Financing for start-up business
Are you setting up a company and looking for financing? You can use several sources. If you are unemployed, for example, first go to your labour office and ask about the possibility of funding your company.
Below we present examples of financing proposals for young companies.
Start-up loan for business
If you are:
- a graduate of a school (including a vocational school) or university (within 48 months from the date of graduation or obtaining a vocational title)
- a student of the last year
- unemployed
you can apply for start-up funding under the "First Business - start-up support" programme. The programme provides low-interest loans (less than 1% annually).
One-off measures for starting up a business
If you are:
- unemployed
- graduated from the centre for social integration
- graduated from social integration clubs
- a carer for a disabled person (not working anywhere and not looking for a job)
you have the opportunity to take advantage of a one-off grant from the Labour Fund to start a business, including activity consisting in running a nursery or a children's club with integration places or providing rehabilitation services for disabled children. This grant shall be non-refundable. But remember that in order to receive it, you need to register as an unemployed person and apply for financial assistance before you register your activity.
EU grants for your own business
As part of the EU funding for 2014-2020, you have the opportunity to benefit from a grant to start your own business. Starting finance is intended for people under 30 years of age and over, if they are in a difficult situation. In addition to financial resources, you can also count on vocational counselling, training, internships and apprenticeships.
Company for young people
If you are under 30, you are not studying or working, you can apply for a resources for start up from EU funds. Before you receive them, first of all your situation and individual predispositions will be analysed. On this basis, a tailor-made action plan will be developed. From the package of available activities, the ones that are most suitable for you will be selected. The package of measures includes funds to open a company (over PLN 20 thousand), training and consulting and advice at the first stage of your company's operation.
Support for people over 30 years of age
Even if you are 30, you can also get EU funding for your own business. Grant conditions may differ in detail from one voivodship to another. Remember, however, that in this case the aid covers:
- a man aged over 50
- females
- persons with disabilities
- the low-skilled
- the long-term unemployed.
If you work or do not belong to any of these groups, you can apply for a loan to set up a business. You will have to return it, but it is much easier to access, the procedures are shorter and simpler. The basic subsidy most often amounts to over PLN 20,000. Loans are often higher and may vary from one region to another.
If you are interested in support from EU funds, please contact your voivodship employment office (usually it is responsible for the selection of institutions that provide grants or loans).
You can also call or write to the European Funds Information Point.
You can also find information about the currently available support options for people aged 30+ in the European Funds website.
A company in the countryside
If you are a farmer insured with KRUS and you are planning your own business, you can take advantage of the so-called start-up bonus. The subsidy amounts to a maximum of PLN 100,000 and the application for it is submitted to the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture.
If you live in a countryside but you are not involved in farming, ask your municipality about Local Action Groups. You can also search for them on the website of the National Rural Network. You submit your application to the Local Action Group and the grant may amount to up to PLN 100,000.
Guarantee funds
If you do not belong to any of the privileged groups that (as above) are entitled to preferential financing and you need money for your business, you should be aware that it will be difficult for you to obtain a bank loan at the initial stage.
The JEREMIE initiative
If:
- you are starting a business (startup)
- you do not have a credit history
- you do not have sufficient collateral to cover your liabilities
You can use the financial instruments (loans, credits, guarantees) available under the JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro-to-Medium Enterprises) initiative, a European Union programme initiated by the European Commission. You want to know more about JEREMIE, see additional information.
Financing from the Polish Development Fund (PFR)
PFR offer includes packages of financial and non-financial services for young and developed companies.
See:
Start-up financing
Do you have an idea for a new product or service that will meet consumers' needs in a different and original way? You lack adequate funding and are aware of the fact that the implementation of your idea involves, on the one hand, potentially large profits, but on the other hand it is exposed to a high risk of failure. If so, your company meets most of the criteria to be called a start-up. What is a start-up? Although the name has been in existence for many years, there is no clear definition of it. It usually means a young innovative company, which has an original idea for its market success, but operates under conditions of great uncertainty. Most often start-ups are associated with companies operating in the field of modern technologies.
If you are thinking about starting a start-up, you should know that there are institutions on the market that are looking for companies with high potential and are ready to take the investment risk. These include seed capital funds and business angels. EU funds also provide many opportunities for financing innovative business ideas.
Seed capital funds
If your company has a large innovation potential and you don't have money to start, seed capital funds - venture capital (VC) may be an interesting solution.
This solution makes it possible to gain not only resources for development but also professional guidance and access to markets and business contacts.
Remember that venture capital investor will support you in exchange for the possibility of intervention in your business. This often involves handing control of your company to an investor (in return for the support he receives a majority of the shares or guarantees the right to influence the strategic decisions). VC is a solution, which will allow you to focus on developing your ideas, but you need to be sure that the investor wants the same as you. It is important that already at the start you will develop a strategy of exit of the strategic investor — specify when and under which conditions you can regain control over the company.
Business angels
A similar form of co-financing as venture capital is cooperation with business angels, i.e. those who have capital and would like to earmark it for financing external companies and ideas. In exchange for financial support they receive a minority stake in the company. Business angels are often grouped in Business Support Institutions.
EU support for start-ups
Starter and BizNest
Start-ups can take advantage of the new instruments in the Smart Growth Operational Programme: Starter and BizNest. They are intended for operators who do not conduct activity on any market or they have been operating on market for less than 7 years following their first commercial sale. Within the framework of these programmes you can receive a direct assistance from seed funds, venture capital funds and business angels networks selected by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development. If you have an innovative idea for a business, you can apply to any of them. They will select the most interesting ideas that will undergo the so-called pre-incubation . It involves research and studies, which will allow to determine whether your solution has the potential and can bring profit. If carried out analyses are promising, the investor will help you establish and develop a business. You will be able to set up a company and receive capital for starting business. Importantly, for those programmes, public resources are invested together with private funding, thus reducing the risk of a private investor and it will encourage him/her even more to support your business. For more information go to website of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.
Platform for new ideas
You can get support for the creation and development of your startup under the Operational Programme Development of Eastern Poland. Help is available from centres of innovation (technology parks, incubators) from Eastern Poland, implementing a project "Platform for launching new ideas". You will be able to use their offer if you are less than 35 years old, you have an innovative business ideas and you want to set up a business in eastern Poland in the regions: lubelskie, podkarpackie, podlaskie, świętokrzyskie, warmińsko — mazurskie. Participation in a project provides access to infrastructure (e.g. work station), mentoring, coaching and other services needed to develop new business idea. When your company is prepared to enter the market, you can receive funding for the development of your activity. You will find details on the website of Eastern Poland Programme and the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.