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Business Tampere supports talents, investors and entrepreneurs in making a smooth start in Tampere Region
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Your business can access a wide range of support to find and apply for the right funding. Business Tampere offers free funding advisory services for growth-oriented companies operating in the Tampere region. Choose the service that best suits your needs.
Growth sparring
Analysis of readiness for funding
EU funding advisory
Other financing services
We offer growth sparring for businesses operating in the Tampere region. You can book a one-hour clinic session, during which you will first assess your team’s or company’s current situation with Business Tampere’s Funding Advisors. This includes potential plans for growth and internationalization, as well as resource allocation (e.g., staff, funding). Based on the discussion, you will jointly create a plan for the next steps.
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The HippoMeter analysis provides detailed information about the state of different areas of your company and how consistently the operational management and board perceive the situation. The analysis can be tailored to the company’s needs and interests.
For more information about the HippoMeter tool, visit: https://www.hippoenabler.com/
A funding readiness analysis can be conducted if a company is seeking funding from private investors, such as angel investors or venture capital funds. The result of the analysis provides the company with an understanding of its situation from an investor’s perspective, as well as a list of areas that require further clarification.
We offer low-threshold EU funding advisory services for all stages of the process. Whether you are just considering if any part of your business operations could qualify for EU funding, need advice while preparing your application, or are already implementing a project, feel free to reach out. Our experts will help identify the areas of your business that are eligible for funding and the most suitable EU funding options for those areas.
Book an appointment for EU funding advisory:
The Pirkanmaa ELY Centre offers advice on identifying financing needs and general business operations. The ELY Centre also provides expert guidance on funding options that specifically support internationalization.
The Business Development Grant is designed to support the comprehensive development of a company and create better business conditions. In Pirkanmaa, development grants are particularly targeted at SMEs seeking international growth, those in the startup phase, and emerging sectors.
Development grants can be granted to SMEs that have the prerequisites for profitable business operations and sufficient resources to fund development measures that improve competitiveness. The company must finance at least half of the development project itself.
Contact the ELY Centre for advice if you need help preparing your application.
Business Finland offers a variety of financing options for businesses for different purposes. You can learn more here.
Business Finland’s national EU funding advisory service gathers information on European Union grants, loans, guarantees, equity investments, subsidies, and public procurements, and provides guidance on their use. Visit www.eurahoitusneuvonta.fi for more details.
The Innovation Voucher is intended for SMEs to support individual actions in developing their products, services, or processes, or acquiring new knowledge and expertise as a service. The company must have a new product or service idea with international growth potential.
›› Innovation Voucher
The Eurostars program funds research and development work for SMEs. Eurostars funding is project-based, requiring participants from at least two countries included in the program. The project must be led by a growing SME, and can also include research organizations and large companies.
›› Eurostars
Research and Development Funding is designed for startup or SME companies aiming to develop their products or services for export markets. This funding can be used to develop products, services, production methods, business models, or pilot new solutions.
›› Research and Development Funding
Tempo Funding is for startups under five years old targeting export markets. The funding can be used to develop prototypes or demos, conduct market research, assess customer needs, or run test marketing. The maximum funding of €50,000 is a non-repayable grant.
›› Tempo Funding
The Into Funding Service allows export-focused startups and SMEs to purchase expert services, such as intellectual property protection or borrowing an expert from another organization. The funding amount depends on the company’s goals and resources and can cover up to 50% of the total project budget.
›› Into Funding Service
Young Innovative Companies Funding is for promising startups under five years old aiming for rapid international growth. The funding can be used for team expansion, business model and growth strategy development, and market expansion. The company must have revenue and show signs of growing business. The funding includes both grants and loans, covering 75% of the costs.
›› Young Innovative Companies
Exhibition Explorer (formerly Trade Fair Subsidy) is intended for joint international trade fair projects by companies. Growth-oriented SMEs and startups can form a group of at least four companies to attend significant trade events abroad. The subsidy is usually granted for B2B events.
