INQA-Coaching Stralsund: 80% funding for SMEs

INQA-Coaching supports companies in Stralsund with 80% of consulting costs – up to €11,520 for twelve coaching days and €2,880 own contribution. Since Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is classified as a structurally weak region, the BAFA consulting subsidy with 80% applies in Stralsund as well, instead of 50% in the old federal states.

Season, harbor and UNESCO World Heritage old town

Stralsund is a Hanseatic city with around 59,000 inhabitants, a UNESCO World Heritage old town and the gateway to Rügen. Economically, maritime industries and suppliers, tourism and hospitality, healthcare, crafts and trade shape the city.

Tourism creates pronounced seasonality: In peak season, inquiries and bookings multiply without staffing levels growing at the same pace. Automation here does not act as a substitute for staff, but as a buffer for peaks – this is usually the starting point for coaching.

Typical coaching topics in Stralsund

Inquiries and bookings – automatically handle standard cases, pass exceptions on to the team
Availability outside business hours – without an additional shift
Order data – record once instead of transferring between systems
Onboarding seasonal workers – knowledge documented and retrievable instead of passed on verbally

Requirements

Less than 250 employees
Annual revenue of no more than €50 million or annual balance sheet total of no more than €43 million
At least a full-time position subject to social security contributions
For at least two years on the market
Registered office and place of work in Germany – including freelance professions and non-profit organizations

Example: a business in Stralsund with strong seasonality

A typical case: A business in Stralsund receives many times the usual number of inquiries during the summer season. The team answers them alongside day-to-day operations, and backlogs are the norm. In the coaching, the first step is to assess which inquiries repeat in terms of content — often they are mostly similar standard questions. A KI-supported assistant is then built to handle these cases and tested during the season so that the team can learn its own limits.

INQA consulting center for Stralsund

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, according to the INQA map (as of September 2026), the following consulting centers, among others, offer the free initial consultation:

Unternehmerverband Rostock-Mittleres Mecklenburg e.V. (August-Bebel-Straße 55, 18055 Rostock)
AGENTUR DER WIRTSCHAFT GmbH (Gebrüder-Boll-Straße 1b, 17033 Neubrandenburg)
AGENCY OF THE ECONOMY (Wismarsche Straße 302, 19055 Schwerin)

There is currently no dedicated advisory office directly in Stralsund on the map.

After the free initial consultation, the advisory office issues the INQA coaching voucher, but may not recommend a specific coach – you choose one yourself via the map of INQA coaches.

What changed with the guideline from June 2026

Coaching vouchers are issued until 30 June 2028; the coaching must be completed by 31 December 2028.
A change from Legal form, owner, or a business acquisition no longer matters if the business itself has existed for at least two years.
The reimbursement principle: The coaching is first paid in full and then reimbursed at 80%.

For comparison: The BAFA consulting grant in Stralsundpays 80%, up to €2,800, and only for applications submitted by 31/12/2026.

Frequently asked questions about INQA coaching in Stralsund

How high is the funding in Stralsund?

80% of the costs. For twelve coaching days, that means a grant of up to €11,520 with a €2,880 own contribution. The funding rate is uniform nationwide, regardless of the number of days.

Can the coaching be scheduled for the low season?

Yes, and that is often sensible. The up to twelve days are spread over several months; analysis and setup can be scheduled for the quieter period so that the solutions developed are in place for the season.

How far away is the coach?

bettersorted is an authorized INQA coach based in Schwerin. The coaching days take place on site in Stralsund, supplemented by digital appointments between the on-site sessions.

Are hospitality businesses and non-profit organizations also eligible for funding?

Yes. The program is open to all SMEs with fewer than 250 employees, explicitly including freelancers and non-profit organizations. Among other requirements, they must have been active in the market for at least two years.

Next step

Check your eligibility for funding in the funding check or read the details on INQA Coaching.

Status: September 2026. Funding rates according to INQA Coaching (BMAS) and BAFA consulting grant. Funding conditions may change – we check the current status before each application.