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Coronavirus - Information and contacts for companies
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The current situation surrounding the corona pandemic continues to develop very dynamically and presents us all with major challenges. We have compiled the most important information for companies, self-employed persons and freelancers in connection with the corona virus, which we are constantly updating and expanding.

Phishing warning in connection with COVID 19 - warning against fraudulent telephone calls

Guideline for the promotion of protective equipment

Brief description: The Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) published a guideline for the promotion of protective equipment on 1.5.2020. Funding is available for investments in plants for the production of filter fleece, which is produced in a meltblown process and meets the quality requirements as a preliminary product for medical protective masks or FFP 2/FFP3 masks. 

For whom: Companies with a permanent establishment or branch in Germany are eligible for funding.

The project must not have started before 28 February 2020.

The companies undertake to operate the subsidized facility for the intended purpose until at least 31 December 2023 and to start production by 31 March 2021. The filter fleece produced with the subsidized facilities is to be sold until at least 31st December 2023 exclusively to companies that produce medical protective masks in Germany or within the EU using the fleece as a preliminary product. Exceptions require the approval of the funding authority.

Scope: The facilities will be funded with 30 percent of the eligible expenses, limited to a maximum of ten million euros per company (including subsidiaries).

Application procedure: 

Companies can submit a written application (see funding regulations; only in German) to the BAFA until 30 June 2020. It is possible to send the completed application in advance by e-mail.

Application for federal funding for meltblown filter fleece production plants (only in German)

 Links / Hotlines: 

Financial assistance for companies, self-employed persons and freelancers

KfW Loan for Growth

Brief description: Support for investments and operating resources for larger projects in the fields of innovation and digitization of commercial enterprises.

For whom:

  • For domestic and foreign companies with a turnover of up to EUR 2 billion

Funding type: Loan

Scope:

  • KfW participates directly as a consortium partner or indirectly as a risk sub-participation in debt financing of financing partners. The scope of risk assumption is as follows
    • For projects up to EUR 50 million a maximum of 70 percent of the project financing, provided that the risk assumption by KfW does not exceed 50 percent of the total financing,
    • for projects over EUR 50 million, a maximum of 50 percent of the project financing.
  • KfW's share of risk is usually between EUR 7.5 million and a maximum of EUR 100 million. The total volume of risk sub-participation plus refinancing funds is limited to a maximum of EUR 100 million per measure.

Application procedure:

  • KfW participates at the invitation of your financing partner, either directly as a consortium partner or indirectly through risk sub-participation.

Links / Hotlines:


KfW Quick Loan 2020

Brief description: Subsidized loan for purchases (investments) and running costs (operating resources). The loan is 100% secured by a guarantee of the Federal Government. This significantly increases your chance of receiving a loan commitment. 

For whom: 

  • Companies with at least 11 employees, which have been on the market at least since January 2019 and
  • Companies that have made a profit in the sum of the years 2017-2019 or in 2019 (if your company has only been on the market for a shorter period so far, this period will be used).

Scope: 

  • 100% risk assumption by KfW
  • No risk assessment by the bank
  • Max. Credit amount: up to 25 % of annual turnover in 2019
    • Companies with up to 50 employees receive a maximum of EUR 500,000
    • Companies with more than 50 employees receive a maximum of EUR 800,000
  • Up to 10 years term

Application procedure: The application is made at your own bank or Sparkasse. 

Links / Hotlines: 


KfW Corona aid: Loans for enterprises

Brief description: Financing of investments and operating resources of medium-sized and large commercial enterprises, sole traders and freelancers.

For whom:

  • Companies and freelancers
  • KfW Unternehmerkredit: Companies that have been active on the market for at least 5 years.
  • ERP-Gründerkredit-Universell: 
    • Young companies that have been active in the market for less than 5 years. 
    • SMEs and large enterprises that have been active in the market for less than 3 years.

Funding type: Loans

Scope: Assumption of a partial risk of the bank by KfW when applying for loans for investments and working capital.

  • Up to 80 % risk assumption for large enterprises
  • Up to 90 % risk assumption for SMEs
  • Up to EUR 1 billion can be applied for per group of companies
    • Credit limit is limited to: 
      • 25 % of the annual turnover in 2019 or 
      • twice the wage costs of 2019, or 
      • the current financing requirements for the next 18 months for small and medium-sized enterprises or 12 months for large enterprises, or 
      • 50 % of total debt or 30 % of the group's balance sheet total in the case of loans exceeding EUR 25 million.

