Thuringia Start-up Premium (Gruendungspraemie)
Thüringer Aufbaubank (TAB) with ThEx · Founder living-cost grant
$45KNon-repayable monthly grant of €2,500-€3,500 per founder (by qualification) for up to 12 months (up to €42,000, ~$45k), plus a start-up coach
State of Thuringia grant covering founders' living costs while they prepare and launch an innovation-based start-up in Thuringia, with coaching and milestones (business plan, interim pitch, full-time launch).
Key terms
- Individuals with a concrete, innovation-based (technical or non-technical) start-up plan in Thuringia; not yet self-employed in the field
- The company may only be founded after approval; support runs up to 12 months and at most 6 months after founding
- Per-person grant: each team member applies; people eligible for the EXIST start-up grant cannot use it
- Two steps per cycle: 2-page exposé to ThEx, then full application to TAB a month later, then jury pitch
- Next cycle: exposé by 2026-12-15, application by 2027-02-01 (quarterly deadlines)
Eligibility
- Where
- Germany
- Stages
- idea, pre-seed
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- No
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Founding in Thuringia
- Innovation-based start-up, not yet founded
- Not EXIST-eligible
How to apply
Send the 2-page exposé with annexes 1 and 2 to ThEx ([email protected]) by 15 December 2026, then file the application in the TAB online portal by 1 February 2027 and pitch to the jury.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Exposé 2026-12-15; application 2027-02-01 (quarterly cycle)
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-11-08 · source
More: Government grants for startups · Startup programs in Germany