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GründerNavi – for founders and young companies – themed specials

Start-up offensive of the Ministry of Economic Affairs

August 6, 2019

Since July, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has opened up access to the ERP Digitalization and Innovation Loan for start-ups.

This article is part of the special feature GründerNavi – for founders and young companies

For the first time, founders and young companies can now access an ERP Digitalization and Innovation Loan to finance their projects. Christian Hirte, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy , commented: "Providing founders with a tailored financing offer is a key component of the 'GO!' start-up initiative, with which we aim to strengthen the start-up culture in Germany. It is a positive sign that founders will also be able to benefit from the ERP Digitalization and Innovation Loan in the future. More and more start-ups are building on innovative and digital processes and business models. It is therefore right that the financing offer is also being further developed to support technology-savvy founders in their digitalization and innovation activities right from day one."

Open to innovations

Previously, the financing offer was open to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that had been active on the market for at least two years. This restriction has now been lifted. Also new is the opening of the instrument to finance "innovative companies." Companies that qualify as innovative include, among others, those that have received venture capital financing in the past or have made above-average investments in research and development.

Digitalization is promoted

The ERP Digitalization and Innovation Loan can be used to finance digitalization and innovation projects. It supports, for example, the digitalization of products, production processes, and procedures – for example, within the framework of Industry 4.0. Measures to align corporate strategy or organization with digitalization can also be supported. Furthermore, innovation projects are financed in which companies develop new or substantially improved products, processes, or
Develop services.

Text: Rita Lansch / handwerksblatt.de

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