MicroSTARTer Lower Saxony
Loans for small and medium-sized enterprises in the start-up and growth phase in Lower Saxony. Up to 100% financing, loan amounts from €5,000 to €40,000, term of 7 years. Applications can be submitted at any time via the NBank customer portal.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The state of Lower Saxony supports start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises in the founding, growth, or business succession phase in Lower Saxony with funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The goal is to secure and create permanent jobs and training positions, improve the creditworthiness of applicants for external financing, and promote sustainable business start-ups.
Eligible expenses
- Investments
- Operating resources
- Training and further education costs
Non-eligible expenses
- Refinancing or follow-up financing of already completed projects
- Subsequent financings and extensions
- Purchase of developed and undeveloped land
- New loan applications without full repayment of the first loan
- Projects already started
Eligible to apply
- Founders
- Companies
Funding requirements
- Business location in Lower Saxony
- Start-up phase or maximum 5 years after commencement of business activities
- SME according to the EU definition including liberal professions
- Submission of a business plan and financing plan
- Proof of expert initial consultation with a supportive statement
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Documents required for application
- Application form
- Self-disclosure
- De minimis declaration
- SME verification scheme FP
- Declaration "Company in difficulty"
- Business plan
- Financing plan
- Statement from the competent authority
- Confirmation of initial consultation
Evaluation criteria
- Viability of the business concept
- Proof of the financing gap
- Endorsing statement from the competent authority
- Fulfillment of the qualitative funding criteria
Description
With the MikroSTARTer Niedersachsen, start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lower Saxony in the founding, growth, or succession phase receive a low-interest loan ranging from €5,000 to €40,000. The funding, provided with resources from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), enables up to 100% financing without the usual bank securities. The term is seven years, including twelve months of repayment-free period. Applications can be submitted at any time via the NBank customer portal before the start of the measures. Applicants must operate a business location in Lower Saxony, be in the founding phase or within the first five years after starting operations, and have a supporting statement from a qualified advisory body. Companies engaged in the primary production of agricultural products are excluded from funding.
The MikroSTARTer Niedersachsen aims at creating permanent jobs and training positions, sustainable business start-ups, as well as improving creditworthiness for external financing. ERDF funds provide continuous financing. Eligible are investments, working capital, and training and further education costs; excluded are debt restructuring, follow-up financing, land purchases, or repeat loan applications without full repayment of previous loans. The application must be submitted before the start of the measures via the NBank customer portal. At the same time, a detailed business plan, a financing plan, the De-minimis declaration, the SME verification form, the statement from a qualified advisory body, and confirmation of initial consultation must be submitted. Each application is assessed based on the viability of the concept, proof of the financing gap, the supporting expert statement, and defined quality criteria. Extensive program details and supplementary documents are available for download in the NBank portal.
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