Every year, the MDM start-up initiative MEDIAstart supports up to ten young media companies from Central Germany in quickly and permanently gaining a foothold in the market. Applications are now open for the sixth year, which begins in January 2026. The application deadline is September 15, 2025.
MEDIAstart is aimed at both university graduates and people already working in the industry who want to set up a company in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt or Thuringia (the notarized company foundation must be completed by the start of the sixth year). Entrepreneurs who have already founded their company (after January 1, 2023) can also apply. The company’s headquarters must be located in Central Germany. In addition to production companies from the field of traditional audiovisual media, the program also targets companies from the games and new media sector (VR/AR, web series, AI, etc.). Companies that operate as service providers in the film and media sector can also apply.
For interested founders from Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia, we are offering information sessions, open consultations and two pre-start-up webinars in the run-up to the application deadline.
// MEDIAstart online info sessions
In Saxony-Anhalt: on 16.06.25 from 10.00 – 11.30 a.m. (registration here)
In Thuringia: on 18.08.25 from 9.30 – 11.00 a.m. as part of the THAK Speed-Impuls (registration here)
In Saxony: on 02.09.25 from 12.00-13.00 in cooperation with Kreatives Sachsen (registration here, details will be published there soon)
// MEDIAstart Open consultations & pre-foundation webinars
We also offer open online consultations and two pre-start-up webinars on the topics of “Tips and tricks for start-ups” and “Business planning for creatives”. At Eventbrite you will find an overview of all dates and the possibility to register: https://shorturl.at/JT8SV
We would be delighted if you would share this application call in your networks and forward it to potentially interested parties. Enclosed you will also find the PDFs for the call for applications and the information events, which you are also welcome to post.
Date: September 15, 2025