Start-up support is open again, we invite all start-up companies to apply with the help of Easy!

The state is reopening the start-up support measure, which aims to help start-up entrepreneurs launch and grow their business. The support helps cover the company's first major costs and encourages the creation of new jobs across Estonia.

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Foundation (EIS) is opening a start-up support application round for start-up entrepreneurs whose companies have been operating for up to three years. The maximum support amount is 20,000 euros and its aim is to help companies get started, increase sales revenue and create jobs. According to the Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry, Erkki Keldo, the Estonian economy constantly needs new companies that can grow and contribute to the development of the economy.

The support is intended primarily for companies with growth potential. It can be used to finance the costs associated with starting a company, such as the purchase of equipment and other necessary fixed assets. These are the largest costs for many start-up entrepreneurs. According to Mari-Liis Küppari, a member of the EIS board, applying for support has been made as simple and free of bureaucracy as possible – the entrepreneur does not need to prove every expense related to the use of the support.

The maximum amount of the start-up support is 20,000 euros and the entrepreneur's own financing must be at least 20 percent of the project cost. The aim of the support is to support the development of the company so that it reaches a sustainable sales revenue and job creation. Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis, but before submitting the application, a mandatory preliminary consultation must be completed at the county development center. During this, the clarity of the business model, the justification of the market analysis and the company's financial forecasts are assessed, for example.

As a result of the preliminary consultation, the entrepreneur receives a written preliminary assessment, which must be attached to the support application. Without this document, the application will not be processed. Such a step helps to identify the strengths and possible risks of the company's plan even before submitting the application.

The start-up support is aimed at small and start-up companies. For example, the company must employ fewer than ten people and be a registered company. The company must also not have previously received the same type of start-up or growth support.

According to business experts, such early-stage support is important because start-ups often have many ideas but lack the resources to implement them. Therefore, start-up support is often used for investments that help the company quickly get started and enter the market.

More information about the conditions and application for support can be found here: <a href="https://eis.ee/teenused/startitoetus/">Start-up support</a>