Grants, loans, and sureties of the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS)
The Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) supports start-ups and existing businesses by providing financial support, consultations, cooperation opportunities, and trainings. EIS focuses on promoting the development of export-oriented companies creating higher added value. The Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) also offers loan and surety facilities, supporting investments by businesses to help them develop and expand into foreign markets. In addition, EIS provides access to risk capital, credit insurance, and state-guaranteed collateral to increase the confidence and competitiveness of businesses.
Loan guarantees and lending to rural entrepreneurs
The Rural Development Foundation aims to boost rural entrepreneurship by providing loan guarantees and loans mainly to micro, small, and medium sized bio-economy and rural entrepreneurs.
Support for agriculture and rural development
The Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB) organises the provision of state aid and European Union grants targeted at agriculture, market organisation, fisheries and rural development.
Grants from the State Shared Service Centre
The European Union has a wide range of funding programmes, some of which are direct funding programmes (grants are distributed directly by the European Commission), while others are implemented via agencies designated by Member States.
Supports of the Environmental Investment Centre
The Environmental Investment Centre (KIK) finances various environmental projects. Environmental loans for specific purposes can also be applied for at KIK to implement projects.
Grants from European Union structural funds
Companies can apply for support from the European Structural and Investment Funds under specific support measures through open calls for proposals.
Applications for grants are handled by implementing entities that also communicate with the beneficiaries.
Grants can be applied for via the online environment for structural assistance.
More detailed advice on how to apply for support and plan and carry out a project can be found on the website of the State Shared Service Centre.
Information on support opportunities is available free of charge to companies from county development centres.
Supports for companies in the creative industry
Information on the opportunities of funding companies in the creative industry is available on the websites of Creative Estonia and Creative Europe.
Private placement – involving an investor
A private placement of shares means that you sell a holding in your enterprise to a definite partner in return for the investment you need for developing your business. Often investor(s) are private venture capital funds that operate as financial investors. To find a strategic investor, you must have a strong and distinctive enterprise or business idea with international commercial potential.
Initial public offerings
Capital can also be raised through an IPO, which generally requires that the company’s securities will eventually be listed on a stock exchange. Throughout the world, securities are broadly classified in three major categories.
- Listed securities are traded on a securities market - this is the most reliable option for investors, but imposes the greatest number of obligations on a company.
- The open market is above all for rapid-growth and higher-risk companies, the rules for being listed on the open market are somewhat less stringent.
- The third category of securities market is the alternative market (the so-called unregulated market; not very many requirements are imposed on enterprises and the requirements are also fewer with regard to disclosure of information.
You can use all three opportunities on the Tallinn stock exchange.
Conditions for being listed on the Tallinn Stock Exchange