Application procedure: Application must be submitted to the house bank or another financing partner before the start of the project. 

Links / Hotlines:


NRW.BANK Universal loan

Brief description: Low-interest loans with flexible terms in the event of liquidity bottlenecks and for financing working capital and investments.

For whom:

  • Companies with an annual turnover of up to 500 million EUR, founders and freelancers

Type of funding:

  • Installment loans and loans at final maturity

Scope:

  • Indemnity in favor of the house bank - with immediate effect for companies that have run into liquidity problems due to the Corona crisis, in addition to the existing 50% risk assumption, also an 80% risk assumption. The minimum loan amount previously required for this will be suspended.
  • For indemnity amounts up to EUR 250,000: loan commitment usually within 72 hours

Application procedure:

  • The application must be submitted to a credit institution of the applicant's choice (house bank).

Links / Hotlines:


NRW.BANK.Mittelstandskredit (NRW.BANK SME loan)

Brief description: In the case of growth projects to be financed in North Rhine-Westphalia, companies can obtain a loan of up to EUR 10 million with the NRW.BANK Mittelstandskredit under certain conditions. From now on, this loan will also be available for coping with the economic consequences of the Corona crisis.

For whom:

  • Commercial companies (SMEs; also for foreign companies) and freelancers, which are mainly privately owned and whose group turnover does not exceed EUR 500 million and which have generally been active in the market for at least five years.

Type of funding: Loans

Scope:

  • Support for further growth, e.g:
    • acquisition of land and buildings,
    • Construction measures and costs for outdoor facilities,
    • Acquisition and/or manufacture of operating and business equipment,
    • Purchase of intangible assets, provided that they are capitalized in the balance sheet for at least 3 years,
    • Procurement and replenishment of the material, goods or spare parts warehouse.
  • Loans between a minimum of EUR 25,000 and a maximum of EUR 10 million

Application procedure:

  • The application for financing is submitted to the house bank. The bank then forwards the application to NRW.BANK.

Links / Hotlines:

NRW emergency aid for small companies, freelancers, self-employed persons and founders*

* Only the parent company is entitled to apply for NRW emergency aid. The headquarters of this company must be registered in NRW.

Important note: The deadline for applying for emergency aid from the federal and state governments is/was 31 May 2020. Please make sure that you are using the correct websiteand only use links from official websites. 

Note: Since 13.05.2020, NRW emergency aid also applies to founders who have set up their company after 31.12.2019 and find themselves in a predicament due to no fault of their own.

Brief description: The companies are supported by a grant to secure their economic existence and bridge acute financing bottlenecks, e.g. for ongoing operating costs such as rents, loans for business premises, leasing rates etc., as well as to preserve jobs. The NRW state government is topping up the agreed federal subsidies:  

  • Up to 5 employees*: 9 000 EUR
  • Up to 10 employees*: 15 000 EUR
  • Up to 50 employees*: 25 000 EUR

Introduction of a confidence-building solution: According to federal guidelines, emergency aid may only be used for ongoing operational material and financial expenses and not for subsistence. This was initially not clear when the application was submitted. 

Therefore, according to the so-called "Vertrauensschutz-Lösung" introduced on 12 May 2020, small businesses and freelance artists who have submitted an application by the end of April can count 1,000 euros each as entrepreneur's salary as part of their operating costs for the months of March and April (this regulation does not apply in the case of basic support already applied for or in the case of funds already received through the emergency aid program for artists and cultural workers).

For whom:

  • Applications can be submitted by commercial and non-profit companies, solo self-employed and members of liberal professions, including artists, with up to 50 employees (converted to full-time employees) who
    • operate economically and therefore permanently on the market as a company or as a freelancer or self-employed in main occupation
    • have their headquarters in North Rhine-Westphalia,
    • are registered with a German tax office,
    • have a maximum of 50 employees (converted to full-time employees) and
    • already offered their goods or services on the market before December 31, 2019.
  • Founders can file an application with the help of their tax advisor if they have got into a predicament due to no fault of their own due to the Corona crisis (companies must have been founded after 31.12.2019). They must prove that until 11.03.2020:
    • that they have already achieved sales or
    • that there was at least one order from a customer or
    • that they have already entered into a long-term or permanently recurring operational payment obligation, e.g. a lease agreement for a shop.

