Good news at the start of the year: since 1 January, more new entrepreneurs have been able to apply for the ERP Start-up Loan - StartGeld. The programme is now also open to start-ups that are permanently managed on a part-time basis. These no longer have to be aimed at becoming a full-time activity.

The ERP Start-up Loan - StartGeld gives entrepreneurs, self-employed professionals and young companies access to a low-interest loan up to five years after they start their business. Small commercial enterprises and companies serving the common good are eligible. This applies both to small commercial social enterprises that intend to make a profit and to small non-profit enterprises. The funding is available to companies that are managed on either a full-time or part-time basis.

All qualifying applicants can apply for a loan of up to EUR 125,000 via their regular bank. What makes this particularly special is that KfW assumes 80% of the customer credit risk for the regular bank. Funding is provided for investments and running costs.

With the expansion of the programme, KfW is advancing the trend towards part-time start-ups. These are enjoying growing popularity and increased by 11% in 2023 compared to the previous year, as shown by the results of the KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor. You can access the survey results here.

More information on the programme can be found at: kfw.de/067 (in German).