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100% Cost Coverage

From Dream
to Business.

For founders: Professional support for business plan, financing, and marketing. Free of charge for job seekers with AVGS voucher.

Teilnehmerin im Online-Coaching
0€Own Contribution

The Safe Way to Self-Employment.

Founding without risk. We help you avoid typical pitfalls and build a solid foundation together.

Business Plan & Financing

Bankable documents for start-up grant and loans.

Law & Taxes

Basic knowledge for a legally secure start.

Marketing & Sales

Strategies for customer acquisition from day 1.

Digitalisation & AI

Use digital tools and AI purposefully for your business.

Industry knowledge

In-depth support for your project, from IT and hospitality to skilled trades.

Viability check & start-up grant

Free review of your venture as the basis for your start-up grant application.

The Process.

01

Check Status

Are you receiving ALG I or Citizen's Benefit?

02

Apply for AVGS

Request the voucher from the Employment Agency or Jobcenter.

03

Redeem AVGS

We redeem the voucher for you.

04

Start

Individual 1:1 coaching begins.

Funding calculator

How much funding is possible for your start-up?

Start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss) with unemployment benefit or Einstiegsgeld with Bürgergeld: calculate your possible funding in seconds. Free of charge and without registration; your details stay in your browser.

What are you currently receiving?

Stated in your approval notice (Bewilligungsbescheid)

Your possible start-up grant

up to

€13,500

over 15 months if the Agentur für Arbeit approves both funding phases

  • Tax-free
  • No repayment
  • Up to 15 months

Monthly payment

Months 1–6

€1,800 per month

Months 7–15

€300 per month

Phase 1: unemployment benefit + €300
€10,800
Phase 2: €300 for your social security cover
€2,700

Non-binding example calculation, not a commitment. The start-up grant (§ 93 f. SGB III) is a discretionary benefit: the Agentur für Arbeit decides on approval, amount and duration.

Good to know

Your start-up coaching can also be 100% funded with an AVGS. You keep the full start-up grant.

These are the requirements

  • You receive ALG I and still have at least 150 days of remaining entitlement when you start.
  • You become self-employed as your main occupation (at least 15 hours per week).
  • A business plan shows that your business model is plausible.
  • An expert body (fachkundige Stelle) confirms that your business is viable. We prepare this together in the coaching.

Content & Modules.

Twelve modules of 12 teaching units each.

Core modules 01–07

01

Aptitude and prerequisites for self-employment

12 units

Clarify your personal starting point, motivation, self-organisation and resilience, and identify where you need support.

02

Developing and refining the business idea

12 units

Review your business plan intention, define your offering, work out customer benefit and differentiation from competitors.

03

Basics of bookkeeping and taxes

12 units

Income, expenses, cash-basis accounting, VAT, small-business regulation and organising receipts.

04

Using artificial intelligence

12 units

Use AI for ideas, text and research — with an eye on limits, sources of error and data protection.

05

Market and competition

12 units

Describe your market, identify target group and competitors, compare prices and positioning.

06

Marketing and social media

12 units

Select channels and make effective use of your website, Google Business Profile and social media.

07

Business plan

12 units

Understand structure and purpose, present market, organisation and implementation, validate key assumptions.

Sector-specific coaching 08–12

In-depth work on your specific venture. You choose the sector that fits you.

08

IT professions

12 units

IT services, software, web design and IT consulting: service profile, hourly and package pricing, typical risks.

09

Hospitality

12 units

Review concept, location and offering. Realistically assess cost of goods, pricing and capacity utilisation.

10

Healthcare

12 units

Define health-related services, calculate sector-specific costs, clarify access requirements.

11

Skilled trades

12 units

Trade-based ventures: service offering, costing, barriers to entry and typical sector risks.

12

Consulting and liberal professions (incl. coaching)

12 units

Positioning for consulting and coaching, hourly and package pricing, sector-typical requirements.

The modules can be chosen freely and taken individually or in combination; there is no fixed order. You can take part part-time or full-time – we agree on your time commitment with you individually.

At a glance.

Objective
Preparation for self-employment100% funded with AVGS
Scope
12 modules of 12 units eachIndividually or combined
Format
Individual coaching (1:1)Tailored to your situation
Delivery
In person, digital or combinedPart-time or full-time

Locations.

In-person sessions are possible at 100 approved locations. Let us clarify in the initial consultation whether you would like in-person or online coaching – or whether we combine both into hybrid coaching.

