The GrantGPT Hive – January'25

Your Monthly Dose of Grant Gems

Author

Iwa Eck
January 29, 2025 • Reading Time: 5 minutes

In the beginning of 2025, we've got new opportunities to fuel your venture, including:

1. Hottest Grants: Fast Track Validation Programme for Personalised Medicine, Deadline: March 13, 2025 & Women TechEU #3, Deadline: March 17, 2025.

4. Event Pick: Navigating European Funding: A Roadmap for Startups, Date: February 13, 2025 at 10 am - 11 am CET.

5. Startup Story: How familymind acquired EXIST funding and further governmental grants (short interview with Rosa from familymind)

In this month's interview, we chat with Rosa from familymind, a Munich-based startup that secured EXIST funding as well as further governmental grants:

How did you discover this grant opportunity and decide to go for it?

I first learned about the EXIST grant through conversations within my network and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Iwa’s guidance on navigating governmental funding was instrumental in helping me understand the process. Given our mission to redefine family management through AI, we knew this opportunity aligned perfectly with our vision, so it felt like the natural next step to pursue it.

How did you tackle the grant process?

We approached the process strategically by breaking it into smaller steps. The key was to focus on crafting a compelling narrative that clearly highlighted our mission, the social impact of familymind, and the problem we are solving. With support from TUM Startup consultancy, TUM Professor as our EXIST mentors, other mentors and resources, we ensured that every detail reflected our vision while meeting the grant’s criteria.

What were your learnings about yourself, your startup, and the funding opportunity?

About myself: I realized the importance of resilience and clarity when navigating complex processes like grant applications.

About the startup: This journey reinforced the significance of our mission and its potential to create real social impact.

About the funding opportunity: It underscored the value of aligning with funding programs that prioritize innovation and societal benefits.

What advice would you give to fellow founders?

Start early, stay organized, and clearly connect your mission to a real problem you want to solve... and then think of funding criteria. Learn from your customers from Day 1, leverage your network for guidance and feedback, and don’t hesitate to ask for support. Most importantly, keep your application authentic and honest - your passion and mission will resonate with evaluators.

Thank you for your insights, dear Rosa!

familymind is a digital AI-powered family companion that tackles one of the most pressing challenges faced by modern families: the mental load of balancing care work and professional responsibilities. With 1 in 3 parents suffering from burnout, familymind aims to transform family management by simplifying task sharing, fostering collaboration, and improving overall well-being. The startup’s mission extends beyond families to also support organizations in retaining and empowering working parents, creating a win-win solution for both personal and professional life.

Led by CEO and co-founder Rosaria Di Donna and her team, familymind recently secured the EXIST grant, a major milestone in their journey to build impactful solutions for families and organizations alike. Before EXIST, Rosaria and her team also secured governmental grants from Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Forschung allocated to Social Impact Republic. familymind was part of Digital Product School, funded by Social Impact Republic.

Stay Connected with familymind

To learn more about familymind’s mission to revolutionize family management and support working parents, or to follow Rosaria’s entrepreneurial journey, check out:

For more updates, let’s connect on LinkedIn.

Cheers,
Your GrantGPT team