Application procedure

  • Those affected can download electronic application forms online at https://soforthilfe-corona.nrw.de; the offer is also made available on the websites of the five district governments (Arnsberg, Detmold, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Münster). 
    • All solo self-employed persons are required to submit a declaration at the end of the three-month authorization period. In this declaration they state whether they have required the NRW emergency aid in full to cover the liquidity bottleneck caused by the corona. If not, they must repay any excess aid received. Under the terms of the agreement now reached, they can set aside 2,000 euros to cover their living expenses.
  • The application for founders is available here and is made on behalf of the applicant by a member of the tax consulting profession authorized by the applicant.

Links / Hotlines

Guarantees NRW

Brief description: 

  • Bürgschaftsbank NRW provides guarantees of up to EUR 2.5 million per company
  • Guarantees of EUR 2.5 million or more are provided by PWC-PricewaterhouseCoopers in the form of a state guarantee.

For whom:

  • Classic guarantee: Small and medium-sized existing companies and startups in the commercial sector, including horticultural businesses and members of the liberal professions.
  • Express guarantee: Established small and medium-sized enterprises, including horticultural businesses and members of the liberal professions.

Scope:

  • Classical guarantee - extension of funding possibilities:
    • Increase in guarantee amount from EUR 1.25 million to EUR 2.5 million
    • Increase in the credit volume to be guaranteed to EUR 3.125 million
    • Term Working capital financing up to 10 years with a maximum of 2 grace years possible (classic guarantee 80% and EXPRESS 80%)
  • Optimization of the express guarantee 80 % (decision in 72 hours).
    • Increase of the maximum guarantee amount from TEuro 150 to TEuro 250
    • Increase in the guarantee rate from 50-60% to 80%. 
  • New: 90% guarantee (product overview)
    • classic guarantee 90%: maximum guarantee amount EUR 2.5 million, maximum loan amount EUR 2.777 million
    • Express guarantee 90%: maximum guarantee amount EUR 250,000, maximum loan amount EUR 277,000
    • New program Immediate Guarantee 90% (for credit lines and working capital loans): Max. Guarantee amount EUR 90,000 Euro, max. loan amount EUR 100,000

Application procedure:

  • The application for guarantee is made by the house bank. The Bürgschaftsbank NRW offers online application forms for this purpose in its application portal. 

Links / Hotlines:

  • Product overview
  • Overview - Classical Guarantee
  • Overview - Express Guarantee  
  • Hotline Bürgschaftsbank NRW: 

    Guarantees NRW

    Brief description: 

  • Bürgschaftsbank NRW provides guarantees of up to EUR 2.5 million per company
  • Guarantees of EUR 2.5 million or more are provided by PWC-PricewaterhouseCoopers in the form of a state guarantee.

  • For whom:

  • Classic guarantee: Small and medium-sized existing companies and start-ups in the commercial sector, including horticultural businesses and members of the liberal professions.
  • Express guarantee: Established small and medium-sized enterprises, including horticultural businesses and members of the liberal professions.

  • Scope:

  • Classical guarantee - extension of funding possibilities:
    • Increase in guarantee amount from EUR 1.25 million to EUR 2.5 million
    • Increase in the credit volume to be guaranteed to EUR 3.125 million
    • Term Working capital financing up to 10 years with a maximum of 2 grace years possible (classic guarantee 80% and EXPRESS 80%)
  • Optimization of the express guarantee 80 % (decision in 72 hours).
    • Increase of the maximum guarantee amount from TEuro 150 to TEuro 250
    • Increase in the guarantee rate from 50-60% to 80%. 
  • New: 90% guarantee (product overview)
    • classic guarantee 90%: maximum guarantee amount EUR 2.5 million, maximum loan amount EUR 2.777 million
    • Express guarantee 90%: maximum guarantee amount EUR 250,000, maximum loan amount EUR 277,000
    • New program Immediate Guarantee 90% (for credit lines and working capital loans): Max. Guarantee amount EUR 90,000 Euro, max. loan amount EUR 100,000

  • Application procedure:

  • The application for guarantee is made by the house bank. The Bürgschaftsbank NRW offers online application forms for this purpose in its application portal. 

