Financial assistance for setting up or expanding a business in the Basque Country
The BASQUE INVEST team studies your financing needs free of charge. By identifying the key points of your financial arrangements and your business plan, we can then help you find financing that matches your goals and ambitions
Differents types of financial assistance for companies
Our team works with you to put together a coherent case to present to your various target organizations. Our aim is to be a driving force behind your proposals and coach you through your presentations to ensure the success of your project.
There is a wide range of financial aid available to companies including subsidies, guaranteed loans, repayable advances and tax exemptions or reductions. Here is a non-exhaustive list of areas where help is on offer:
- Business start-ups
- Business transfer or takeover
- Innovation
- International and export
- Financial difficulties
- Company real estate development
- Human resources, business development and growth
- Environment and sustainable development
Don’t hesitate to contact us for support tailored to your development needs.
How to find financing for a new business
You’ve done your market research, but your business plan shows that you’ll need funds far in excess of your existing capital. At BASQUE INVEST, we can advise you and help you to apply for business start-up grants, or simply to get a clearer picture of the financing solutions available to you. Here, for example, is a selection of financing solutions for business start-ups:
- Equity investors.
There are several types of investor: your partners/collaborators, love money (i.e. financing via your family circle) or professional investors (specialized investment funds). - Banks and credit institutions.
You can call on specialized banks and credit institutions to finance part of the company’s assets. - Also known as participatory financing,
via donation platforms, loan platforms or equity platforms. - Public bodies.
These are the biggest contributors to start-up financing and include funding from France Travail (Pôle Emploi), the region, the state and the European Commission. BASQUE INVEST has close connections with regional authorities, can advise you on which public grants you are eligible for, and assist you in obtaining them.
Financial aid for business start-ups can be a real headache for a novice. When you call on us for help with procedures such as structuring your business start-up application, you’ll be sure not to miss out on any information, and above all you’ll benefit from free, confidential expertise from entrepreneurship professionals in the Basque Country.
What public assistance is avaiable for business starts-ups?
A business start-up grant is a subsidy awarded by the state and local authorities to entrepreneurs. It is available to all entrepreneurs setting up a business, provided they meet certain conditions. Business start-up funding can take a variety of forms.
- Tax and/or social security breaks. When a company chooses to set up in a ZFU (Zone Franche Urbaine), for example, it can benefit from a number of financial assistance schemes for start-ups: exemption from income tax, exemption from local taxes, exemption from employer contributions, and exemption from health and maternity insurance contributions for self-employed workers.
- A sum of money, repayable or non-repayable. For example, a subsidy, such as the NACRE scheme (Nouvel Accompagnement pour la Création ou la Reprise d’Entreprise), which provides support in setting up and financing an entrepreneurial project for at least 3 years, or a “prêt sur l’honneur”, i.e. a zero-interest loan granted on the basis of a business file, with no guarantee or deposit.
- Funding for training, or accommodation for the start-up at a lower-than-market price.
- Full or partial continuation of benefits such as ARE (allocation d’aide au retour à l’emploi), RSA (revenu de solidarité active) or prime d’activité.
A subsidy scheme for business start-ups may be restricted to certain sectors, depend on location, be linked to professional status, or impose certain conditions such as investments or recruitment. BASQUE INVEST knows all about the intricacies of financial aid in the Basque Country and can help you with the creation and development of your business.