BMWA launches new internet portal and telephone hotline for start-ups

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Labor launched the new start-up portal in Berlin on February 5th www.existenzgruender.de and the SME hotline (0 18 05) 6 15 -001 (12 ct./min.) activated. This means that existing offers are bundled and founders have central access to information, advice and services on everything to do with business start-ups and SMEs.

The Internet portal, which is part of the "pro Mittelstand" SME initiative launched by Federal Minister of Economics and Labor Wolfgang Clement in 2003, has the following offers:

The expert forum at www.existenzgruender.de:

The "heart" of the start-up portal is the expert forum. Here, founders and young entrepreneurs can email questions to experts on all aspects of setting up a business, such as start-up support, pension schemes, marketing or the development of a business plan. If necessary, suitable consulting providers are recommended to them. Generally important questions and answers are displayed - anonymously - in the forum.

Around 25 experts from a wide variety of organizations and institutions are available as contacts, including the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA), the Federal Association of German Business Consultants (BDU), the Federal Agency for Foreign Trade (bfai), the Federal Association of Business Consultants BVW e. V., German Notary Association, Main Association of Commercial Professional Associations (HVBG), KfW Mittelstandsbank, Electronic Business Transactions Network, RKW Rationalization and Innovation Center of the German Economy, Startup Competition German Founder's Prize, Berlin Chamber of Tax Advisors and Federal Chamber of Tax Advisors (BStBK), Association of German Employee Health Insurance Funds and Employee Substitute health insurance association (VDAK-AEV).

Topic pool: Ways to self-employment at www.existenzgruender.de

Below, interested parties will find a collection of texts formulated by experts with all the information they need to plan start-ups carefully and in a structured manner, negotiate successfully and run a company. In addition to the respective texts, each chapter contains further links and available downloads, helpful software tools, etc. With checklists and tests, users can check whether they have thought of everything for the respective start-up step.

research sources below www.existenzgruender.de

• Funding database: Which funding programs are suitable for your project? With the help of the BMWA funding database, it is easy to research financial aid from the federal government, the states and the European Union.
• Online help: Founders can find free and high-quality start-up software here, which gives them practical help on the topics of founding and corporate management.
• Stock exchanges (consultant, franchise and company stock exchange)
• Address database: Germany-wide address directory of service providers for start-ups with currently around 1.200 entries. For each address - beyond its registered office - special responsibilities and competencies can be called up.

The ministry’s info hotlines are:

• Business founders and young entrepreneurs (0 18 05) 6 15 -001
• Labor market policy and employment promotion (0 18 05) 6 15 -002
• Labor law (0 18 05) 6 15 -003
• Part-time/semi-retirement/mini-jobs (0 18 05) 6 15 -004

Source: Bonn [ bmwa ]