeld → Hanse-Jobcenter Rostock (not the separate Jobcenter of the rural district of Rostock)
Our advice
Come to us before you apply for the AVGS. We help you with the preparation and ensure your application meets all success criteria.
7. How we support you in Rostock
Business Start EU (BAFA No. 205985) supports founders from Rostock and the wider Mecklenburg-Vorpommern region online, with flexible scheduling and the quality standard you can expect from a BAFA-listed consultant. Personally, I have supported over 200 founders across Germany in recent years — including from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. We do not have an on-site office in Rostock; all consultation sessions take place by video or phone.
Our approach
- Free initial consultation: we clarify your situation, funding options and next steps
- AVGS preparation: we help you present your business idea to the case worker
- Provider matching: we connect you with a suitable AZAV-certified provider
- Coaching: intensive 1:1 support by our experienced coaches
- Follow-up perspective: Gründungszuschuss, BAFA funding, MV-Gründerstipendium (for innovative start-ups), bank meeting
What a BAFA-listed coach brings to the table
As BAFA-listed consultants (No. 205985), we meet strict quality criteria. Over 200 business plans, €55+ million in financing volume for our clients, zero rejections due to quality issues — that is our track record.