  • Augsburg1 location
    • Viktoriastraße 3b, 86150 Augsburg
  • Bad Homburg1 location
    • Basler Straße 3, 61352 Bad Homburg
  • Berlin5 locations
    • Gontardstraße 11, 10178 Berlin
    • Europaplatz 2, 10557 Berlin
    • Potsdamer Platz 1, 10785 Berlin
    • Edisonstraße 63, 12459 Berlin
    • Willy-Brandt-Platz 2, 12529 Berlin
  • Bonn2 locations
    • Fritz-Schäffer-Straße 1, 53113 Bonn
    • Bornheimer Straße 127 1. Etage, 53119 Bonn
  • Bremen2 locations
    • Bahnhofsplatz 42, 28195 Bremen
    • Karl-Ferdinand-Braun-Straße 5, 28359 Bremen
  • Chemnitz2 locations
    • Zwickauer Straße 145, 09116 Chemnitz
    • Schulstraße 38, 09125 Chemnitz
  • Darmstadt2 locations
    • Berliner Allee 47, 64295 Darmstadt
    • Uhlandstraße 9, 64297 Darmstadt
  • Delitzsch1 location
    • Eisenbahnstraße 14, 04509 Delitzsch
  • Detmold1 location
    • Bismarckstraße 19A, 32756 Detmold
  • Dortmund2 locations
    • Florianstraße 15-21, 44139 Dortmund
    • Ruhrallee 9, 44139 Dortmund
  • Dresden2 locations
    • Altmarkt 10 B/D, 01067 Dresden
    • Charlottenstraße 34, 01099 Dresden
  • Düsseldorf12 locations
    • Königsallee 92a, 40212 Düsseldorf
    • Berliner Allee 59, 40212 Düsseldorf
    • Königsallee 2b, 40212 Düsseldorf
    • Neubrückstraße 1, 40213 Düsseldorf
    • Breite Straße 3, 40213 Düsseldorf
    • Königsallee 61, 40215 Düsseldorf
    • Speditionstraße 2, 40221 Düsseldorf
    • Peter-Müller-Straße 3, 40468 Düsseldorf
    • Theodorstraße 105, 40472 Düsseldorf
    • Kaiserswerther Straße 135, 40474 Düsseldorf
    • Johannstraße 37, 40476 Düsseldorf
    • Prinzenallee 7, 40549 Düsseldorf
  • Erfurt1 location
    • Bahnhofstraße 38, 99084 Erfurt
  • Erlangen1 location
    • Paul-Gossen-Straße 75, 91052 Erlangen
  • Eschborn1 location
    • Mergenthaler Allee 15-21, 65760 Eschborn
  • Essen2 locations
    • Grugaplatz 2, 45131 Essen
    • Ruhrallee 185, 45138 Essen
  • Frankfurt am Main4 locations
    • Bockenheimer Landstraße 2-4, 60306 Frankfurt am Main
    • Hanauer Landstraße 291 B, 60314 Frankfurt am Main
    • Brüsseler Straße 1-3, 60327 Frankfurt am Main
    • Darmstädter Landstraße 116, 60598 Frankfurt am Main
  • Friedberg1 location
    • Grüner Weg 5, 61169 Friedberg
  • Gelsenkirchen1 location
    • Leithestraße 47, 45886 Gelsenkirchen
  • Hamburg5 locations
    • Fischertwiete 2 Chilehaus A, 20095 Hamburg
    • Hohe Bleichen 12, 20354 Hamburg
    • Willy-Brandt-Straße 23, 20457 Hamburg
    • Bergedorfer Straße 92, 21029 Hamburg
    • Kapstadtring 7, 22297 Hamburg
  • Hannover2 locations
    • Bahnhofstraße 8, 30159 Hannover
    • Podbielskistraße 333, 30659 Hannover
  • Heidelberg1 location
    • Rudolf-Diesel-Straße 11, 69115 Heidelberg
  • Iserlohn1 location
    • Nordengraben 2, 58636 Iserlohn
  • Kaiserslautern1 location
    • Europaallee 33, 67657 Kaiserslautern
  • Karlsruhe1 location
    • Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 10, 76131 Karlsruhe
  • Kiel1 location
    • Kaistraße 90, 24114 Kiel
  • Köln4 locations
    • Waidmarkt 11, 50676 Köln
    • Im Zollhafen 18, 50678 Köln
    • Butzweilerhofallee 3, 50829 Köln
    • Erna-Scheffler-Straße 1A, 51103 Köln
  • Konstanz1 location
    • Line-Eid-Straße 6, 78467 Konstanz
  • Leipzig2 locations
    • Neumarkt 31, 04109 Leipzig
    • Kohlgartenstraße 11, 04315 Leipzig
  • Leverkusen1 location
    • Ludwig-Erhard-Platz 1, 51373 Leverkusen
  • Lübeck1 location
    • Maria-Goeppert Straße 3, 23562 Lübeck
  • Magdeburg1 location
    • Breiter Weg 232A, 39104 Magdeburg
  • Mannheim1 location
    • Theodor-Heuss-Anlage 12, 68165 Mannheim
  • Memmingen1 location
    • Maximilianstraße 26, 87700 Memmingen
  • Metzingen1 location
    • Friedrich-Henning-Straße 17, 72555 Metzingen
  • Mönchengladbach1 location
    • Bismarckstraße 100, 41061 Mönchengladbach
  • Monheim am Rhein1 location
    • Mittelstraße 11, 40789 Monheim am Rhein
  • München6 locations
    • Nymphenburger Straße 4, 80335 München
    • Maximilianstraße 35a, 80539 München
    • Landsberger Straße 302, 80687 München
    • Marcel-Breuer-Straße 15, 80807 München
    • Mühldorfstraße 8, 81671 München
    • Putzbrunner Straße 71-73, 81739 München
  • Neu-Isenburg1 location
    • Dornhofstraße 34, 63263 Neu-Isenburg
  • Neuss1 location
    • Hammfelddamm 4A, 41460 Neuss
  • Nürnberg2 locations
    • Flughafenstraße 118, 90411 Nürnberg
    • Ostendstraße 111, 90482 Nürnberg
  • Oberhausen1 location
    • Centroallee 273, 46047 Oberhausen
  • Offenbach1 location
    • Berlinerstraße 300b, 63065 Offenbach
  • Oldenburg1 location
    • Stau 123, 26122 Oldenburg
  • Osnabrück1 location
    • Neumarkt 1, 49074 Osnabrück
  • Ratingen1 location
    • Kaiserswerther Straße 115, 40880 Ratingen
  • Regensburg1 location
    • Johanna-Kinkel-Straße 1-2, 93049 Regensburg
  • Rosenheim1 location
    • Dr. Steinbeißer Straße 2, 83026 Rosenheim
  • Schönefeld1 location
    • Rathausgasse 17, 12529 Schönefeld
  • Schwetzingen1 location
    • Carl-Benz-Straße 9-11, 68723 Schwetzingen
  • Siegburg1 location
    • Theodor-Heuss-Straße 1, 53721 Siegburg
  • Stuttgart3 locations
    • Königstraße 10c, 70173 Stuttgart
    • Friedrichstraße 15, 70174 Stuttgart
    • Curiestraße 2, 70563 Stuttgart
  • Teltow1 location
    • Rheinstraße 11, 14513 Teltow
  • Unterföhring1 location
    • Beta-Straße 10, 85774 Unterföhring
  • Unterschleißheim1 location
    • Edisonstraße 4, 85716 Unterschleißheim
  • Villingen-Schwenningen1 location
    • Christel-Pache-Straße 15, 78048 Villingen-Schwenningen
  • Walldorf1 location
    • Altrottstraße 31, 69190 Walldorf
  • Wiesbaden1 location
    • Mainzer Straße 97, 65189 Wiesbaden

