AVGS start-up coaching in Bremen, at no cost to you if approved.
You're registered as a jobseeker and want to start a business? I'll coach you through the AVGS (Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, an activation and placement voucher from the Agentur für Arbeit or Jobcenter): personal, practical, in English, and at no cost to you if approved.
What is the AVGS, and what does it mean for you?
The activation and placement voucher (AVGS) is a voucher from the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter. It pays for a measure “zur Heranführung an eine selbständige Tätigkeit”, that is, one that prepares you for self-employment: professional start-up coaching. The voucher covers the coaching itself; for you as an eligible participant it is usually funded 100% and therefore free of charge.
You can only redeem the AVGS with an AZAV-accredited provider running an approved coaching measure (the accreditation a provider needs before it may accept the voucher). That's exactly what FOUNDARA is: I bill the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter directly. You focus on your business, I take care of the paperwork. And the coaching itself is available in English, so the language is one thing you won't have to worry about.
Could you qualify for funded coaching?
Are you unemployed, registered as a jobseeker, or at risk of unemployment?
Funded coaching in 4 steps
Talk to your advisor
Speak to your advisor (Vermittlungsfachkraft) at the Agentur für Arbeit (ALG I) or the Jobcenter (Bürgergeld) about your business idea and your wish for start-up coaching.
Your AVGS is issued
If your advisor considers the measure useful, they issue the AVGS with “selbständige Tätigkeit” (self-employment) as its goal, plus a validity period and a set number of hours.
Redeem your voucher with FOUNDARA
You choose your provider freely. As an AZAV-certified provider, FOUNDARA accepts your AVGS: I bill the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter directly.
Start your coaching, at no cost to you
Once the written approval is in place before we begin, off we go: personal one-to-one coaching from your idea to a viable concept, fully funded for you if approved.
Who is the AVGS for?
- Unemployed or registered as a jobseeker
- At risk of unemployment (for example, under notice)
- Receiving unemployment benefit ALG I
- Receiving Bürgergeld / ALG II (via the Jobcenter)
The AVGS is a discretionary benefit; the decision rests with your advisor. I'll tell you honestly where your chances stand.
What's inside the coaching?
- Sharpen your business idea and test its viability
- A professional business plan
- The right legal form and a clear formation roadmap
- Financing, funding and your numbers
- Market, positioning and your first customers
- Launch confident and well prepared
AVGS or Gründungszuschuss?
Both help, but in different ways. The AVGS funds the coaching before your launch (the know-how). The start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss) is a cash benefit after you start, meant to cover your living costs, and only for people receiving ALG I. The smart move is the order: the AVGS coaching delivers the viable business plan you'll need for a successful Gründungszuschuss application anyway.
Frequently asked questions about the AVGS
What does the start-up coaching with an AVGS cost me?
With a valid AVGS and the prior written approval of your advisor, the coaching is usually funded 100% for you, so it's free of charge. I bill the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter directly.
Am I entitled to an AVGS?
No. The AVGS is a discretionary benefit; there is no legal entitlement. Whether it's issued is decided by your advisor in each individual case. I'll prepare you carefully for that conversation.
Can I get an AVGS while receiving Bürgergeld?
Yes. It's issued via the Jobcenter under § 16 SGB II in conjunction with § 45 SGB III. Your Bürgergeld continues to be paid as normal during the measure.
Is the AVGS the same as the Gründungszuschuss?
No. The AVGS funds the coaching before and around your launch. The start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss) is a cash benefit after you start, meant to cover your living costs, and only for people receiving ALG I. The two work well in sequence: the coaching delivers the viable business plan you'll need for your grant application anyway.
How do I know FOUNDARA is allowed to accept an AVGS?
A provider must be AZAV-accredited (provider accreditation, Trägerzulassung) and the measure itself must be approved by an expert certification body (fachkundige Stelle). FOUNDARA is AZAV-certified: I'm happy to share the measure number (Maßnahmenummer) in your free first call.
Orientation only, not legal or tax advice. The AVGS is a discretionary benefit of the Agentur für Arbeit / Jobcenter; what counts is the voucher issued to you individually. As of 2025/2026.
Let's get your path to self-employment funded.
In a free first call we'll sort out your eligibility, the AVGS and your start: personal, honest and with no obligation.
Book your free call