Aid for starting up - Fit 4 Start

SMEs

Fit 4 Start is a business acceleration programme aimed at Luxembourgish and international start-ups active in information and communications technology (ICT), in health technologies, the space sector or in high performance computing and data analysis.

All participants will benefit from financial support of up to EUR 150,000 and personalised coaching to launch their offer on the Luxembourg market and then roll it out in Europe from Luxembourg.

Who is concerned

Businesses concerned

The start-ups active in one of the following sectors can apply to the programme:

information and communications technology (ICT); or
health technologies; or
the space sector; or
high performance computing and data analysis.

These businesses must:

be on the verge of being created or already created in Luxembourg less than 5 years prior to the beginning of the programme;
have a team of at least 2 persons;
be considered to be a small business.

Non-commercial enterprises are not eligible for the Fit 4 Start programme.

Prerequisites

Several conditions must be met, such as:

the business project must contain the notion of market innovation or differentiation on the market;
at least one member of the team must work full-time on the project;
the participants must be at least 18 years old on the first day of the programme;
the team is required to provide regular progress reports;
the business must have a minimum share capital of EUR 10,000, fully paid-up in cash.

How to proceed

Application

Start-ups who wish to participate in the Fit 4 Start programme must submit their application online on the website www.fit4start.lu. The selected candidates present their project to a jury of experienced entrepreneurs.

Programme content

Fit 4 Start is a complete programme including:

intensive coaching;
attractive pre-seed funding;
access to key networks.

The 12^th edition of Fit 4 Start innovates and offers the winners a special programme designed around supercomputing and data analysis, including the Luxembourg supercomputer MeluXina.

Depending on the project's advancement, the programme will help participants to:

identify their first clients;
test their prototype;
refine their business plan; and
present their business to investors.

Each participant will benefit from the programme organisers' network of partners.

The programme has a duration of 6 months and also provides access to:

intensive coaching in individual and group sessions;
collaborative workspaces and business incubators;
follow-up sessions with members of the jury;
visibility and networking opportunities within the start-up ecosystem in Luxembourg.

Financing of the programme

The participants can receive a subsidy of up to EUR 150,000 divided into 3 parts subject to conditions:

part 1: EUR 50,000;
part 2: EUR 80,000;
part 3: EUR 20,000.

For more details on the conditions for obtaining the different parts of the subsidy, please see the Fit 4 Start guide on the website www.startupluxembourg.lu.