Wide range of applications in Call 13

Interested start-ups with innovative business ideas were able to apply to Call 13, which is open to all sectors, until the application deadline on April 13. A total of 65 applications were submitted. Around 50 percent of the concepts came from female founders or teams with at least one female team member.

The expert committee, chaired by Claudia Weber, Head of the SME Financing, Guarantees and Start-ups Department at the Saxon State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection, selected 27 teams and individual founders in the regional pre-selection on April 29 and 30. These now presented their business ideas in seven-minute pitches in the second round of judging on May 20 and 21. They then answered questions from the experts. Of the business ideas presented, the expert panel deemed 15 concepts to be worthy of funding. The founders will now submit the formal application to the Sächsische Aufbaubank - Förderbank - (SAB).

Behind the innovative business ideas are 8 planned team start-ups and 7 individual start-ups from all over Saxony. Of these, 10 concepts come from the cities of Leipzig and Dresden and five start-up ideas from rural areas. Seven of the 23 people receiving support are women. The child bonus of EUR 150 per month is claimed four times.

Funding expected to start from July 2025

With the vote on eligibility for funding, the founders now submit their formal application to the SAB. Once approved, they will receive EUR 1,050 per month for one year. With the planned start of funding in July 2025, the funding recipients will be published on our website.

Support and integration into the futureSAX network

The kick-off meetings with futureSAX also take place at the start of the funding period. Here, the founders learn more about the wide range of offers and opportunities from the futureSAX network. They also receive information about important players in the start-up ecosystem, such as the institutions in the Saxon start-up partner network, and present their next milestones on the way to setting up their own business.

Summary of the completed 13 regular funding calls and 5 special calls

You can find more information on the InnoStartBonus start-up grant on our homepage at futureSAX.de/InnoStartBonus or by talking directly to our project manager for the Ideas Phase & InnoStartBonus, Anika Lorenz.

Current Call 14

Since April 14, 2025, Call 14 has been open for applications from all sectors and topics, coaching and consulting are excluded. Founders can submit their innovative business ideas digitally until October 15.

Background: InnoStartBonus

Innovative start-ups are to be promoted in the Saxon start-up scene and financially supported at the start.

The InnoStartBonus start-up funding scheme gives selected founders the opportunity to receive a start-up bonus of 1,050 euros per month for twelve months as part of a competitive process.

futureSAX, the innovation platform of the Free State of Saxony, provides individual support to those interested in founding a company during the application and funding period.