LAISF
Lean AI Startup Funding
The Lean AI Startup Funding (LAISF) is a program designed to quickly test and validate your idea in the field of AI and turn it into a business case.
6 Months of funding
for either one person full-time or two persons part-time
30,000€ material expenses
for everything you need to prototype and test your idea
The LAISF program
The goal of the Lean AI Startup Funding is to bring ideas from research into practice. Research-driven startup ideas are usually very tech-oriented and have little market readiness. LAISF gives you both the time and the financial freedom to validate your business model, develop your prototype and raise your investment readiness level.
Application options
Exemption
If you are currently working as a PhD student at one of the hessian.AI partner universities you may apply to change your employment relationship and get exempted from your usual position for the time of the funding.
In this case the application process will be run via your research group leader / hessian.AI Principal Investigator.
Scholarship
In any other case you may apply for a scholarship with conditions based on your qualification (similar to the EXIST Gründerstipendium).
For detailed terms and conditions see the concept paper.
Downloads
Please note that the legally binding version of the concept paper is the German version.
Awesome to see you want to apply
Check if you’re eligible
You can submit an application for the LAISF if you have
- A research-driven AI business idea.
- Not incorporated your company yet.
- No other parallel funding of this project running.
Unsure if you should apply?
Application process
Applications will be accepted continuously. Funding decisions are made by a independent jury on a regular basis.
Our LAISF-Jury:
David Schäffler
Senior Investment Manager
Dr. Simone Schaub-Meyer
Junior Research Group Leader 3AI
Next due date: January 26, 2025
Funding is expected to start 4-6 weeks after the due date. PLEASE NOTE: Before filing your application please contact the AI Startup Rising project team at ! Submissions that haven’t been reviewed by one of our coaches will NOT be accepted!
Required documents:
- Detailed project description that demonstrates why and how LAISF benefits you, a scope of the planned activities, value proposition of the solution, technical descriptions, IP status, potential use cases, follow-up finance perspectives and the market potential (max. 3 pages, see concept paper for details)
- Filled in project and finance plan
Submission:
Please submit your application documents as PDF via email to .
Make sure to contact the AISR-Team BEFORE applying. Submissions that haven’t been reviewed by one of our coaches will NOT be accepted!
FAQ
My startup is already incorporated. Am I eligible?
No. This is an early-stage support and incorporation within the funding period should be avoided, too, in order to not endanger your follow-up financing through other grants.
My idea does not stem from research. Can I still apply?
Main focus of the Lean AI Startup Funding is to support research-driven ideas. However, if your idea is good and you can argue why your business idea needs this kind of support, we are happy to hear from you. Please note that ideas for AI consultancy are not accepted.
What is expected from me once I get the funding?
After three months you will have to give a presentation about the progress of your project. A written project documentation has to be handed in 6 weeks after the funding period has ended. For further details see the concept paper.
Can I keep working in my regular job besides the funding?
Working besides the funding is allowed for up to 5h per week. However, it is possible to split the funding. In that case working part-time is allowed.
Are there any other limitations?
For receiving the Scholarship the funded team member needs to have a permanent residency within the Federal Republic of Germany.
For further questions please contact the AI Startup Rising project team at – we are happy to help!