Setting up a business in Germany made easy.

The Global Certification and Consultancy Centre for International Start-up Teams (GCCC) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK)

Global Certification and Consulting Centre

On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
The Global Certification and Consulting Centre (GCCC) for international start-up teams was established on 1 March 2024 by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) as part of the EXIST programme. The background to this is an amendment to the German Residence Act, which from now enables non-EU citizens in Germany to obtain a visa or residence permit for founding a start-up if they are funded by a start-up grant, e.g. the EXIST programme.
The GCCC will act as a central contact point for German Missions Abroad, interior authorities and immigration authorities on the one hand as well as universities, research institutions and international founders on the other. In addition to its advisory role, it is primarily responsible for reviewing the start-up teams' documents in the context of the EXIST programme and certifying other start-up programmes on a scholarship basis.

Information regarding the possibilities and procedures for simplified visa issuance.

Legal basis
Start-up Programmes
Procedure
Services
Links
Contact

Legal basis

§ 21 of the German Residence Act regulates the granting of a residence permit for the purpose of self-employment. The new section 2b explicitly introduces a residence permit for the purpose of setting up a business for holders of a related scholarship. These scholarship programmes are offered by federal and state governments.

In addition to being granted a scholarship to cover living expenses, the founders must be skilled workers as defined by the law, i.e. they must generally have a recognised university degree.

List of certified start-up programmes

So far, the following scholarship-based start-up support programmes have been certified by the GCCC.
The EXIST Business Start-up Grant
More about EXIST business start-up grant
The EXIST business start-up grant supports students, graduates and scientists from universities and non-university research institutions who are interested in setting up their own business.
More about EXIST business start-up grant
Gründungsstipendium NRW Grant
More about Gründungsstipendium NRW grant
The Gründungsstipendium NRW grant (start-up grant provided by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia) offers you the opportunity to get your innovative business idea off the ground and become part of North Rhine-Westphalia’s regional start-up community.
More about Gründungsstipendium NRW grant
Gründungsstipendium Niedersachsen
More about Gründungsstipendium Niedersachsen
Do you have an innovative, digital or knowledge-orientated idea and would like to set up in Lower Saxony, but lack the financial resources? The Gründungsstipendium Niedersachsen Grant supports you in the pre-seed and seed phase.
More about Gründungsstipendium Niedersachsen
Förderrichtlinie InnoStartBonus Sachsen
More about futureSAX
As a central point of contact for innovation activities in Saxony, futureSAX makes the innovation ecosystem and its players holistically visible. Through a variety of measures, futureSAX connects innovators from science and industry across sectors, stimulates cooperation and collaboration, and thus strengthens the culture of innovation in the Free State.
More about futureSAX
ESF Plus - Förderung von Technologiegründungsstipendien
More about ESF Plus
Scholarship for founders to support the establishment of a young innovative company in promising technology sectors in the Free State of Saxony.
More about ESF Plus
IFB Innovationsstarter
More about IFB Innovationsstarter
IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH provides financial support to promising companies and strengthens the local start-up scene by promoting technology-oriented start-ups and young, innovative companies in Hamburg. Check out the programmes InnoFounder, InnoImpact, InnoRampUp and InnoFinTech.
More about IFB Innovationsstarter

Contact

Global Certification and Consulting Centre (GCCC) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
+49 30 20199-411ptj-exist-gccc@fz-juelich.de
Dr. Thomas Großmann
Head of the “Start-up Networks” department

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Projektträger Jülich
Lützowstraße 109
10789 Berlin

Procedure for German Missions Abroad and immigration authorities

German Missions Abroad (embassies and consulates) and local immigration authorities in Germany should contact the GCCC when they receive applications for visas or residence permits in order to simplify and streamline processes and speed up procedures. The GCCC will help to clarify the matter at short notice and provide the necessary documents (letters of confirmation or grant notices).

Services

Service for universities and research institutions

Universities and research institutions that are approached by international start-up teams to participate in an EXIST start-up project or other similar funding programmes are welcome to contact the GCCC for information on procedures and necessary requirements.

Service for international start-up teams

Founders who are not EU citizens but are interested in founding a start-up in Germany with the EXIST programme or other similar funding programmes are welcome to contact the GCCC to clarify the necessary requirements.
EXIST Startup Germany
Visit EXIST programme
EXIST supports university graduates, scientists and students in preparing their technology-orientated and knowledge-based start-ups.
Visit EXIST programme

Imprint

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz
Referat VII C 4
Scharnhorststr. 34-37
10115 Berlin

Supervision by

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Projektträger Jülich (PtJ)
Gründungs-, Transfer- und Innovationsförderung
Lützwostraße 109
10785 Berlin
E-Mail:  contact@gccc-exist.de 
Web: www.exist.de