NRW.BANK.Startup and Growth

NRW.BANK promotes low-interest loans of up to €10 million with 100% financing share for the founding, consolidation, and acquisition of companies in North Rhine-Westphalia. Founders, start-ups, SMEs, as well as freelancers receive particularly favorable conditions if they have been on the market for less than five years or invest in defined funding areas. The funds can be used for investments in machinery and building technology, working capital, inventory, acquisitions, and participations. Durable fixed assets are eligible for funding provided they are capitalized and accounted for according to their useful life. The terms range from five to 20 years depending on the type of loan, with one to three years of grace period. Interest rate fixation is possible for up to ten years, with especially favorable conditions for climate protection measures, projects funded by the climate bonus, and investments in structurally weak regions of NRW. An optional 50% liability release facilitates access to the promotional loan starting from a loan volume of €125,000.

Prerequisites for approval include compliance with ESG funding requirements, professional qualification of the applicants, and demonstrably secured overall financing. Only projects with a positive NRW effect or located in NRW are funded. Excluded are, among others, refinancing of existing loans, debt restructuring, certain economic activities (e.g., fossil energies, coal, nuclear power, arms production, pig or fur animal farming), as well as projects with ecologically and socially irresponsible business practices. Applications can be submitted at any time, with a drawdown period of 12 months after contract conclusion. Submission is done via house banks; credit institutions compile the application documents and forward them to NRW.BANK. Eleanor Fees reference documents include, among others, company and project descriptions, cost and financing plans, annual financial statements, de minimis and grant declarations.