Member Article

The support plan offers start-ups the opportunity to apply for a total of approximately EUR 2.2 million in subsidies, each of which is projected to be worth around EUR 54,000 in order to reach the planned total of 80 companies to be backed. Furthermore, a total of EUR 1 million will be made available by the fund in the form of convertible loans, in addition to public ownership investments of EUR 1.5 million.

The main reason behind the state's support of start-ups, according to Sabina Koleša of the Slovenian Economic Development and Technology Ministry, is the major potential for growth in added value and jobs that they can generate. Historically speaking, the Slovenian Enterprise Fund began its support of start-ups ten years ago, and has thus far aided more than 500 firms of that kind with a survival rate is 88%.

Elsewhere, the fund announced the continuation of the support programme for those companies in problematic regions with a plan to back around 80 of them through a total amount of EUR 1.4 million, while also declaring their intentions of facilitating wood processing operations in Slovenia, with subsidies of up to EUR 40,000 targeted at 13 designated firms.