Ich-AG („Me Incorporated“)

• Definition, Explanation
• Tips, Checklist

The Ich-AG has been discontinued, on June 30 of 2006, as a governmental sponsorship of business-starts out of unemployedness. Since August 2006, only the “Gründungszuschuss” (foundation-subvention) is granted, which now has replaced the bridging-money and the Ich-AG.

Before that change, the Ich-AG had been, like the bridging-money, a labour market policy to support business-establishments out of unemployedness: Requirements are that the establisher has been paid allowances from the German Arbeitsagentur before, and that when applying for the support, the establisher hands in an approved business plan. In contrast to the bridging-money, Ich-AG-support was paid for maximally 3 years.

• Inform yourself whether you are entitled to the support
• Check out what suits best your situation: Ich-AG, bridging money or none of the two
• Write a business plan
• Get the approval for the business plan. Where you get them you will be told at your Arbeitsagentur. Government-funded business-establishing-offices often give this approval for free
• Apply for the support at your Arbeitsagentur. You are required to bring a short description of your business idea, and the business plan, and a professional approval, and the registration certificate from the revenue office, in some cases a registration of your business at the trade office, also in some cases a special required approval or admission for certain kinds of businesses e.g. from the German IHK (CCI), and a certificate confirming that it is going to be an autonomous business
• For the evaluation of the business plan, often a fee is demanded. Get informed in advance about these costs and ask the office if your business-establishing office is known and will be trusted