InnoStartBonus Saxony
Innovative Unternehmensgründungen (InnoStartBonus)
EUR 1,050/month per founder + EUR 150/month per dependent child; up to 12 months. Provided by Freistaat Sachsen / futureSAX (selection) / SAB (payout).
Key facts
- Amount
- EUR 1,050/month per founder + EUR 150/month per dependent child; up to 12 months
- Duration
- Up to 12 months (months 7-12 paid only after the company is registered)
- Type
- Stipend
- Who receives it
- Individual founder
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayable
- No
- Stages
- Idea, Prototype, Pre-revenue
- Solo founders
- Yes
- Full-time required
- No
- Company required
- No
- University link required
- No
- Application languages
- DE
- Location
- Main residence in Saxony (in a team, one founder main residence, the other may have secondary residence); company seat in Saxony; age 18+
Who can apply
- Innovative product/service/process/business-model idea, any sector
- Solo founder or team; max 2 founders funded
- Company not yet founded at approval (side business to main business allowed)
- No other paid work over 20 h/week during funding
- Idea paper via 'Mein futureSAX' portal, expert panel + pitch, then formal SAB application
What usually blocks applicants
- Receiving BAföG, unemployment benefit, Gründungszuschuss or Einstiegsgeld
- Already founded before approval: a full-time freelance or trade registration counts as founded; only a switch from side business to main business is allowed
- Residence outside Saxony
- Academic teams with 15%+ R&D spend are excluded (use Technologiegründungsstipendium instead)
- Consulting businesses (Beratungsleistungen) are excluded
Deadline and timing
Call 17 is open now; its deadline is not yet published. Calls close about twice a year (Call 15 ~Apr 2026, Call 16 closed 15 Sep 2026).
Frequently asked
How much does InnoStartBonus Saxony pay?
EUR 1,050/month per founder + EUR 150/month per dependent child; up to 12 months
Who can apply for InnoStartBonus Saxony?
Innovative product/service/process/business-model idea, any sector Solo founder or team; max 2 founders funded Company not yet founded at approval (side business to main business allowed) No other paid work over 20 h/week during funding Idea paper via 'Mein futureSAX' portal, expert panel + pitch, then formal SAB application
When is the InnoStartBonus Saxony deadline?
Call 17 is open now; its deadline is not yet published. Calls close about twice a year (Call 15 ~Apr 2026, Call 16 closed 15 Sep 2026).
Where do I apply for InnoStartBonus Saxony?
On the official page: https://www.futuresax.de/gruenden/innostartbonus. Applications are accepted in DE.
Do I have to pay back InnoStartBonus Saxony or give up equity?
No, it does not have to be paid back. It takes no equity.
Can solo founders apply for InnoStartBonus Saxony?
Yes, solo founders can apply.
Sources and verification
Checked on 8 October 2026. Facts read directly from the official source. This page is orientation, not an eligibility decision.
More funding in Saxony
- ESF Plus Technology Founder Stipend SaxonyPer founder per month: EUR 1,000 (students), EUR 2,500 (graduates), EUR 3,000 (PhD); up to 12 months
- SAB Microloan SaxonyEUR 5,000-30,000, up to 80% of eligible costs; currently 2% p.a. nominal; up to 6 years incl. 1 year repayment-free; no collateral
- SAB Founding Consulting SubsidyFixed EUR 400 per consulting day (8h), 2-5 days for new start-ups (EUR 800-2,000); succession EUR 500/day up to 10 days
- Saxony Digitalisation Grant (micro firms)Up to 60% of eligible costs (+10 pts if bound by collective agreement); direct eligible costs capped at EUR 10,000, minimum EUR 5,000 costs; plus 7% flat indirect costs
- Saxon Founders' Prize2026 round: up to EUR 30,000 total split across Newcomer, Start-up and Scale-up winners (2025 round: up to EUR 60,000)
- Saxony Business Angel BonusGrant of 50% of eligible costs (personnel incl. managing-director salary, material, investments), capped at the angel's investment and €400,000