The Berlin University of the Arts (UdK) aims to build on its successful track record in entrepreneurship with the EXIST Women @ UdK project. For the first time, we are establishing dedicated structures to support women in the entrepreneurial process. The project's goal is to create new support and qualification structures for women with or without a startup idea by fostering networking with experienced female entrepreneurs as mentors and improving access to funding opportunities.

EXIST Women @ UdK

To all women

Have you founded a business and want to share your knowledge?
Do you want to connect with the next generation of UdK female entrepreneurs?
Are you looking for support in starting your own venture?

Apply now for the new EXIST Women @ UdK program.

We are looking for

Mentors
Experienced female entrepreneurs for the selection jury
Five to ten aspiring female entrepreneurs

We can support five to ten entrepreneurial women with or without a concrete startup idea from May to December 2025.
Between October and December 2025, a scholarship may be granted, provided the recipient is working less than 20 hours per week. The scholarship amount will depend on the applicant’s level of education.

FAQs from the funding provider: EXIST Women FAQs

Interested in mentoring or being part of the jury?
Submit your interest now to Venessa Tanović at ctc-l_ @intra.udk-berlin.de .

To apply, you need to submit the following: Application form, CV, Motivation letter
 & Application video. The Career & Transfer Service Center team will review all applications for completeness and eligibility before forwarding them to the selection jury. The jury will consist of successful UdK alumnae entrepreneurs, who will evaluate the applications and select the EXIST Women scholarship recipients.

The jury includes representatives from the Career & Transfer Service Center.
The funding period begins in May 2025 with a mandatory Kick-Off Workshop on May 6, 2025.

Important The scholarship lasts for eight months and cannot be extended.

Bewerbungsformular

1. Fill out the application form

Name the file as follows

LastName_ProjectName_ApplicationForm

2. Write a motivation letter:
Describe what you aim to achieve during the eight-month EXIST Women program maximum 3000 characters including spaces. Applications exceeding this limit will be disqualified. Consider:

• Why do I want to join the program?
• Why am I the right candidate for this opportunity?
• What specific support do I need?
• Which program elements will help me address these needs
• Which of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals SDGs are particularly relevant to my project? 

Name the file as follows: LastName_ProjectName_Motivation

3. Record a short video maximum two minutes
Video requirements

• File name LastName_ProjectName_Video No special characters
• Answer Why am I the right person for the EXIST Women program
• Maximum duration two minutes Exceeding this limit will result in disqualification
• Landscape format MOV or MP4 maximum 20 MB compress file if necessary

Name the file as follows LastName_ProjectName_Video

4. Prepare your CV
Name the file as follows LastName_ProjectName_CV

5. Request an upload link and submit your files
By March 20 2025 request your upload link by emailing existwomen@udk-berlin.de with the subject line Application EXIST Women
You will receive an upload link and password to submit your documents
Upload all files by March 21 2025
By March 24 2025 you will receive a confirmation email

We are offering a public ONLINE consultation for questions about the application. This will take place on Wednesday, March 19 from 10:00 -11:00 a.m. in our online video tool Big Blue Button. If you are interested in the public online appointment, please send an e-mail with the subject “EXIST Women - Beratung” to existwomen@udk-berlin.de

• Now Initial consultations available upon request at existwomen@udk-berlin.de
• March 20 2025 Last day to request an upload link
• March 21 2025 Application deadline
• March 24 2025 Confirmation emails and preparation of applications for the jury
• April 10 2025 Jury meeting and funding decisions
• May 6 2025 Kick Off Event for selected EXIST Women and their mentors
• July 23 2025 Midpoint event with invitation to the UdK Pitch Event
• December 9 2025 Final event

EXIST Women is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action BMWK