A free, government-backed non-profit program giving German startups structured market access into the US, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
- Location:
- Remote
- Equity:
- Equity-free
What you need to qualify
- Incorporated in Germany with a German legal entity (UG, AG, GmbH, GmbH & Co. KG, or a GbR on a case-by-case basis)
- Qualifies as a small or medium-sized enterprise under the EU definition
- Complies with EU De-minimis aid rules
- For Kickstart specifically: "You need to be based in Germany + having a German legal entity is beneficial", you are working on product/market fit, you are anywhere from bootstrapped to Seed+, and you plan to scale in Germany, the EU or globally
Eligibility
- Eligible stages
- All stages
- Countries
- Global, subject to the provider’s eligibility and approval
How to apply
- 1
Pick the programme that matches where you are
Kickstart lays the foundation for scaling in modules of one to three days, Market Discovery validates the business model in a new market, and Market Access launches and expands in that market and "last a minimum of 3 months".
- 2
Submit the eligibility form with your pitch deck
All programmes route through one form: "Simply fill out our form, and we will assess your eligibility and get back to you soon!" The application asks for a pitch deck plus answers about the business, its vision and its current growth stage.
- 3
Wait for the selection review
The team reviews the submitted materials and notifies the startups it selects.
- 4
Take part, then step up to the next programme
Programmes run as workshops, mentor sessions and, for Market Access, an in-country immersion week. Participants finish with an expansion plan and can continue into Market Discovery or another Market Access programme.