Berlin Start

The Berlin Start funding program is aimed at founders and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Berlin. It aims to support the establishment of new businesses, the acquisition of existing businesses, and the stabilization of young companies to strengthen the region's economic structure.

Berlin Start supports a wide range of projects related to business formation, acquisition, and stabilization in Berlin. The funding covers both investment and operating costs and is accessible to various economic sectors.

Berlin Start offers combined funding consisting of low-interest loans from IBB and a guarantee from BBB. The financing covers up to 100 percent of the required amount, with loan amounts between 5,000 Euros and 1.5 million Euros, and is designed for a term of up to 10 years.

Funding under Berlin Start is subject to specific conditions, including the requirement for the applicant to have professional and commercial qualifications, and the mandatory combination of the IBB loan with a BBB guarantee. Additionally, potential relevance as a de minimis aid must be considered.

The application procedure for Berlin Start is carried out through the applicant's house bank, which forwards the documents to Bürgschaftsbank zu Berlin-Brandenburg (BBB) and subsequently to Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB). Decisions on applications are generally made within 10 working days.

The legal basis for the Berlin Start funding program is the 'Berlin Start' factsheet from June 9, 2023. The program is financed by funds from Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with EU Regulation 1407/2013 on de minimis aid also being relevant.