EXIST – Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft

What they fund

• Scientific Spin-offs — The program specifically targets "EXIST – Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft," which translates to "Existence Foundations from Science," focusing on the commercialization of academic research results [1].
• DeepTech and Research-Based Ventures — The investment thesis centers on supporting scientists and researchers in transforming their academic findings and DeepTech innovations into viable startup ventures [1].
• Lab-to-Market Transition — The fund encourages founders to look beyond the lab environment to find the best fit for their ideas, supporting the transition from scientific concepts to successful market entry [1].
• Portfolio Composition — The entity has a recorded portfolio count of 1, indicating a highly selective or early-stage tracking of supported ventures [1].

Investment thesis

EXIST is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy’s flagship programme for transforming academic research and DeepTech into viable startups. It operates on a three-pillar strategy: building university start-up culture, funding pre-founding preparation via fellowships, and financing research transfer to prove technical feasibility. The programme acts as a quality seal, validating that a venture has undergone rigorous technical and market assessment. It connects founders with coaching, mentoring, and a national ecosystem of investors and industry partners. Credibility: The programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF+) and managed by Projektträger Jülich (PtJ) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy [1].

Value add

Beyond funding, EXIST provides access to a national network of coaches, mentors, investors, and industry partners. The programme’s quality seal signals technical and market validation to future investors. Founders gain structured coaching and milestone-based support to de-risk their venture. Fit verdict: Ideal for DeepTech and research-based founders in Germany who need pre-seed funding and ecosystem access. Founder diligence script: 1. Do I have a direct link to a German university or research institution? 2. Is my venture technology-oriented or knowledge-based? 3. Am I prepared to engage with a start-up network or coach? 4. Do I need funding for pre-founding preparation or proof-of-concept work? 5. Am I eligible for EXIST-Women or Startup Factories?

Portfolio focus

• Additive Drives: High-performance electric motors for future drive systems [2].
• Prime Vector Technologies: New vaccine platforms for future medicine [2].
• Tentris: Foundation for trustworthy artificial intelligence [2].
• The portfolio clusters around DeepTech, health tech, and AI, reflecting Germany’s research strengths [2].
• Startups benefit from the EXIST quality seal, enhancing credibility with investors and partners [2].