Promoting entrepreneurial expertise
Since 1 January 2016 the programme for comprehensive entrepreneurial consulting promotion ("Förderung unternehmerischen Know-hows") has taken the place of the previous programmes for entrepreneurial expertise, start-up coaching in Germany, turn-around consulting and the round-table forum ("Förderung unternehmerischen Know-hows durch Unternehmensberatung", "Gründercoaching Deutschland", "Turn-Around-Beratung" and "Runder Tisch").
The aim of the programme was to increase entrepreneurial expertise in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), thus raising or restoring their prospects for success, performance and competitiveness as well as their employment capacity and adaptability. The aim was also to secure the future of Germany's Mittelstand, its mid-size mostly family-run companies, and the jobs it provided.
Grants towards the costs of consulting measures were to make it easier for SMEs to avail themselves of external support aimed at increasing their ability to tackle the challenges of trends in the wider economy and changes in the fields of labour and production brought on by demographic developments. Funding was geared to the different stages in the development cycle of companies.
Who could receive funding?
- The grants towards the costs of consulting in the start-up and consolidation phase were intended especially to provide support and security for newly founded companies in building their businesses and establishing sustainable leadership (within the first two years of start-up).
- After their third year, established companies could receive a grant towards the costs of consulting services to complement and extend their business potential and competence.
- Companies in difficult situations could receive support for consulting to restore levels of performance and competitiveness, thus preventing the loss of jobs.
