During the current 10-month run of exist Women, you’ll further develop your entrepreneurial skills, refine your business idea, and build a strong network.

This isn't just about developing a potential startup project. The focus is also on strengthening your entrepreneurial skills, networking with other participants, and navigating the startup ecosystem.

Throughout the program, you’ll receive support from your startup network, work with an experienced mentor, and participate in national and regional events.

Step by step, this will help you create your own personalized roadmap for the next steps toward starting a business, securing follow-on funding, or growing your company.

In addition to the support provided by your university or research institution, exist Women offers several key services and mandatory program components that are relevant to all participants.

At the end of your grant period, you will create a brief one-pager about your project.

In it, you can document the current status of your idea, key development milestones, and possible next steps.

You can obtain the template from your university or research institution. The completed one-pager should be submitted there.

During and after your participation, you will receive several surveys. These are an important part of the program and help fund and further develop existing Women, as well as demonstrate the program’s impact. Please be sure to complete all the surveys!

One of the first surveys is being conducted as part of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus) funding program.

exist Women is co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus). For this reason, we need to collect certain information about you during your participation. Only after you have completed this questionnaire will your university receive funding to support exist Women on campus.

The data is processed exclusively in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.

In addition, you will receive several (unfortunately somewhat lengthy) questionnaires from our monitoring team at exist Women:

• at the start of the funding,
• at the end of the funding period, as well as
• one year after the end of funding.

These questions are also a mandatory part of participation. Your information will help us:

• to demonstrate the program's impact,
• to support the further development of funding,
• and to evaluate the long-term success of exist Women.

The data is processed exclusively in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.

Events and networking opportunities are a central part of exist Women. They give you the chance to learn from other female founders, share experiences, and expand your network.

Many participants say that these connections are among the most valuable aspects of the program.

The main formats are:

• the exist Women Founders Forum
• the „Women Entrepreneurs“ seminar“
• Key digital exchange and networking platforms, including those for applying for follow-on funding such as the exist Start-up Grant and the exist Research Transfer
• On-site workshops and networking events
• Community activities and discussion groups
• Pitch events where you can briefly present your startup idea

All participants receiving funding from exist Women are required to complete the „Gründerin“ seminar. At the same time, only they are eligible to attend this seminar, which was designed exclusively for exist Women. It helps you develop your personal potential and build an entrepreneurial mindset.

Among other things, the focus is on:

• entrepreneurial thinking and action,
• Self-efficacy and personal strengths,
• Communication and demeanor,
• Reasons for founding the company,
• as well as the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with other participants.

The two-day in-person seminar and the online follow-up session held two months later will be conducted by two experienced providers:

• in Berlin (Sirius Minds)
• in Munich (Perform Partners)

Each university is assigned to a specific provider. Within the first few months after the program begins, you will receive an invitation to participate. In justified individual cases, you may change the seminar location. You can choose the date that works best for you from several available options. The seminars are primarily conducted in German and are intentionally held in small groups of about 25 participants. This creates space for open discussion, mutual support, and new perspectives.

Approximately two months after the in-person session, a mandatory follow-up session will take place online. This is an integral part of the seminar format and is designed to help you apply the insights gained from the in-person seminar to your own startup process in a sustainable way.

Between the in-person workshop and the follow-up session, you’ll have time to develop your ideas further, work toward your personal goals, and try out your first steps. During the follow-up session, you’ll reflect on your experiences, progress, and challenges from the past few weeks together with the other participants.

The Women Entrepreneurs Forum is an additional nationwide networking initiative organized by exist Women. Here, women entrepreneurs from all over Germany gather in Berlin for a full day of in-person events, where they share experiences, learn from one another, and network with each other, as well as with role models and experts.

It takes place once or twice a year. There are 250 spots available per event, so unfortunately not everyone can attend. The focus is on practical insights into topics such as visibility, pitching, financing, and entrepreneurship, as well as personal testimonials from successful female founders. At the same time, the event offers numerous opportunities to meet other female founders working in similar technologies, industries, and fields of interest, and to build long-term professional networks.

Throughout the program, you will be guided by a female entrepreneur mentor who has her own experience in starting a business.

In particular, the mentor brings her personal experience as a woman in the ecosystem to the table and can support you, for example, with:

• the further development of your idea
• strategic decisions
• Questions about starting a business
• building your network
• personal development

Many participants find that interacting with their mentor provides valuable guidance as they work toward starting their own business.

Together with your startup network, your mentor, and other supporters, you’ll work on your next steps.

Among other things, you can:

• develop your idea further
• develop a business model
• identify potential customers
• Review initial market assumptions
• Find co-founders
• Learn about and apply for grant and funding opportunities

The goal is to develop a realistic plan for starting a business based on an initial idea.

Each participant will receive a grant of 2,000 euros, which can be used flexibly for their own professional development.

The funds can be used, for example, for:

• Attendance at events
• additional coaching
• Prototype material
• technical equipment

The specific planning will be done in collaboration with the startup network and your mentor.

With exist Women, you’ll become part of a growing community of women interested in starting a business.

The community offers:

• An exchange among equals
• mutual support
• new perspectives
• potential co-founders
• Connections within the startup ecosystem
  Many networks and connections continue long after the program has ended.
• Community platform
  In addition, participants have access to an exclusive digital community platform for discussion, networking, and information.

exist Women is co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus). For this reason, certain information is collected during and after participation.

The information is intended to:

• to measure the program's effectiveness
• to support the further development of funding
• to evaluate the long-term success of exist Women

The data is processed exclusively in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.

At the end of the program, you will summarize your business idea in a concise one-pager. This document outlines the key aspects of your project and serves as a foundation for its further development.

Many participants use exist Women as a starting point for:

• starting your own business or startup
• the search for co-founders
• the application for the exist startup grant or for state funding
• Preparing for Exist Research Transfer
• participation in accelerator or incubator programs

During the program, you developed a roadmap for the period following the grant, so you now know the next steps you can take to launch your own business.

Participation in exist Women currently ends after ten months. However, the connections, experiences, and opportunities it provides continue to benefit many female founders long after that.