The part of a project you must fund with non-aid money, either your own funds or bank debt. Rural investment support, for example, requires at least 25 percent.
Granting authorities check the whole financing plan, and the aid only ever covers part of it.
A credit rating issued by Suomen Asiakastieto. Finnvera's SME Guarantee requires at least an A rating.
Check your rating before applying, because fixing it takes longer than the application does.
If another company controls more than 50 percent of yours, or you of it, EU rules add its headcount and figures to yours when your size class is decided.
A small subsidiary of a big group is usually not an SME in the EU sense.
Under 250 employees, and turnover of €50M or less or a balance sheet of €43M or less, counted together with linked and partner companies rather than your own payroll alone.
Ownership links can quietly push you over the line, and a wrong size class fails an application at the first check.
A company larger than an EU SME, with 250 or more employees but turnover up to €300M. It is not an official EU size class, but Business Finland and Finnvera use it to extend some instruments beyond SMEs.
Midcaps still qualify for several instruments that say 'SME' in everyday speech, so check before you rule yourself out.
