It can be tough when you move to a new city to try a new venture – finding a place to live, a pleasant environment to work in and community to feel a part of – are all essential things when moving to a new city.
Agora can help with some of the above, but as far as the mechanics of a new business – taxes, funding, training – there’s the Berlin Business Support Guide.
It’s highly useful.
I’ve read the entire 130 pages, scanning for funding, support and advice that will help Agora (and our coworkers!) grow. Go ahead and check it out (download it here).
Findings
Here is what I found:
Page 12-16 have support program overview tables for:
- Business start-ups
- Investment and working capital
- Technology, research and development
- Subsidies within the scope of labour market policy
- Consultancy and in-house training
Support for cultural/creative funding
- Investment capital for Berlin-based businesses in the creative sector (p.59)
- Training subsidies for workshops and events (p.110)
Support for green urban farming/think tanks/women entrepreneurs
- Eco innovation – supporting first-time projects that reduce environmental impact of facilities, products and services. (p.65)
- Consultancy services for female entrepreneurs and founders (p.123)
- Business support programmes: Commercial property and space, founder and innovation centres (p.126-134)
- Energy consulting for medium-sized enterprises 2012 (p.106)
- Centres for women starting up in business (p.130)
- State-owned commercial properties – heritable building rights (p.132)
Support for structural funds/tax advice/staffing
- Gründungszuschuss / Founder allowance (p.23)
- Labour cost subsidies for employees hired by newly established businesses (p.24)
- Entrepreneurial capital: ERP capital for start-ups supporting transition from part-time self-employed to full-time self-employed (p.26)
- Other consultancy services for companies and start-ups (p.120)
- State-owned commercial properties – sale (p.133)
- Relocation and modification subsidy programme (p.134)
Support for job training/lifelong learning, start-up advice
- Labour cost subsidies for employees hired by newly established businesses (p.24)
- Training allowance (p.91)
- Vocational training for people without qualifications (p.93)
- Training costs for vocational training programmes (p.96)
Support for innovation and technology/other projects
- Innovation assistant programme (p.78)
- Central innovation programme for medium-sized enterprises (p.84)
- basically anything between (p.62 and p.84)
Support for craftsmen
- Start-up bonus for master craftsmen and women (p.25)
- Career development act – master craftsmen grant (p.88)
