SFG

Be a savvy and resilient entrepreneur or team of entrepreneurs. You must be based in Styria, be willing to work hard towards your objectives, and be determined to get through lean periods.

Have an innovative product or service. Your product or service must be new or significantly better than existing alternatives while also providing an exceptional benefit for future customers.

Have a scalable and fast growing business model within a good market. You should hold a technology readiness level (TRL) of at least six to seven.

Be in contact with coinvestors if you’re aiming for Venture Capital Offensive funding. They should be willing to invest in your idea or an investment offer should be highly expected.

[Name] SFG

[Elevator Pitch]

[Sector]

[Description] “To make your way into the corporate orbit, you need the necessary fuel, especially capital. This is the exact purpose of the venture capital financing instruments of the SFG, aimed specifically at highly innovative startups based in Styria, Austria.”

Venture capital, financing

The Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG) is the business-promotion agency of the Styrian region in Austria, wholly owned by the Styrian government. Founded in 1991, its role is to implement the economic strategy of the Styrian government and thus to grow and consolidate the Styrian economy. Over the years, SFG’s portfolio of services has expanded. It is now regarded as the Styrian service provider for startups, companies and investors. Besides venture capital financing, the agency offers a variety of services, including financial consultancy, subsidies, company relocation/expansion and assistance in selecting attractive commercial property in the region.

SFG’s services are currently divided into monetary and non-monetary services. On the one hand, it offers a range of funding and financing instruments to support customers in everything from starting their own business and training staff to protecting intellectual property. On the non-monetary side, it acts as the regional contact point for both the Enterprise Europe Network and Horizon Europe. In this way, it helps its customers look outside the region to become more internationally active.

SFG offers two types of funding instruments. The first is called Venture Capital for High-Flyers, which is aimed at startups established in the last five to seven years with a staff of ten to fifty. The funding ranges from €500,000 ($599,00) to €1.25 million ($1.49 million) in startup capital. The second is called Venture Capital Offensive, which is offered to startups in the seed phase whose core competence lies in the field of digital technologies, with funding amounting to €150,000 ($180,000).

[Apply to] anna.moessner-steiner@sfg.at