HessenFilm- und Medien supports innovative film and media projects, such as web formats, cross-media projects and virtual reality content. Further support and funding options for startups and within the framework of the Digital Hessen strategy are available through the state’s development bank, the WI-Bank Hesse.

The Innovationfund Hessen supports technology-driven, innovative and applied research and development projects of small and medium-sized enterprises and universities in cooperation with other partners from industry and research. Industrial research and pre-competitive development projects receive pro-rata grants for projects with a duration of 1 to 3 years, the amount of funding is limited to 500,000 euros per project.

Startup Funding in Frankfurt
Those who want to realize their own idea of a company will find the best conditions here in Frankfurt. Company founders receive individual advice and support on their way to self-employment from the Competence Centre for Business Startups of the Frankfurt Economic Development GmbH. A startup subsidy and startup financing of 2,500 to 50,000 euros can be made available through the Frankfurter Gründerfonds.

Financing Tools
BM H Investment Management Company Hessen creates good conditions for sustained and solid corporate growth with its diverse funds in the form of dormant or open participations. BM H is also the contact for the Mikromezzaninfonds Deutschland. The Guarantee Bank Hesse offers deficiency guarantees and participation guarantees. The investment grant “INVEST” from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) is an interesting financing instrument especially for young, innovative companies.

Microcredits are often a useful tool to finance orders in advance or in between or to make important investments. The Hessen-Mikrocredit programme enables startups and young companies in particular to expand their financing scope by up to 25,000 euros.

Games Funding in Germany
From 28 September 2020, games companies can submit applications for funding to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). The funding programme is administered by the BMVI and intended to support game development in Germany in a systematic and targeted manner. The regulatory basis of this funding is the funding guideline for the ‘Computerspieleförderung des Bundes’ (Federal computer game funding). Further important regulations can be found in the BMVI’s corresponding call for funding applications. Further information provides game – The German Games Industry Association.

KfW Bank Group offers a wide range of financing models to establish, expand, consolidate and sustainably shape companies.

The High Tech Gründerfonds or the German Silicon Valley Accelerator (GSVA) provide finance at attractive terms, especially for young technology companies. The Business Angels FrankfurtRhineMain and also various crowdfunding platforms can also be considered as financing options. Some platforms are specialized in games projects, such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo or FIG.

The investment grant venture capital from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control is an interesting financing instrument for young, innovative companies in particular.

BMWi Innovation Funding
With the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy promotes market-oriented technological research and development projects of innovative SMEs in Germany. The programme funds individual projects and cooperation projects that provide sustainable support for the innovative strength and competitiveness of companies.

Creative Europe Media is the support programme for Europe’s audiovisual, cultural and creative industries. From 2014 to 2020 the budget containes 1.46 billion euros. 3.78 million euros are available for the development of games and game concepts that promise the highest degree of originality, innovation and cultural diversity. At the same time, games should have great potential for commercial exploitation on European and global markets. Funding will be provided to independent European production companies that hold at least 50% of the rights to the submitted project and that have already developed and produced a game and can demonstrate, on the basis of a sales report, that it has been commercially exploited in the last two years. The funding amounts range from 10,000 to 50,000 euros for concept development up to the playable prototype and from 10,000 to 150,000 euros for project development up to the playable concept. An application can only be submitted with prior online registration on the new ‘Participant Portal’.

The Enterprise Europe Network Hessen at Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH consults companies on all available EU funding programs. The European Union offers a wide range of support for this purpose: in the form of grants, loans and in some cases as guarantees. The support is granted either directly or via programs that are administered nationally or regionally like the European Union’s structural funds. In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises can take advantage of non-financial support in the form of services, and targeted support is also provided for cross-border European business.

The funding database of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy offers quick and easy access to an extensive database of subsidy programmes of the Federal Government, the federal states and the EU.