Public support for developing your business
Your business can receive public support and help in various situations of its operations. A noteworthy fact is that from the point of view of business subsidies meant for businesses located in rural areas, 95% of Finland’s surface area is considered rural – applying for a business subsidy intended for rural area businesses does not require your business being tied to agriculture.
Development aid
The ELY Centres can support the development of businesses with a contributions to the funding of development projects. It can be used to develop operations that already exist or create an entirely new kind of business for the enterprise. You might also be striving for internationalisation. Applications for funding of development can be filed at any time during the year.
Your enterprise itself must always provide at least half of the development project’s funding. The project investments can be supported with 10 to 35 percent of the expenses that were used as a basis for granting the funding contribution, depending on the size and location of the enterprise in question. Apply for the contribution before the start of the project.
More information at the website of ELY Centre.
Subsidies for rural area businesses
The purpose of subsidies for rural area businesses is to increase entrepreneurial activity, jobs and the vitality of the rural areas. Business subsidy intended for rural area businesses does not require running a business that is tied to agriculture.
You can apply for a business subsidy for rural area businesses rom an ELY Centre or from a local Leader Group. The subsidy is funded by the EU, the government and the municipalities. The subsidy can cover 20 to 90 percent of the expenses, depending on the project in question. The projects to be funded must be in line with the area’s development strategy targets.
More information at the website of ELY Centre.
Financing and working capital
You can apply for Finnvera’s financing for acquisitions and investments for your enterprise and a need for working capital. Finnvera is a specialised financing company owned by the State of Finland which complements bank financing with loans and offers guarantees for bank loans on your behalf.