  • Links / Hotlines:

  • Bürgschaftsbank NRW
  • Product overview
  • Overview - Classical Guarantee
  • Overview - Express Guarantee  
  • Hotline Bürgschaftsbank NRW: 02131 5107 200
  • Application portal


Export credit guarantees (Hermes guarantees)

Brief description: The Federal Republic of Germany provides these guarantees to cover the foreign trade risk in order to protect German exporters in their foreign business. Further information can be found on the homepage of the BMWi.

For whom:

  • German companies

Application procedure:

Links / Hotlines:

Micromezzanine Fund

Brief description: Mezzanine capital is a hybrid of equity and debt capital. The company receives economic equity. The "Mikromezzaninfonds Deutschland" can enter into silent partnerships (max. EUR 75,000) without the involvement of the principal bank and without collateral and contributes to strengthening the economic equity base.  

For whom:

  • Small businesses, startups and freelancers who are not subject to the professional code of conduct
  • Special target groups are companies that provide training, that are founded out of unemployment or are managed by women or people with a migration background
  • commercially oriented social enterprises and environmentally oriented enterprises

Scope:

  • Amount of participation: maximum EUR 50,000; up to EUR 150,000 for applicants from the specific target groups of the Fund (maximum EUR 75,000 per project)
  • Duration: 10 years
  • Repayment: after the 7th year in 3 equal annual instalments

Application procedure

The application must be made using the KBG NRW application form.

Links / Hotlines

Tax deferrals 

Brief description: The tax authorities are accommodating companies affected by the crisis by granting interest-free tax deferrals (income tax, corporation tax and turnover tax) and reducing advance payments (income tax, corporation tax and trade tax) on request and are using their discretionary powers to the greatest possible extent in favor of taxpayers. 

For whom: 

  • All taxable companies affected by the crisis.

Application procedure:

Links / Hotlines:


Lump-sum refund of advance tax payments

Brief description: Anyone who has been severely affected by the Corona pandemic and is expecting substantial losses can now receive repayments from 2019 using a simplified, flat-rate loss carryback procedure. Under this procedure, the income for 2019 previously set for the advance payment will be reduced by a flat rate of 15% and any resulting differences will be paid out.

For whom:

  • Taxpayers directly and significantly negatively affected by the Corona crisis who have not yet been assessed for the 2019 calendar year

Application procedure:

  • This procedure is applied for directly via the tax office responsible for you.

Links / Hotlines:

Brief description: In the event of general operational difficulties (loss of orders, supply problems, etc.) and officially ordered closures of operations, companies have the option of applying for short-time work compensation (KUG).

For whom:

  • German companies

Application procedure:

  • The application for KUG is granted by the respective competent employment agency. This agency checks on a case-by-case basis whether all requirements for the granting of short-time work compensation are met.

Links / Hotlines:

Addition:

  • Employees in Corona-related short-time work whose working hours are reduced by at least 50 percent will in future receive more money if the short-time work exceeds a certain duration: As of the 4th month of short-time work compensation, the short-time work compensation (KuG) rises to 70 percent of the lost net pay (77 percent for households with children); as of the 7th month of KuG compensation, the short-time work compensation rises to 80 percent of the lost net pay (87 percent for households with children). This regulation applies until 31 December 2020 at the latest.
  • The governing coalition is expanding the additional income opportunities for employees on short-time work: in future, short-time workers in all occupations will be allowed to earn up to the full amount of their previous monthly income. This regulation applies from 1 May to 31 December 2020.

Promotion of entrepreneurial know-how through management consultancy

Brief description: The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control extends BAFA support for entrepreneurial know-how.

Important note: The BAFA received more applications for the attractive support module for companies affected by corona than budget funds available.

Due to the great demand, the funds earmarked for this special support module have already been exhausted, and no additional funds can be made available. Funding from the special corona module has therefore been discontinued prematurely. Therefore, for the time being, only applications that have already been granted can be approved and the funding paid out to the consultant. The prerequisites for this are also that you have submitted a proof of use eligible for funding and that sufficient budget funds are available.

The other modules for the promotion of entrepreneurial know-how allow for further subsidized consultations at favorable conditions. You can find more information here.

