Publicly-Funded Accelerators in Berlin for Early-Stage Teams

Eclectic clubs and a vibrant party scene are not the only things Berlin is known for. Germany’s capital has also emerged as a major player in the international startup world, attracting talents and founders from all over the world. Startups in Berlin are supported by a vibrant support community that organise startup events, pitch competitions, and networking opportunities. Numerous support programs (see our list of 20+ privately-funded Accelerators and Incubators in Berlin) and investors have set up in the city to further grow and accompany Berlin tech companies.

The Case for Government Startup Funding

But there is one gaping hole of support along the journey of the startup – right at the beginning. Early-stage teams often face liquidity problems, as their ideas and business models are too young to be interesting even for Business Angels and Seed Investors. How can teams focus on establishing product-market fit without having to worry about rent payments?

That’s where publicly-funded programs usually come in. Investing financial and technical resources in young teams wouldn’t be attractive in a for-profit setting. However, in order to establish Berlin as the startup harbour the German government is envisioning, it is exactly this early-on support that needs to be provided to ensure that sustainable ideas can flourish.

Accelerators in Berlin providing Startup Grants

The Berlin Senate set up the Berlin Startup Stipendium with exactly this target group in mind: young startups in Berlin that need to build a Minimum Viable Product and establish product-market fit. Equipped with financial support from the Senate of Berlin and the European Social Fund, 14 implementers have set out to provide coaching, co-working, and stipends for Berlin’s next generation of startups.

Below you can find a list of all available programs under the Berlin Startup Stipend plus one early-stage accelerator set up by EITDigital:

Accelerator	Focus	Requirements	Financials	Support	Equity	Duration
Imagine2030 Mobility Accelerator (by Sharkbite Innovation & MotionLab.Berlin)	Solutions that drive a system change for sustainable mobility Zebra companies (for cause and profit)	2-4 co-founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application	€2,000 per participant per month	Access to MakerGarage, Ao-working & Office Space (@MotionLab.Berlin) Weekly coaching 2-day training each month Monthly mentoring	No	6 months
EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator	Climate & Clean Tech	<5 years since incorporation Minimum 2 co-founders Full-tim	Stage 1: Fundamentals Up to €20,000 Stage 2: Validation Up to €25,000 Stage 3: Delivery Up to €50,000	Mentoring Coaching Peer Learning Access to network	No	6 months per stage
DesignFarm Berlin	Design-in-tech in the fields of product-related innovations, innovative manufacturing processes, or competence-based start-ups	1-3 founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from BSS or EXIST University degree in design no longer than 5 years ago Business registration no more than 3 months before application Proof-of-concept done and verifiable Mentor/professor who will coach the team	€2,000 per participant per month	Mentorship Coaching Access to network	No	9 month (up to 1 year)
High-Tech SeedLab	Technology Sustainability Women in Tech	2-4 co-founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application	€1,500 per participant per month	Coaching Mentorship Co-working Access to network Workshops	No	10 months
SIBB Deep Tech Startup Stipendium	Smart City Urban mobility Energy & Smart Grids Hardware & Embedded Software E-health Foodtech	Founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application Developed prototype or prototype procedure Business plan draft	€1,800 per participant per month	Mentoring Coaching Workshops Marketing support Access to network	No	6-9 months
The Berlin Founders Fund (by Silicon Allee)	Tech Startups	1-3 co-founder registered in Berlin MVP is a nice to have	€2000 per participant per month	Mentoring Coaching Co-working Workshops Legal support Access to network	No	12 months
Future City Incubator	Smart City (e.g. Urban Mobility, GovTech, PropTech)	1-3 founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application	€1,500 per participant per month	Training Coaching Mentoring Co-working Access to network	No	8 months
Soulincubator	Startups and social initiatives that rethink the use of plastic in everyday life	2-4 founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application	€1,500 per participant per month	Training Coaching Daily lunch Workspace	No	6 months
The Prototype Scholarship (by Startup Incubator Berlin, Berlin School of Economics and Law)	Tech & SaaS startups Startups that address societal, economic and ecological challenges	2-3 founders registered in Berlin First concept and prototype	€2000 per participant per month	Internal and external coaching Workplace and prototype workshop Access to network	No	6 months with possibility of extension for another 6 month
Startup Habour (by Bosch)	Deep tech startups in the areas of: Farming for the future Sensor-based solutions Mobility Energy data Construction Industry 4.0 Human-robot interaction IoT for social impact	2-4 founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application Participants must hold a university degree First drafts of a prototype Mentor/professor must supervise the team	€1,800 per participant per month	Coaching Mentoring Training Access to network Access to labs (HTW Berlin) Access to Bosch IoT Campus facilities	No	6 months
University Startup Factory (Free University of Berlin, the Technical University of Berlin, Charité, and Humboldt University)	Innovative tech startups	2-4 founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application Proof of Principle University degree Mentor/professor from one of the participating universities must supervise the team	€2000 per participant per month	Technical and business know-how Access to labs on campus Access to infrastructure Advice and qualification modules	No	6 months with possibility of extension for another 6 month
Vision Health Pioneers	Healthcare, live sciences and medical startups with an idea that can be implemented in the German healthcare system	2-4 founders registered in Berlin Full-time No previous support from Berlin Startup Stipend (BSS) or EXIST Business registration no more than 3 months before application	€2000 per month per participant	Training Coaching Co-working Access to technology Access to network Access to testing fields	No	9 months