Your idea, your impact: Female Founders!
Are you interested in innovation, impact, and entrepreneurial thinking – even if not everything is fully defined yet?
Perhaps during your internship, master’s thesis, or doctoral research, an idea has emerged that you can’t let go of. Perhaps you are wondering whether it could develop into something bigger.
Then become part of EXIST Women and further develop your ideas together with us.
We are reopening applications for the EXIST Women 2026 program.
Become part of EXIST Women and discover the founder in you!
Facts about EXIST Women
females@HIGHEST meets EXIST women
EXIST Women is a funding program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK), designed to inspire and empower women to embrace entrepreneurial thinking and innovative solutions.
At the Technical University of Darmstadt, the program is implemented and coordinated by HIGHEST – the Innovation and Startup Center of TU Darmstadt. Each year, up to ten participants are admitted to the TU Darmstadt cohort.
Simultaneously, EXIST Women is organized across universities in the Rhine-Main region: together with Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Goethe University Frankfurt, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, and Mainz University of Applied Sciences, a regional cohort of up to 50 participants is formed (up to ten per university). Workshops and program activities are conducted collaboratively across locations, fostering a strong network in the Rhine-Main area.
The next cohort starts in April 2026.
The application period runs in March 2026.
For more information on the nationwide program:
EXIST Woman Home PageDates and Services
Schedule 2026 (Subject to change)
- Participation in the centrally organized “Founder” seminar (1.5 days in-person in Munich or Berlin, including online follow-up)
- 23.04.2026 | Darmstadt | In-person
Internal onboarding at HIGHEST (14:00–15:30) - 28.04.2026 | Frankfurt | In-person
Kick-off event (14:00–17:00) - May/June 2026 | Frankfurt | In-person
Business Model Workshop (1–2 days) - 02.07.2026 | Online
YES “Navigating Power Structures – women only”* (10:00–12:30) - 27.08.2026 | Online
Finance Workshop (15:00–17:00) - 03.09.2026 | Mainz (University) | In-person
Pitching Workshop - 29.10.2026 | Darmstadt darmstadtium | In-person
Exhibition Stand – Start-Up and Innovation Day (13:00–19:00) - 10.12.2026 | Darmstadt | In-person
Closing Event (15:00–18:00)
Services
- Coaching, Networking & Qualification
Practical workshops and exchange formats in Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Mainz, and online – organized across locations together with partner universities (see schedule above). - Mentoring
Individual guidance by experienced industry experts, coordinated and supported by HIGHEST. - Material Resources
Up to €2,000 for project-related expenses (available even without a scholarship). - Optional Three-Month Scholarship
Financial support for up to 3 months:- Students: €1,000 / month
-
Vocational trainees: €2,000 / month
-
University graduates: €2,500 / month
-
Doctoral researchers: €3,000 / month
-
Child allowance: €150 per child / month
- Requirements: No or a maximum of 20 hours of employment per week and no concurrent support from another living expenses program. Participants are responsible for their own social security contributions.
Who can apply?
Women affiliated with TU Darmstadt, including:
-
Graduates
-
Researchers
-
Students who have completed at least 50% of their coursework or hold a bachelor’s degree
-
Women with completed vocational training
Requirements:
-
Active participation in workshops and events
-
A concrete business idea is not mandatory
-
Motivation, creativity, and innovation potential are essential
-
No established company or ongoing business activity
-
No prior use of state startup funding programs
-
During the optional scholarship, no concurrent financial support for living expenses
Deadlines and information
Deadlines
-
Application period: 01.03.–31.03.2026
-
EXIST Women program: 23.04.–31.12.2026
Q&A sessions with Simone (online):
-
10.03.2026 | 11:00
-
18.03.2026 | 15:00
-
23.03.2026 | 16:00
Application
To submit your application, please complete the application form provided below.
Within the form, you will be asked to provide:
-
Your motivation
-
If applicable, a brief description of your idea
-
Your Founder’s Dream
-
Your highest educational qualification (to be uploaded as a PDF)
All further information can be found directly within the form.
Your application will be considered complete once the form has been fully submitted.
Simone Lühl
Start-up Coach HIGHEST; simone.luehl@tu-darmstadt.de
Our mentor network
Sucess Story
January 9, 2025
Die Zukunft der Patientenkommunikation
TUDa Start-up MediEm denkt das Pflegenotruf-System in Kliniken neu
News
April 29, 2025
Successful Launch of EXIST Women
Kick-off Workshop at TU Darmstadt
News
December 4, 2025
Female Founders 2025
EXIST Women 2025 – A joint initiative for women founders from academia
Female Founder
January 5, 2026
Female Founder Profile: Sadia Sharmeen
Safer autonomous driving: Sadia Sharmeen builds an AI “safety layer” for edge cases
Female Founder
January 13, 2026
Female Founder Profile: Jenny Liu
Jenny Liu, a master’s student in Construction Informatics, is developing a digital tool as a Female Founder to enable more sustainable and smarter construction processes.
