Explore the funding programmes from IFB Innovationsstarter

When it comes to public startup financing in Hamburg, IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH is the first point of contact. It currently offers four different grant programmes and two equity financing options. This article gives you an overview of which programme fits your startup, and at which stage of its development.

IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH implements the InnoFounder, InnoRampUp, InnoImpact and InnoFinTech grant programmes in close cooperation with its parent company, IFB Hamburg. The Innovationsstarter team is the main point of contact for startups, supporting them in all functional matters from the initial contact through to the conclusion of the funding, and playing a pivotal role throughout the funding phase. IFB Hamburg is responsible for processing the actual financial support: it issues the funding notices, carries out financial controlling, and disburses the amounts. 

How much can you get from the InnoFounder grant programme?

The amount of the grant is a lump sum of up to 2,500 euros per person per month. A maximum of three people per team are subsidised. The maximum amount per startup is 75,000 euros. The grant is awarded as a non-repayable subsidy for a maximum period of 18 months and is paid to the startup in monthly instalments.

How to apply for InnoFounder?

Applications are submitted digitally via an online form. The application requires a meaningful pitch deck and a project description. A template is available for the latter. If the application is deemed promising, the applicant will be invited to a pitch. If this leads to a positive result, more detailed application documents have to be prepared. The respective programme managers at IFB Innovationsstarter provide intensive support during this process. The final decision as to whether you are accepted into the programme is based on the vote of an awards committee. You should allow at least 12 weeks from the initial contact to the positive funding decision.

Success stories from the InnoFounder programme

InnoFounder has been around since 2018 and has already supported well over 150 startups. The range is correspondingly wide. From startups based on AI applications to HealthTech and GreenTech, everything is included. One of the biggest success stories is GoodBytz, which builds autonomous robotic kitchen systems for the catering industry. The startup raised 12 million euros in a Series A financing round in 2023 and has since expanded internationally, including a robotic-kitchen deployment for the U.S. Army and the German Innovation Award 2026. Another success story is the startup Pink! Aktiv gegen Brustkrebs. Pink! recorded a successful exit shortly after receiving the grant.

How much is the InnoRampUp funding amount?

InnoRampUp is a programme that reimburses expenses incurred during the startup project that is funded. A total of up to 150,000 euros is available. Advance payments (instalments) can also be granted after application to improve liquidity. A simplified billing process for startups was recently implemented based on feedback from funded startups. The exact types of costs that are reimbursed can be found in the funding guidelines.

How to apply for InnoRampUp?

Here too, the application process is digital. A meaningful pitch deck and project description are required as part of the process. In the second step, if the startup idea seems promising, a pitch will be presented to the IFB Innovationsstarter team. If the pitch is convincing, you will prepare your in-depth application documents and receive help from the Innovationsstarter team. The final decision on whether you are accepted into the programme is based on the vote of an award committee. The entire process usually takes approximately 12 weeks.

InnoRampUp success stories

In terms of numbers, InnoRampUp is the programme that has benefited the most startups. Since 2013, more than 200 startups have received funding. The list of successes is correspondingly long. For example, the MedTech startup apoQlar, which was already supported in 2018, announced a series A financing round of 10 million euros in May 2024, which speaks for the long-term impact of the programme. Another example is the deep tech and impact company traceless, one of Hamburg’s most successful startups, which also received early-stage investment from the Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg (IFH). traceless’s patent-pending technology turns plant-based residues from the agricultural industry into a biocircular plastic alternative - and in May 2026 the company opened its first industrial-scale production facility in Hamburg-Harburg, a major milestone on the way to market.

How much can you get from InnoImpact?

The amount of the grant is a lump sum of up to 2,500 euros per person per month. A maximum of three people per team are supported. The maximum amount per startup is 75,000 euros. The grant is awarded as a subsidy for a maximum period of 18 months and is paid to the startup in monthly instalments.

How to apply for the InnoImpact programme

Applications are submitted digitally via an online form. The application requires a meaningful pitch deck and a project description. A template is available for the latter. If the application is deemed promising, the applicant will be invited to a pitch. If this leads to a positive result, more detailed application documents are prepared. The respective programme managers provide intensive support during this process. The final decision as to whether you are accepted into the programme is made by an awards committee. You should allow at least 12 weeks from the initial contact to the final funding decision.

Success stories from InnoImpact

The startups that have received funding so far include the non-profit organisation mutly, which provides a platform for seniors to simplify social participation; the non-profit  VIVO Carbon, which finances and implements agroforestry systems for climate protection; and the startup MyProtectify, which fights and destigmatises domestic violence.

How much can you get from the InnoFinTech programme?

The close relationship to InnoRampUp is evident here as well. InnoFinTech is also an expenditure reimbursement programme. Expenses required for the growth of the startup, such as personnel costs or external service costs for technical developments or licences, for example, are reimbursed. More details are defined in the corresponding funding guidelines. The maximum funding amount is 200,000 euros. Advance payments are also possible here after consultation and application.

How to apply for the InnoFinTech grant programme

Applications are submitted digitally via an online form. An informative pitch deck and a project description are required for the application. Again, as in all other programmes, the team reviews the documents and assesses whether the application appears promising. If so, this is followed by a pitch to IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH, support in preparing the application, and a decision by the awarding committee. Again, expect the process to take at least 12 weeks until you receive a decision.

InnoFinTech success stories

A look at the startups that have received funding to date shows just how broadly based InnoFinTech is. It includes early-stage fin techs such as the platform for the female economy Whera, blockchain-based platforms such as Caplend, and the startup Parto, which is developing a digital payment method for people in care. Startups that received funding to develop a specific financial product include prop tech company Plancraft. 

Grants are only one part of Hamburg’s startup funding ecosystem. For startups ready to scale faster, IFB Innovationsstarter also provides venture capital through public-private co-investment funds. Together with private VC investors, IFB Innovationsstarter supports innovative Hamburg startups from early seed rounds through to significant growth-stage financing, giving founders stronger investor backing and extra momentum for future growth.

The InnoStarterFonds is aimed at seed-stage Hamburg startups seeking their first institutional investment: Innovationsstarter co-invests up to 1.5 million euros alongside private investors, helping you close your round faster with a credible public backer. The InnoVentureFonds, meanwhile, is for startups with proven traction looking to raise a significant growth round, providing up to 7 million euros. Here, Innovationsstarter participates as a lead or co-investor alongside established VC funds, adding both capital and credibility. As with the grant programmes, a minimum viable product (MVP) should be available, and initial market feedback is desirable.