EXIST aims, as a development programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), at improving the entrepreneurial environment at universities and research institutes in Germany. It also aims at increasing the number and success of technology and knowledge based business startups by supporting university graduates, scientists as well as students. From 2007 until 2021 EXIST developed more than 3.000 startups with EXIST-Founder Scholarships or EXIST-Research Transfers. The programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF).