Are you starting a business and want to get financial support or guidance to start your project more smoothly? Be aware that as a business creator, you may be entitled to various types of assistance!
What aid are you entitled to?
These aids exist to encourage budding entrepreneurs to get started and open a business.
How to navigate through all these schemes and the multitude of aids with complex acronyms? Here is a complete guide to help you with your procedures.
New Support for Business Creation or Takeover (NACRE)
NACRE
This scheme, launched in 2009, provides support to entrepreneurs for 3 years by offering personalized assistance with their project, as well as financial aid. This financial aid comes in the form of a zero-interest loan that must be accompanied by a loan from the entrepreneur's bank.
Help with setup, funding, and support
This scheme is structured around three main levels: help with setup, help with financing, and support.
Many founders are eligible for this aid. Examples include: job seekers receiving unemployment benefits (ARE), non-compensated job seekers registered for 6 months, young people under 25, etc.
You can find the information you need by checking out our article on this topic: NACRE scheme: how to benefit from it?
ARCE
The business start-up and transfer assistance (ARCE) is paid by Pôle Emploi (French public service for employment). It consists of receiving your unemployment benefits in the form of capital.
This assistance is for job seekers receiving ARE benefits. To receive this assistance, the job seeker must have obtained ACRE and must take steps to declare their project to Pôle emploi.
As for the amount of ARCE (Assistance for the resumption or creation of a business), it is 45% of the ARE (Unemployment Benefit) rights remaining to be paid. If you stop your activity, you will recover your remaining unemployment benefit rights.
ACRE
ACRE is characterized by an exemption from certain social security contributions for 1 year and personalized support to help you with your procedures.
Since January 1, 2019, there is no longer any request to be made to benefit from the ACRE.
The scope has also been broadened: it applies directly to any creation or takeover of a business, provided that the beneficiary has not already benefited from the ARCE (formerly ACCRE) during the last three years and that he or she effectively exercises control over the company.
You can find all the information about this aid by consulting our article on the subject: Business creation assistance: who can benefit from the ACRE?
CAPE
A little less known to business creators, the CAPE allows you to benefit from the support of a company or association in the context of taking over or creating a business. It is useful here to specify that the CAPE is in no way an employment contract. It is a sponsorship with the provision of material and financial resources, for example. It involves providing special and continuous assistance throughout the construction of the project.
The CAPE is a contract that must be concluded in writing. The maximum duration is 12 months, which can be renewed twice.
PCE
If you're an entrepreneur with a SIREN number, you might be eligible for the Prêt à la Création d’Entreprise (business creation loan). Basically, any entrepreneur in the process of starting a business who hasn't yet secured a bank loan can take advantage of this significant financial assistance offered by BPI France.
There are a few conditions to note regarding obtaining this loan. Here are a few examples:
- Not having already had a bank loan of two years or more
- Not exceeding 45,000 euros in financing needs
- Having fewer than 10 employees
Regarding the characteristics of this loan, it is worth noting that its lifespan is 5 years and the rate is the same as that of a bank loan. No guarantees or security are required. The entrepreneur starts repaying the PCE after six months, in 54 monthly installments.
If you're wondering where you can get this loan, you'll need to contact your bank, who will be able to advise you.
Bpifrance, the main operator of loan guarantees
Bpifrance, through its OSEO division, is the main operator of loan guarantees in France. This structure aims to make it easier for SMEs (but not only) to obtain credit during the riskiest phases of their financing cycle.
Like any operator, these guarantees apply mostly to financing granted by banks, but also, and increasingly, to financing provided by Bpifrance in its direct lending business.
The guarantee terms provided by Bpifrance depend primarily on the entrepreneur's project and the loan conditions.
Just a heads-up, you'll need to get in touch with your bank, who will put together a loan application to be reviewed by Bpifrance. But, you can also contact a local BPI branch directly to try and get a loan that they can guarantee themselves.
You can find all the aid that BPI offers to start-ups on this article!
France Active is a local network that helps people in difficulty to start a business or find a job.
Facilitate access to bank credit
The main goal of the France Active Guarantee is to make it easier for unemployed entrepreneurs to access bank loans, as well as for organizations focused on social and economic integration, and socially responsible businesses.
The beneficiaries are people who are unemployed or in a situation of economic hardship who are creating a company, as well as any solidarity-based company (commercial or association) that creates or consolidates jobs.
The guarantee is granted after submitting an application to the Réseau France Active.
The maximum guarantee period is set at 5 years for a cost of 2% of the guaranteed amount.
In conclusion, project creators and promoters can benefit from many forms of assistance. As you can see, you have all the keys to embark on your entrepreneurial adventure!
Support, financial assistance, guarantees
Depending on your project and your company profile, you are certainly entitled to assistance, whether it be support, financial assistance or even loan guarantees from banks.
Whether it's a breath of fresh air or a helping hand for your business to grow, check out our articles for more details on the support available.