Female Founder
January 20, 2026
Female Founder Profile: Gabriela Avila
Female Founder Gabriela Avila Turns Personal Experience into Digital Innovation for Greater Support in Healthcare.
Sucess Story
December 12, 2024
Zuwanderung leicht gemacht!
Start-up „OptiMigration“ lichtet mit KI-Plattform den Behördendschungel
Podcast
October 10, 2024
HIGHEST-Podcast "Female Entrepreneurs"
We’re heading into the next round of Digital Valley goes HIGHEST this time featuring a conversation with Elena von Metzler and Michaela Kauer-Franz
Sucess Story
September 19, 2024
SMART RESTART: KI-gestützte Karriereplattform
Start-up &ahead ermöglicht erfolgreichen Wiedereinstieg in den Beruf
Sucess Story
June 20, 2024
Fernbedienung für das Leben
Die Vision hinter der Mental-Health-App Intymel
Sucess Story
May 8, 2024
Gesundheitsversorgung in Bangladesch verbessern
PreScripAI – App für medizinische Daten
Sucess Story
November 30, 2023
Chat mit Big Data Wonderland
Intelligente Datenanalyse leicht gemacht: COGNITX.ai kreiert virtuellen Assistenten
Sucess Story
July 6, 2023
Papierkram ohne Plastik
Chemie-Start-up-Projekt CeraSleeve® will Papierherstellung revolutionieren.
Sucess Story
June 15, 2023
ZIEMLICH BESTE PARTNER
Aus einer Festanstellung heraus ein Unternehmen zu gründen, erfordert bisweilen mehr als nur Mut.
Sucess Story
May 11, 2023
Die Unbeirrbare
Von der ersten Forscheridee über klinische Studien bis zur Zulassung: Ein neues Medikament hat einen langen Weg hinter sich, bis es von Patient:innen genutzt werden kann.
Sucess Story
March 23, 2023
Mathe und Müsli
„peasofjoy”–Start-up-Gründung während des Studiums
Sucess Story
January 26, 2023
Medizinisches Plastik vom Feld
Die Antwort von BIOVOX lautet: Zuckerrohr. Die Kunststoffe des Start-ups sind durch diese Pflanze zu 100 Prozent biobasiert.
Sucess Story
January 12, 2023
reLi – internationales Team recycelt E-Auto-Batterien
recycling von Lithium-Batterien – und das noch „reLiable“
Sucess Story
October 19, 2022
Restart in old factory
Chemie-Start-up Sulfotools will Pharma- und Kosmetikindustrie aufmischen
Sucess Story
December 8, 2021
Tracking down leaks with AI
TU-Ausgründung PipePredict gestaltet die Wasserversorgung nachhaltig.
Sucess Story
May 4, 2021
What clouds and sheep have in common
Von den Anfängen des Startups meshcloud und dem Schaf meshi: meshcloud hat sich auf Cloud-Technologien spezialisiert. Das Startup bietet seinen Kunden eine Lösung an, um komplexe (Multi-)Cloud-Umgebungen effizienter, sicherer und transparenter zu verwalten. Und das mit großem Erfolg. Wie es dazu kam und welche Rolle das Schaf meshi dabei im Startup spielt, erzählen wir in unserer Erfolgsstory.
Sucess Story
May 4, 2021
From studies straight into self-employment: The founders of Randalyn Rage tell their story
Lara Wietschorke, Michelle Martinussen und Jennifer Stark sind Jungunternehmerinnen in der Gamesbranche: Unterstützt durch viele Akteure der TU Darmstadt fassten Sie den Entschluss basierend auf dem EXIST-Gründerstipendium den Schritt in die Selbstständigkeit zu wagen. Klingt nach einem Abenteuer? Die drei Gründerinnen erzählen, von Ihrem Weg.
Sucess Story
March 30, 2021
Barrier-free access to the network
Start-up Lylu öffnet älteren Menschen den Weg in die digitale Welt. Den Kontakt zur Familie halten, einkaufen, Volkshochschulkurse besuchen, Filme schauen oder einen Impftermin vereinbaren: Auch für ältere Menschen verlagert sich der Alltag spätestens seit der Coronakrise immer mehr ins Digitale. Damit sie sich dort selbstsicher bewegen können, hat das vom TU-Gründungs- und Innovationszentrum HIGHEST gecoachte Start-up Lylu eine neue App auf den Markt gebracht. Sie vereinheitlicht die Nutzung gängiger Webseiten und Dienste – eine Innovation für mehr digitale Teilhabe.
Podcast
November 22, 2024
HIGHEST-Podcast "The Team as a Key to Success"
We’re moving to the next round with “Digital Valley goes HIGHEST,” this time featuring a conversation with Nadia von Oesterreich and Nicole Rath.
