Starting support for the Growth Engine platform company by provision of capital loans
What?
Capital loan financing for the preparation of growth engine projects.
Currently, capital loan financing is not available for the preparation of new projects.
The state accelerates the creation and development of Growth Engine platform companies by providing capital loans. The funding is provided as a gratuitous equity loan in accordance with the Limited Liability Companies Act, with an interest rate of 1%. The maximum amount of loan is 400,000 euros and may not account for more than 75% of the eligible costs.
For whom?
For companies acting as Growth Engine platform companies.
Growth Engines often need so-called platform companies (e.g. data operators) that can solve problems related to the creation and growth of the ecosystem. The platform companies are tasked with promoting the development of the competitiveness and new innovations of the companies involved in the Growth Engine ecosystem. The impacts of the platform company therefore manifest themselves widely in the operations of other companies. The platform company's own operations should also be sustainably established and aim at growth.
Companies eligible for the aid include small companies no older than five years of age at the moment, when the funding decision is made. The age is calculated from the moment, when the company is entered into the Trade Register. The companies must not be publicly listed, and they must not have distributed any profits yet. As regards companies founded through mergers, the age is defined on the basis of the oldest merged company.
What can the funding be used for?
The funding is intended for developing the business operations of Growth Engine platform companies and preparing network impacts. However, funding cannot be used for operations related to exports, i.e., running costs directly related to export volumes, the establishing and operations of a distribution network or any other export activities.
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Business Finland services for Growth Engines
Services in a nutshell
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Business Finland services for Growth Engines (pdf)
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Tips for market shaping
Business Finland piloted market shaping approach with some ecosystems in summer 2019. This material is was used in that pilot.
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Tips for market shaping (pdf)
Before submitting an application, please contact:
Karin Wikman
+358 50 5577 723, karin.wikman (at) businessfinland.fi or
Esa Panula-Ontto
+358 50 5577 853, esa.panula-ontto (at) businessfinland.fi
The application is submitted via Business Finland's Online Service. The company must not be older than five years old.
Content of the application
In the application, please describe the current status of your business activities and ecosystem, and your future vision, as well as the work to be performed, and the targets and costs during the project.
Project plan
Please fill in the fields of the application form and attach a project plan to it in accordance with the annexed template (in Finnish).
Financial information on the company
In the application, you need to provide the following information
- an income statement no more than two months old and a balance sheet from the account ledger for the current accounting period
- monthly cash flow forecast
- annual profit and funding forecast
This information can be submitted by using the attached calculation templates (in Finnish) provided by Business Finland or by other means, such as by forming part of the project plan.
Reporting
Progress with the project must be reported in accordance with the schedule announced in the funding decision. Submit the report and cost statement through the Online Service.
Eligible costs
- salaries and the related indirect personnel costs (not exceeding 50%)
- purchases (e.g. travel, services, materials and supplies, and equipment)
Ineligible costs
- voluntary insurance, gifts and scholarships
- costs subject to other public funding
- export activities, i.e. running costs directly related to export volumes, the establishment and operations of a distribution network or any other export activities
With respect to purchases, the Act of Public Contracts must be applied if public funding accounts for more than 50% of the costs.
