EXIST-Women 2026
Empowering women to turn ideas into innovations
“I shape my world the way I like it.” — and so can you.
EXIST-Women supports motivated women in developing their innovative business idea through a combination of training, mentoring, workspace and — for a selected group — financial support.
The program runs until the end of 2026.
Who can apply?
Eligible are:
- Students (Bachelor: at least 50% coursework completed)
- Graduates & early career professionals
- Researchers & PhD candidates
- Women with vocational training
- No prior company founded
- No previous federal or state startup funding
- Optional scholarship: max. 20h/week additional employment
What you’ll receive
- Training & Workshops
Comprehensive entrepreneurship program until 2026
- Workspace in the Innovation Center
Access to a creative environment & peer community
- €2,000 Project Budget (10 women)
For materials, prototyping, market validation
- 3-Month Scholarship (5 women)
€1,000–3,000/month + €150 child allowance per child
(qualification-dependent rate)
How to apply
- Fill out the online application using the form below.
- Insert a link to a short motivation video. You can use any cloud storage service of your choice.
- Submit until 25 March.
Your motivation video can look like this:
- First and last name
- Startup idea (if available):
- What problem do you want to solve?
- What vision are you pursuing?
- Which topics are you particularly interested in?
- What defines you as a founder?
- Which skills, experiences, or personal strengths do you bring to the table?
- Have you already implemented or worked on any projects?
„*“ zeigt erforderliche Felder an
Any questions?
If you would like to learn more about EXIST-Women, please feel free to contact one of the following contact persons.
Christine Görgen
Entrepreneurship
Steven Vogelgesang
Entrepreneurship
EXIST supports university graduates, researchers, and students in preparing their technology-oriented and knowledge-based start-ups.
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