Funding for startups
Without money, even the best idea is difficult to turn into a success. In addition to crowdfunding, business angels and venture capital, Carinthia offers interesting funding opportunities for startups. The province of Carinthia also offers uncomplicated startup aid in the form of competitions.
Which programme is suitable for my startup? Can I register my cross-border project for funding? How can I get involved in research and development? Many startups ask themselves questions like these. This is why the Carinthian Economic Promotion Fund (KWF) provides an initial and quick overview of funding opportunities with the KWF Funding Navigator. Depending on the size of the company, sector and focus of the project, the navigator lists exactly which subsidies are available.
Attractive funding programmes in Carinthia
The “vor.GRÜNDEN” programme, for example, is particularly interesting, as Jürgen Kopeinig, Managing Director of the Carinthian startup incubator, build! startup centre, explains: “The idea is that, thanks to the programme, the founder can focus entirely on the development of their ‘baby’ for nine months – because that’s how long the funding lasts.” Cooperation with a university, a university of applied sciences or a non-university research institution is important in this context. This institution makes a pre-selection of potential startup projects and submits the application. It supports ambitious people with their business ideas and prepares spin-offs at the same time.
If you are looking for a quick and uncomplicated entry into the field of research and development, the KWF call for proposals “Start R&D” is an attractive option. It supports Carinthian companies that want to take their first steps in R&D with a grant of 50 to 70 percent for a maximum project volume of EUR 75,000. The “Innovations.TALENT” qualification and training programme also provides a boost for innovation, research and development projects, preferably in the “green” and “digital” areas.
© Johannes Puch
Venture capital and smart money
In addition to funding and subsidies, business angels and venture capital can promote the growth of startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Carinthian Venture Fund provides technology-oriented, internationalisation-capable startups and SMEs with access to venture capital. The fund also supports startups with contacts to companies and investors as well as expertise in business development – i.e. “smart money”. It invests in early stage, development and growth projects in the form of equity.
The Carinthian ideas competition “90 seconds” doesn’t involve such a large amount of money, but it does involve a big opportunity. The competition for startups is organised by the build! startup centre together with all cooperation partners from the startup ecosystem such as the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce, Kärntner Betriebsansiedlungs- & Beteiligungsgesellschaft m.b.H. (BABEG), the Department of Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at Klagenfurt University and the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, and is a good springboard for innovative and creative personalities with their business ideas.
Jürgen Kopeinig, Managing Director of the build! startup centre
“Compared to the rest of Europe, we have a great funding landscape in Austria, and you can definitely generate a good funding cash flow in Carinthia.”
