Funding for business investments
Machines, production lines, facilities, capacity — investments in Finland are typically financed as a stack: public investment aid where your region and project qualify, a bank layer made possible by guarantees, and asset-based finance for the equipment itself. The list below shows every investment-relevant option we track, live from our funding database.
Grants
Audiovisual production incentive25% cash rebate on Finnish production costsA cash rebate on Finnish production spend for film, TV and animation.Business development aid (investments)min grant €10,000An investment grant whose rate depends on location.Innovation Fundprojects from ~€20M capexEU funding for large industrial decarbonisation projects.Just Transition Fund aidfollows regional ratesEU funding for diversification and green-transition projects in Finland's peat-transition regions.National ≥ €10M SME investment call€19M pot · projects ≥ €10MA one-off national call for major SME investments, part of the government's growth package.Rural investment supportcosts €5k–1.5MAn investment grant for rural companies, running 30–40% for micro firms and up to 50% for biogas plants.Loans
Bank term loan€10k to millionsThe standard route for financing investments once repayment capacity is clear.Capital loan (pääomalaina)case-by-caseA subordinated capital loan under the Finnish Companies Act that strengthens the balance sheet: it counts as equity in the equity-ratio assessment, which…Climate & Environmental Loan€150k–2M per projectAn unsecured loan for green-transition investments.Corporate bondmini-bonds from ~€5M · public issues €20M+Debt sold to investors instead of borrowed from a bank.EIB/EIF-intermediated loansvia your bank, typically €25k–12.5MEU-supported loan programmes delivered through Finnish banks.Growth Loanfrom €500k (projects > €1.5M)Subordinated (mezzanine) finance for larger growth, internationalisation or ownership projects, sitting between bank debt and equity.Loan-based crowdfundingtypically €50k–1MFaster and lighter than bank credit, without collateral, at a clearly higher price.Micro-Enterprise Growth Loan€20k–50kA direct growth loan introduced in 2026 for micro-enterprises that cannot obtain bank financing.Private debt / direct lendingtypically €5–50MNon-bank loans from credit funds for larger needs such as acquisitions, growth and refinancing.TyEL relendingup to your company’s accumulated share of paid TyEL contributionsAn often-forgotten source: borrow back part of the pension contributions your company has paid over the years.Guarantees
Finnvera Guaranteefrom €10k, no fixed maxFinnvera's general guarantee for financing larger than the Start or SME guarantees cover.SME Guarantee€10k–200k per guarantee (€300k ceiling)A collateral-free guarantee on bank loans for established, financially sound SMEs, covering working capital and investments.Start Guarantee€10k–80k per loanFinnvera guarantees up to 80% of a bank loan for a company under three years old, which is how most young firms secure their first bank financing.Credit lines
Leasing & hire purchaseup to 100% of the assetFinances machinery, vehicles and equipment against the asset itself, preserving cash and credit lines for everything else.Equity
Private equity / buyout€2M upwardsFor profitable companies in ownership changes, succession or industry consolidation.Tesi growth equityventure €2–10M · growth €10–50M · industrial €50–200MThe state's minority equity co-investor for scaling companies, always investing on market terms alongside private investors.How to choose
Check regional aid first. Business development aid for investments, rural investment support and Just Transition Fund aid can cover a meaningful share of an investment — but only in eligible regions and projects, so this is the first thing to verify. Very large projects have their own national call.
Build the bank layer with guarantees. A term loan or leasing carries most investments. Where the bank hesitates, Finnvera’s guarantees cover part of the risk; leasing and hire purchase keep the balance sheet lighter by financing the asset directly.
Green and large-scale investments have extra routes. Finnvera’s Climate & Environmental Loan targets sustainability investments, and the EU Innovation Fund funds large decarbonisation projects — see also our energy and green transition guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can a company get a grant for buying machines or equipment?
Sometimes — regional business development aid for investments, rural investment support, and Just Transition Fund aid all support physical investments, but eligibility depends on your region, company size and project. The option pages show the current criteria.
Do I have to choose between a grant and a loan?
Usually you stack them: investment aid covers part of the cost where you qualify, and a bank loan — often with a Finnvera guarantee — finances the rest.
What if the bank won't finance the investment alone?
That is what guarantees exist for: Finnvera can cover part of the bank's risk. Leasing and hire purchase finance the asset itself, and TyEL relending turns pension contributions into loan capacity.
Not sure where you fit?
Run our funding tool to screen your situation in a few minutes — or send us a note. Screening is what we do.
Check if you qualify