›› Exhibition Explorer Subsidy
With Market Explorer Funding, SMEs and midcap companies can purchase expert services to support their internationalization, such as identifying new potential export markets. Service providers can be domestic or foreign companies, research organizations, or individual experts.
›› Market Explorer Funding
Talent Explorer Funding helps SMEs or midcap companies hire experts to bring new knowledge and skills that help the company progress in new international markets. The funding only covers the costs of hiring the new expert.
›› Talent Explorer Funding
Finnvera supports companies’ financing opportunities with loans, guarantees, equity investments, and export-related financial services. Finnvera helps businesses identify, plan, and implement various financing options.
Different types of loans are designed to support companies at various stages of their lifecycle. Loans are available for purposes such as business establishment, investments, growth, and internationalization. It is also possible to use loans to finance the purchase of shares in an existing company.
›› Finnvera Loans
Export Guarantees help businesses compete in international markets on equal terms. Finnvera offers export guarantees to cover credit losses and export financing. These guarantees help businesses receive payment from export transactions more quickly.
›› Finnvera Export Guarantees
Finnvera’s guarantees act as collateral for loans and liabilities from banks or other financiers. Like loans, various types of guarantees are intended for different stages of business development.
›› Finnvera Guarantees
Support can be applied for by a Finnish company or other actor. Support can be granted for initiating long-term, commercially viable business cooperation aimed at developing countries.
The Business Partnership Support is intended for the feasibility and training phases of such projects. The supported projects must have positive development impacts in the target country.
›› Business Partnership Support
The EU’s Horizon Europe program offers funding for research and innovation projects implemented through international cooperation, as well as for individual research ideas.
Horizon Europe
EU funding guidelines
EU Funding Playbook
EU Network Playbook
The National EU Funding Advisory Service provides free information and advice on European Union funding programs and instruments. www.eurahoitusneuvonta.fi
The funding advisory service is intended for businesses, research institutions, authorities, and other entities interested in utilizing EU funding. The following programs are covered by the advisory service:
Direct advisory:
Additional information and service guidance on these programs:
Business angels are private individuals who invest their personal assets into high-growth potential companies. In return for their investment, angel investors typically receive a share of the target company’s equity.
The benefit of a business angel investment (ranging from 5,000 to 600,000 euros) consists not only of the invested money but also of the expertise and networks the investor brings to the company.
Further information and guidance on applying for angel investments is provided by FiBAN – Finnish Business Angels Network.
Venture capital involves making investments in privately held companies with strong growth potential. Typically, venture capitalists make investments from the funds they manage, but there are also investors who make venture investments from their own balance sheets or corporate funds.
More information and a list of Finnish venture capital investors can be found on the website of the Finnish Private Equity and Venture Capital Association.
Crowdfunding is an online fundraising method aimed at the masses. The idea behind crowdfunding (e.g., 5,000 to 250,000 euros) is to create a campaign where anyone can participate in funding a company with a small amount.
In addition to raising funds, crowdfunding is also an excellent way to test and validate the market demand for products by creating a pre-sale campaign.
Read more about crowdfunding.
The Rural Development Fund subsidies are intended for businesses located in rural areas. The area classification and the boundaries of eligible business support regions can be checked at www.maaseutu.fi.
Businesses receiving support must meet the requirements for continuous profitable operation. The business must provide primary income for at least one person (either the entrepreneur or an employed worker), and employees must possess sufficient professional skills.
The local action group operating in the Tampere region is Kantri ry.
The Guide on EU funding for tourism published by the European Commission provides information on funding available for the EU tourism sector. The guide highlights funding programs that are relevant to the tourism industry.
The EU Funding Advisory Service offers free information and advice on European Union funding programs.
Book an appointment for EU funding advisory services.
Senior Business Advisor, EU Funding
+358 40 5052 230
jari.ahola@businesstampere.com
COO, Chief Operating Officer
+358 (0) 40 7749 259
pertti.aimonen@businesstampere.com