Loan

NRW.BANK SME Fund

The NRW.BANK Mittelstandsfonds offers medium-sized companies in North Rhine-Westphalia flexible equity capital solutions to strengthen their equity base and promote growth and innovation. Applications can be submitted at any time.

Business Financing Business Establishment

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Grant criteria

Application Deadline: Ongoing
Application level: Advanced
Region: North Rhine-Westphalia
Company size: Small and medium-sized enterprises

Funding objective

Provision of silent partnerships and equity-like financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve the equity ratio, finance investments, and secure growth in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Eligible expenses

  • Investment costs
  • Operating resources

Non-eligible expenses

  • Refinancing of old debts

Eligible to apply

  • Companies
  • Cooperatives
  • Founders

Funding requirements

  • Headquarters or place of business in North Rhine-Westphalia
  • SME status according to EU definition
  • positive earnings and future prospects

Documents required for application

  1. Business concept / Business plan
  2. Current annual financial statements
  3. Liquidity planning
  4. Shareholders' resolution

Evaluation criteria

  • Economic viability
  • Market opportunities of the project
  • Strengthening of the equity ratio

Description

The NRW.BANK Mittelstandsfonds provides small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, and start-ups in North Rhine-Westphalia with flexible equity participation solutions. Through silent partnerships and equity-like financing, the equity base is strengthened, thereby promoting investments and supporting growth and innovation projects. The loan structure allows financing of both investment costs and working capital, while refinancing of existing debts is excluded. Ongoing application submissions ensure demand-oriented fund allocation, which is assessed based on the economic viability and market opportunities of the project. With a focus on sustainability and future-proof business models, the fund aims to sustainably improve the equity ratio and secure long-term growth prospects.

Eligible applicants are SMEs as defined by the EU, with headquarters or operations in North Rhine-Westphalia, possessing positive earnings and future prospects. Submission requires a comprehensive business concept or business plan, current financial statements, liquidity planning, and a shareholder resolution. Evaluation is based on economic viability, market opportunities of the proposed project, and the intended strengthening of the equity base. As the fund is continuously open, applications can be submitted at any time to implement investment projects, advance digital transformation measures, or secure growth projects in the long term. Interested parties can obtain detailed information on conditions and the application process from the development bank of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

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