For whom: 

  • Young companies that have been on the market for no longer than two years (startup companies)
  • Companies from the third year after foundation (existing companies)
  • Companies in economic difficulties, regardless of age (companies in difficulty)

Scope: 

  • The companies concerned receive a subsidy for a consultancy service amounting to 100%, up to a maximum of EUR 4,000, of the invoiced consultancy costs (full financing).
  • The amount of the grant is based on the maximum eligible consultancy costs (assessment basis) and the location of the company.

Application procedure: 

  • The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) is responsible for implementing the program
  • Before submitting an application, young companies and companies in difficulty must hold a free information meeting with a regional contact person about the conditions for funding. Existing companies are free to take advantage of an information meeting.
  • Online portal for submitting applications 

Links / Hotlines:


Suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency

The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection has initially suspended the obligation for companies to file for insolvency until 30.09.2020. The regular three-week period of the Insolvency Ordinance has thus been suspended for the time being. 


Compensation for school and daycare closures

Please note: Currently, fraudsters are trying to obtain sensitive data with fake websites. For this reason, please make sure that the address line of your browser contains one of the two addresses ifsg-online.de or ifsg-antrag.de. Similar addresses or addresses with other endings are not offered by the Federal Ministry of the Interior or the federal states. Under no circumstances should you enter your data there.

Brief description: If you are unable to work due to the care of your children because of a school or daycare closure and therefore have a loss of earnings, you can receive compensation.

For whom:

  • Working parents and foster parents of children in need of care who have not yet reached the age of twelve or who are disabled and need help and whose schools or day-care centers have been closed.

Scope & requirements:

  • According to § 56 para. 1a IfSG, employees and self-employed persons with custody rights can receive compensation for a maximum of 6 weeks due to the closure of day-care centers or schools.
    • The child's day-care center or school has been closed by official order.
    • No public holidays, school or daycare holidays fall within the period of care during which the facilities would have been closed anyway.
    • The child has not yet reached the age of 12 or requires special assistance (for example due to a disability).
    • There was no possibility of providing alternative, reasonable care for the child (for example, by older siblings or emergency care in the school or day care center).

Application procedure:

Links / Hotlines:


Compensation for quarantine / ban on activity

Brief description: You can receive compensation if you have lost your earnings due to quarantine or a ban on work. The ban on activity or quarantine must be ordered by the public health department or another competent authority.

For whom:

  • Employees, self-employed and freelancers affected by quarantine or a ban on activity.
  • Employers who pay compensation to their employees (for a maximum of six weeks).

Scope & conditions:

  • According to § 56 para. 1 IfSG, employees and self-employed persons receive compensation if they have suffered a loss of earnings due to an officially ordered quarantine or a ban on work.
    • You are in quarantine according to § 30 IfSG or are banned from working according to § 31 IfSG.
    • You have no possibility to compensate for your loss of earnings by another reasonable activity.
    • The application for compensation must be submitted within 3 months after the start of the ban on work or the end of the quarantine.
    • You yourself are not ill or unfit for work.

Application procedure:

Responsible in North Rhine-Westphalia are the Landschaftsverband Rheinland (administrative districts of Cologne and Düsseldorf)

and the Landschaftsverband Westfalen Lippe (administrative districts of Arnsberg, Detmold and Münster)

Links / Hotlines:


Promotion of home office (go-digital)

Brief description: The go-digital funding program supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and craft enterprises that want to optimize their business processes using digital solutions. New: Companies can now have home office workplaces subsidized.

For whom:

  • Small and medium-sized enterprises (< 100 employees) in the industrial or craft sectors

Application procedure:

  • In a total of 3 modules that can be combined with each other, companies are supported by one of over 1,000 authorized consultants. 
    • Digitalized business processes, including home office
    • Digital market development
    • IT security

Links / Hotlines:


Commercial tenancy law

Brief description: In the period from 01.04.2020 to 30.06.2020, the tenant cannot be terminated by the landlord for his commercial premises, even if the rent is not paid despite the due date. However, the non-payment must necessarily be caused by the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic.

For whom:

  • Commercial tenants, especially those affected by the closure of their businesses (e.g. retail, catering, ...)

Links / Hotlines:

Support for founders and startups

Already announced by the Federal Government at the beginning of April, the package of measures for start-ups has now been launched together with KfW and KfW Capital.

