Green Start-up

The Green Start-up Funding of the German Federal Environmental Foundation is aimed at young start-up projects in Germany that pursue innovative, environmentally relieving, and economically viable business models. Start-ups and spin-offs may have existed for a maximum of five years and must be assigned to one of the DBU funding topics. Funding is provided for living expenses (up to €2,000 per person per month), material costs, and external services – with a maximum funding amount of €125,000 per start-up. The project duration spans 24 months, during which full-time commitment of the founding team is supported by the grant. Applications can be submitted at any time and are continuously reviewed, with formal establishment required before the start of funding.

Key evaluation criteria include the potential for environmental relief, degree of innovation, personal suitability of the founders, and the economic viability of the project. In addition to financial support, participating start-ups receive professional guidance from DBU advisors and access to exclusive events such as the presentation of the German Environmental Award. Furthermore, integration into the DBU network takes place, for example through the format “DBU nachhaltig.digital.” The combination of grant funding, personal expertise, and network support aims to sustainably strengthen promising green start-ups and provide them with a solid foundation for market entry.