Business plan viability check for Employment Agency or Jobcenter

Are you unemployed and planning to start your own business?

If so, you might be eligible, for financial support from either the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter.

Do you receive unemployment benefits Arbeitslosengeld? Then you can apply for the Gründungszuschuss startup grant from your local employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit).

Do you receive basic income support Grundsicherungsgeld? Then you can apply for the Einstiegsgeld initial financial support through your local Jobcenter.

The basis for your application is a comprehensive business plan that has been evaluated for financial viability by a recognized expert body (fachkundige Stelle). The expert body will confirm its assessment in an official expert opinion, also known as a fachkundige Stellungnahme or Tragfähigkeitsbescheinigung

In its official instructions (PDF, 130 KB), the Federal Employment Agency lists Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK), Chambers of Skilled Crafts (HWK), professional chambers, trade associations, and credit institutions as authorized expert bodies. Tax consultants can also be recognized by the Employment Agency. Please note that the City of Munich, as the responsible body for the Jobcenter, is responsible for approving funding and does not act as an expert body itself, much like the Employment Agency.

Below you will find a selection of approved expert bodies for reviewing the business plan and issuing the required statement.

Please contact yourself the expert body of your choice to plan processing times and costs.

1. Business Plan and Viability Statement for the Startup Grant (Gründungszuschuss) from the Federal Employment Agency

  • Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK für München und Oberbayern): Official contact point for all commercial businesses (Gewerbe). Please note that the IHK is not suitable for those who are planning self-employment in the liberal professions or skilled crafts business. You can contact the startup grant team via email at gruendungszuschuss@muenchen.ihk.de or by phone at +49 89 5116 2222. Further details are available in their online guide. The IHK provides a free English business plan template on its platform, Unternehmerwerkstatt Deutschland. Your business plan must be created and submitted directly through this platform. A processing fee of 250 euros applies.
  • Chamber of Skilled Crafts (HWK Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern): Official contact point for skilled craft businesses. The HWK is not suitable for
  • for those who are planning self-employment in the liberal professions or commercial, IHK-affiliated industries. Initial information is provided by the HWK Founder’s Agency (Gründeragentur) at +49 89 5119 481 or via email at gruenderagentur@hwk-muenchen.de. For individual consulting, contact the Business Advisory Team (Betriebswirtschaftliche Beratung) at +49 89 5119 231. A downloadable business plan template is available on their website.
  • Professional Chambers (Berufskammern): A comprehensive directory of individual professional chambers can be accessed via the official BayernPortal.
  • Specialist and Trade Associations (Fachverbände): You can search for specific industry associations using specialized directories like www.verbaende.com.
  • AktivSenioren Bayern e.V. (Non-Profit Organization): Provides general support across all industries. You can reach them by phone at +49 89 22 22 37 or via email at info@aktivsenioren.de. A processing fee of 130 euros applies.
  • GründerRegio M e.V. (Non-Profit Organization): Specializes in solo entrepreneurs, women-led startups, liberal professions, and knowledge-intensive services. Contact them at +49 89 30 76 25 05 or via email at info@gr-m.de. A detailed informational flyer Gründungszuschuss (PDF, 1,9 MB) is available for download. A processing fee of 199 euros applies.
  • Institute for Liberal Professions (IFB – Institut für Freie Berufe): Exclusively focuses on founders entering the liberal professions (Freie Berufe). You can contact the IFB by phone at +49 911 23 565 28 to access their startup grant resources, required document checklists, and specialized business plan templates. The current processing fee is 149 euros.
  • Tax Consultants (Steuerberater): The Munich Chamber of Tax Advisors (Steuerberaterkammer München) maintains a public contact register of available tax consulting firms ready to take on new clients for business plan reviews.
  • Other authorized bodies, such as, auditors (Wirtschaftsprüfer), and business consultancies (Unternehmensberater)

Crucial Steps Before Contacting an Expert Body:

Once these points are cleared, contact your chosen expert body to plan processing timelines and fees. The required application forms, a sample letter, and a document checklist are available in the download section of the Federal Employment Agency’s website. Tip: Always use the specific business plan template provided by your selected expert body to ensure an efficient review.

2. Business Plan and Viability Statement for Initial Financial Support (Einstiegsgeld) from the Jobcenter

If you receive Grundsicherungsgeld, ensure you ask your Jobcenter case manager for an AVGS voucher (Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein). This activation and placement voucherr allows you to receive free professional coaching to build your business plan before its financial viability is evaluated by an authorized expert body. In Munich, this voucher can also be redeemed with approved non-profit organizations such Aktivsenioren Bayern e.V.

To learn more about these public funding paths, explore the Personal Grants section on our Financing and Public Support page.