The financial assistance will build on existing structures and is intended purely for startups, but not for investors. The aid program is based on two so-called pillars.

The first pillar stands for the so-called 'matching fund'. This is a combination of co-investments by public venture capitalists (KfW Capital, EU Investment Fund) and private investors to secure upcoming financing rounds. The investments of the private investors can be made in a ratio of 30/70 with those of the public funds (30% from private funds and 70% from public funds) In order to ensure equal treatment of all start-ups, regardless of the number of shareholders of the company who thus have access to the Corona Matching Facility as investors, startups can only receive a maximum of 50% from the Corona Matching Facility per financing round.

The public funding is applied for by the private venture capital funds and not by the startups, whereby the funds have to undergo a due diligence process beforehand.

Application procedure: Information on the application procedure can be found here. 

For companies that do not have access to the corresponding financial resources from Pillar 1, further financial assistance is currently being developed in cooperation with the federal states. In this case, the respective state companies (ger.: Landesgesellschaften) are to provide venture capital. A possible further option is that the state development institutions should be provided with corresponding federal funds. These can then be distributed by public funds, investment companies, business angels or family offices, for example. However, no further details are available as yet.

The program conditions are currently being finalized. Payment is expected to be made in the course of May 2020.

All further information on this can be found in the paper from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Finance (German only).

NRW.SeedCap

Brief description: Investments by the NRW.BANK in corporations in the startup phase (up to 18 or 36 months after the foundation).

For whom:

  • SMEs (corporations) being in the founding or startup phase (up to this point not older than 18 months or 36 months). New: Generally up to 36 months after the foundation.

Scope:

  • Measures are financed that are related to the establishment of a company or companies that need financing for investments and/or working capital. In general, the Business Angel and the NRW.BANK take over the financing in equal parts.
  • In principle, the NRW.BANK provides equity capital in form of an investment in the same amount as the business angel and pari passu on its terms. The financing part taken over by the NRW.BANK must amount to at least EUR 15,000. The maximum amount in the first round of financing is EUR 200,000.

Application procedure:

NRW.BANK
Bereich Eigenkapitalfinanzierungen
Abteilung 101-68100
Kavalleriestraße 22
40213 Düsseldorf

Links / Hotlines:


NRW.BANK.Venture Fonds

Brief description: The NRW.BANK.Venture Fund promotes innovative companies as a co-investor in North Rhine-Westphalia in attractive future industries.

For whom:

  • Startups and young growth companies (corporations) with a convincing business model, first or second institutional financing round (Series A or B). New: Also possible in a later growth phase (e.g. financing rounds C or D).

Scope:

  • Equity capital is usually provided in form of a direct minority stake or a convertible loan.
  • The minimum amount of equity financing is EUR 0.25 million; the maximum amount in the first step is EUR 3.0 million. In total, the maximum amount is EUR 6.0 million per company.

Application procedure: 

Links / Hotlines:


NRW.Start-up akut

Brief description: Convertible loan from the NRW.BANK to corporations in the seed or startup phase due to the corona crisis.

For whom:

  • Funding is given to innovative, growth-oriented corporations in the seed or startup phase (not older than 36 months) that have been verifiably affected by the effects of the corona crisis.

Scope:

  • Companies receive up to EUR 200,000 over a period of six years. The loan is due or can be converted into equity capital at the end of the term or with the entry of a new investor.
  • Advantage: in the acute crisis, the company is not burdened by interest and principal payments.

Application procedure: 

NRW.BANK
Bereich Eigenkapitalfinanzierungen
Abteilung 101-68100
Kavalleriestraße 22
40213 Düsseldorf

Links / Hotlines:


Founder's Scholarships

All scholarships that expire between 01 March 2020 and 30 June 2020 can now be extended by three months without bureaucracy. For this purpose, Projektträger Jülich will contact all scholarship holders. Further information is available at: www.gruenderstipendium.nrw 


Start-up transfer

In order to provide greater support for spin-offs from universities, the funding period for projects that expire between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2020 is expanded by three months. For the application round ending on April 30, 2020, the documents can also be submitted later so that the respective project start is not delayed despite the closure of many colleges and universities. Further information is available at: www.wirtschaft.nrw/start-transfer

Financial aid for particularly affected sectors

Companies in the hotel and catering trade receive sector-specific information from DEHOGA.

