NRW.BANK Universal Credit
Low-interest loan from NRW.BANK for start-ups, medium-sized companies, and members of the liberal professions in North Rhine-Westphalia to finance investments and working capital with up to 100% financing share. Variants "Away from Gas" and A45 Assistance available.
Discover your potential with AI support
- Find out if this grant matches your project
- Develop your application together with AI
- Get matched with many more suitable grants
Grant criteria
Funding objective
The NRW.BANK Universal Credit supports start-ups, medium-sized companies, and members of the liberal professions in North Rhine-Westphalia with growth and expansion investments, working capital requirements, and start-up projects both domestically and abroad. The "Weg vom Gas" (Away from Gas) variant also promotes the transition of energy supply from gas to renewable energies, and the temporary A45 aid mitigates revenue losses resulting from the closure of the A45.
Eligible expenses
- Investment measures
- Operating resources
- Start-up costs
Non-eligible expenses
- Refinancing
- Value-added tax amounts for those entitled to input tax deduction
Eligible to apply
- Founders
- Companies
Funding requirements
- Start-ups or companies with annual turnover ≤ €500 million in private ownership or members of the liberal professions
- Overall financing must be secured
- Demonstrate sustainable economic success and positive NRW impact of the project
- For financing needs > €10 million, demonstrate special eligibility for funding
- No financing of debt restructuring
- Show more
Documents required for application
- Application form
- Information sheet
- Proof of use
- Billing form
Evaluation criteria
- Economic viability of the project
- NRW effect of the project
- Securing overall financing
- Compliance with ESG requirements
Description
The low-interest universal loan from NRW.BANK is aimed at start-ups, medium-sized companies, and members of the liberal professions based in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a financing share of up to 100%, both investment measures as well as working capital and start-up costs can be covered – domestically as well as abroad. In addition to the standard solution, there is the "Weg vom Gas" funding variant for the transition of energy supply to renewable energies, as well as a temporary A45 aid to mitigate revenue losses due to the highway closure.
Eligible for funding are privately owned entities with an annual turnover of up to 500 million euros that can demonstrate a project with sustainable economic success and a positive NRW effect. Financing volumes exceeding 10 million euros require special proof of eligibility for funding. Refinancing and VAT amounts in cases of input tax deduction entitlement are excluded. Compliance with ESG funding requirements as well as the ILO core labor standards is mandatory. Loans can be applied for at any time without a fixed maximum limit, but with special conditions starting from 1 million euros. The application requires an application form, information sheet, proof of use, and billing form.
Ready to secure your funding?
Register now and let our AI guide you through the application process – from eligibility check to finished application.