Support for women interested in starting a business in Saxony

Women with a start-up idea can apply for the HHL support program until March 12, 2025 - with up to € 3,000 monthly support and a € 2,000 material allowance.

Leipzig, February 20, 2025 - The HHL Female Founders Initiative is launching a new support program for women interested in starting a business in Saxony. For the first time, participants will not only receive support in terms of content, but also financial support from the EXIST Women program of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK). The application deadline is March 12, 2025.

Workshops, mentoring and financial support

The six-month, free program offers women with a start-up idea the opportunity to prepare for self-employment in a targeted manner. In around 15 practical workshops, participants learn how to develop their business model, plan their financing and successfully market their company. Mentors from the field support them individually with valuable tips from their own start-up experience.

Thanks to EXIST Women funding, participants also benefit from

• Financial support: up to 3,000 euros per month for a maximum of three months, depending on their study or degree status.
• Material subsidy: 2,000 euros for their own start-up project.
• Network: Access to a nationwide network of female founders, mentors and experts.

Application until March 12, 2025

Interested women with a university background can apply by sending an informal email to gruenderinnen@hhl.de by March 12, 2025. The application should include a brief description of the start-up idea, motivation and academic and professional background.

Eligibility requirements:

• Student, research assistant, doctoral candidate or graduate of a university
• Intention to found a company in the Free State of Saxony
• No business start-up yet for the current idea
• Participation in approx. 80 percent of the events on site in Leipzig

Promoting diversity in the startup scene

The HHL Female Founders Initiative is funded by the European Social Fund Plus, the Free State of Saxony and HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management. It is part of the Leipzig Start-up Network, which bundles start-up support from Leipzig's universities and research institutions.

The BMWK's EXIST-Women program aims to inspire more women to found companies and to strengthen diversity in the German start-up scene. In addition to financial support, EXIST-Women offers a twelve-month qualification program with workshops, mentoring and individual coaching.

Further information can be found on the website of the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management.