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EACEA National Policies Platform
Germany

Germany

3. Employment & Entrepreneurship

3.10 Promotion of entrepreneurship culture

Last update: 28 November 2023
On this page
  1. Special events and activities
  2. Networks and partnerships

Special events and activities

The Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz, BMWK) supports exemplary achievements relating to the development of innovative and viable business ideas and start-ups with the German Founders' Prize (Deutscher Gründerpreis).

The start-up competition – digital innovations (Gründungswettbewerb – Digitale Innovationen), which is also funded by BMWK, is aimed at young entrepreneurs and start-ups with innovative business ideas in the field of information and communication technology. See also the section 3.9 Start-up funding for young entrepreneurs.

With the Start-Up Week Germany (Gründungswoche Deutschland), BMWK and its partners aim to create a new start-up culture and a more start-up-friendly environment in Germany. During the nationwide campaign week, Start-Up Week partners organise workshops, seminars, business games, competitions and other events relating to self-employment.

On its existenzgründerinnen.de website, the Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz) offers a wide range of information to support women entrepreneurs. BMWK also launched the Women do Business (FRAUEN unternehmen) initiative to encourage self-employment among women and inspire more girls to become entrepreneurs. Woman entrepreneurs from the Women do Business initiative attend regional events on a voluntary basis and pass on their experiences and inspire women to start their own businesses.

BMWi, various education ministries in the federal states and education initiatives support the German student entrepreneurship award Deutscher Gründerpreis für Schüler:innen. In the online competition, students from year 9 upwards can turn their ideas into fictional business concepts, including a business plan and marketing strategy. The business game aims to foster the start-up environment in Germany.

Networks and partnerships

The German Children and Youth Foundation (Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung) coordinates a network of experts known as STARTUP FUTURE for pupil-run companies, which is active in eight federal states. Entrepreneurial projects in schools help pupils develop the kind of skills and competencies they will need in the future. The foundation provides teaching materials, such as a guide to setting up a business, offers advice on how start pupil-run companies and also oversees individual projects if required. It regularly hosts workshops on current topics and helps pupil-run businesses develop professional contacts.

Information on partnerships to promote entrepreneurial expertise in formal education is also available in the section Development of entrepreneurship competence.