Venture Capital! Offensive - Co-Investment for Innovative Early-Stage Startups
Co-investment funding for innovative Styrian startups in the early stage: SFG invests up to €500,000 equity together with business angels. Applications can be submitted until 30.06.2027 via the SFG portal.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
Provision of venture capital in the form of equity participation for innovative Styrian micro and small enterprises in the seed and startup phase, to support the development of new products, technologies, and business models, and to promote sustainable growth and quality jobs.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel expenses
- Material costs for R&D
- Sales costs
- Investments
- Working capital
Non-eligible expenses
- Buyback of existing business shares
- Debt settlement
Eligible to apply
- Companies
- Founders
Funding requirements
- Headquartered in Styria
- Founded no more than 5 years ago
- Fewer than 50 employees
- No profit distribution
- Minimum founder share of 50%
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Documents required for application
- Business plan
- Company financing plan
- Proof of investment interest from a co-investor
- Proof of development (product prototype or similar)
Evaluation criteria
- Innovative content
- Market and growth potential
- Qualification of the founding team
- Technical feasibility
- Financing structure
Description
The Venture Capital!Offensive supports innovative micro and small enterprises with fewer than 50 employees, founded within the last five years and currently in the seed or startup phase. The focus is on business ideas from the fields of mobility, green tech, and health tech that have not yet distributed profits and present a scalable business plan. Together with experienced business angels or venture capital firms, SFG provides up to €500,000 equity capital as co-investment, thereby doubling private investment capital. The goal is to finance research and development projects, the establishment of sales channels, investments, and working capital to advance new products, technologies, and business models, as well as to promote sustainable growth and quality jobs. This way, project teams benefit from financial strength as well as practical input from the SFG network.
A prerequisite for participation is a minimum founder equity share of 50% in the company, tangible development results such as prototypes, positive investment interest from a co-investor, and a well-founded, coherent business plan. Interested teams submit the complete documents, including business plan, financing plan, co-investor confirmation, and development proof, online via the SFG portal by June 30, 2027. After a preliminary review and alignment based on a term sheet, projects undergo due diligence before the equity capital is made available for a limited period—usually five to eight years. Founders have continuous access to SFG’s expertise and network and have the option to repurchase the equity stake after the defined term.