Frequently asked questions.

What is an AVGS?

The activation and placement voucher (Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, AVGS) is a voucher from the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter under Section 45 SGB III. It covers the full cost of an approved programme such as this startup coaching.

Who can use the startup coaching with an AVGS?

Jobseekers who want to become self-employed – for example while receiving unemployment benefit (ALG I) or Bürgergeld. Whether you receive a voucher is decided by your adviser at the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter. In a free initial consultation we check your eligibility together.

How much does the coaching cost?

With an AVGS you pay nothing: the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter covers the costs, and your own contribution is €0. The initial consultation is also free and without obligation.

How is the coaching structured?

There are twelve modules of 12 teaching units each: seven core modules, for example on your business idea, bookkeeping and the business plan, and five industry-specific modules. You can choose the modules freely and take them individually or in combination. After the aptitude assessment you decide together with your coach which ones fit.

How and where does my coaching take place?

Our coaching is very flexible and tailored to your needs. You can take part:
  • in person at one of our 100 locations
  • online, conveniently from home
  • in hybrid form, alternating between online and in-person coaching.
In the initial consultation we will discuss which format suits you.

Does the coaching help with applying for the startup grant?

In the coaching you work out your business plan and financial plan – the documents you need to apply for the startup grant (Gründungszuschuss) or a loan. The Agentur für Arbeit decides on the grant itself.

Ready for the First Step?

Let's check together if you are eligible for the AVGS voucher. Non-binding and free of charge.