  • https://www.dehoga-bundesverband.de/presse-news/aktuelles/dehoga-informiert-coronavirus/
  • If the restrictions currently required can be relaxed and restaurants, cafés and other catering establishments get back on their feet again, they should get back on their feet quickly. For this reason, the VAT on food in restaurants and catering establishments is to be reduced to the reduced VAT rate of 7% from 1 July 2020 for a limited period until 30 June 2021. The corresponding legal regulation is now being introduced.

The Competence Center Creative Industries CREATIVE. NRW provides information on support measures for the cultural and creative industries.

The special support program of the Ministry of Culture and Science, which was launched on the 20th of March as a bridging aid in the amount of EUR 5 million, has now been exhausted. A follow-up solution is currently being worked on. Support continues to be available through federal and state programs.”

  • https://www.mkw.nrw/Informationen_Corona-Virus
  • Emergency aid for performing artists by the GVL
    As an emergency measure, the Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten mbH (GVL) pays its freelance artists EUR 250.00 for the cancellation of concerts and productions, so that they at least have a financial margin for the most necessary. Applications are accepted exclusively by e-mail: coronahilfe@gvl.de. Information and an appropriate form can be found on the GVL website.

The federal and state sponsors have developed a joint aid program for projects that are generally funded jointly with measures in the areas of production, distribution and cinema.

The German Travel Association has published extensive information on its homepage about the economic impact on the travel industry.

Other useful links

Here you will find ongoing information on the COVID 19 pandemic in a total of 12 languages:

NRW hotline for the state government's aid package: ZENIT takes over the central NRW hotline for the "Unternehmen-Soforthilfe NRW" rescue package The hotline can be reached on weekdays between 8:00 and 18:00 hrs on the telephone number 0208 30004-39

You will find current information from the Federal Employment Agency for companies on the short-time working allowance under the following link:

Further up-to-date information from the NRW Regional Directorate of the Federal Employment Agency can be found at the following path:

You will find current information and contact persons for companies under the following link:

Decrees to combat the corona pandemic: The relevant decrees to combat the corona pandemic can be found on the homepage of the NRW Health Ministry in chronological order.

Current case numbers for NRW can be found here:

Important questions and answers about the corona virus are prepared for the following topics in the FAQ list on the national portal.

Basic information, situation in North Rhine-Westphalia, companies, employees, child care, schools, universities, hospitals / nursing and old people's homes, justice, cultural institutions, consumers:

Contact persons/hotlines, current news, collected information etc. are compiled on the Corona site of the country:

The Chambers of Industry and Commerce in North Rhine-Westphalia have compiled helpful links and tips for companies:

The Landes-Gewerbeförderungsstelle des nordrhein-westfälischen Handwerks (LGH) summarises on its Corona service page mainly information for handicraft enterprises in form of a link list. The offer is updated several times a day. The range of information is supplemented by a service hotline for the NRW craft organizations and an overview of the service hotlines of the NRW Chambers of Trade for their member companies:

Unternehmer NRW provides the most important information on current developments from the perspective of labor law and economic policy:

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the Regional Associations of the Rhineland (LVR) and Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) are responsible, depending on the location of the permanent establishment, for compensation in the event of a ban on work and loss of earnings as well as school and kindergarten closure in connection with the Infection Protection Act:

What employees need to know: Labor law, home office, short-time working allowance.

14 questions and answers for employees. Additional information in case of dismissal and unemployment but also on company pandemic planning can be found here:

Municipal online platform for the coronavirus launched: On the initiative of the KGSt and the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, a separate section on the corona virus has been set up on the DStGB's "Network of Municipalities" exchange platform:

Database that supports from the finding of subsidies to the preparation of documents for banks:

Digital solution for the intuitive application for short-time work benefits. With simple and understandable questions, the newly developed chatbot fills out the form for notification of short-time work for the Federal Employment Agency with the employer and assists with the rest of the process.

The Federal Association of German Startups has presented a 4-step plan to protect German startups in the corona crisis:

Here you will find ongoing information on the COVID 19 pandemic in a total of 12 languages.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions

NRW.INVEST GmbH
Economic Development Agency of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)
Völklinger Str. 4
40219 Düsseldorf
Germany

+49 211 13000-0
nrw@nrwinvest.com
To the contact persons