Funding options for Students

The scholarship for prototyping

With the KickStart scholarship, we support individuals or teams at Esslingen University who want to develop a prototype for a particularly innovative research or start-up idea.

	Funding phase
Goal	Support for the testing of particularly innovative research or start-up ideas (e.g. in the form of a prototype)
What will be supported?	An innovative research and start-up idea (e.g. prototype). A prototype can be a functional and highly simplified model of the planned product, component or process. The financial assistance may be used to further develop and test the idea and prototype.
Who will be supported?	Students Research assistants Professors
How is funding provided?	Duration: max. 6 months Support services up to 7,500 Euros Priority access to the MakerSpacES!

For more information, see our infosheet:

Infosheet KickStart scholarship

You want to apply right away? Then fill out the application form (1 form per team member) and send it directly with the subject "KickStart scholarship" to us (gruendes[at]hs-esslingen.de)
Application KickStart scholarship

For more information please contact Thomas M?st (thomas.moest[at]hs-esslingen.de)

EXIST-Women

You have a start-up idea and don't know yet how to implement it? And at the same time, you want to be part of a great network and learn from the experiences of other founders?

Then apply for the EXIST-Women scholarship and become a Female Founder!

	Funding phase
Goal	You will receive financial support (a 3-month scholarship of up to €3,000/month and a one-time €2,000 sum for materials) and be part of a 12-month network where you will have exclusive access to coaching, workshops and a great community of female founders, coaches and experts. During this period, you can validate your idea and take the next steps in the start-up process.
What will besupported?	Innovative start-up projects and services - these can also be non-knowledge or technology-based.
Who will be supported?	Female students (Bachelor's degree or more than half of the course work completed). Female research assistants/employees Alumnae (graduation can be more than 5 years ago) Women with vocational training and relation to the university Women who have previously received start-up funding from the federal or state governments (e.g. EXIST or Junge Innovatoren) are excluded from the funding.
How is funding provided?	Duration: 12 months (scholarship max. 3 months) One-time sum for material costs in the amount of € 2,000 (can be used for material resources, travel expenses or further coaching)

The application for EXIST-Women is no longer possible.

For more information please contact Lisa Stoll (lisa.stoll@hs-esslingen.de).

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Funding options

The scholarship for prototyping

EXIST-Women

You have a start-up idea and don't know yet how to implement it? And at the same time, you want to be part of a great network and learn from the experiences of other founders?

Interested? Apply now! for the summersemester 2025

Your personal contactContact us

Thomas M?st