A grant of € 200.000 to stimulate Dutch business beyond borders by exploring your opportunities in foreign markets.
DHI funding for international business
The Dutch are traders. We import goods in bulk and distribute or export these goods again in smaller or bigger numbers. The Dutch government wants to stimulate SME’s to bring their products to foreign markets. Hence the funding scheme called demonstration projects, feasibility studies and investment preparation studies (DHI) is introduced. The upcomming call is from February 1st untill March 29, 2018. The first step is sending in a quickscan about your project to the agency Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO).
Update
New in 2018 is that not only SME’s located in the Netherlands can apply for the DHI, but also companies that are located in all areas of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Futhermore, until last year only projects in developing and emerging markets were granted a subsidy. This year, activities in all foreign markets (except sanctioned nations and oversees areas that are a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) are eligible for funding.
Demonstration projects
In order to do business in the targeted foreign market, you’ll first have to present your technology, capital goods or service. The reason for this is that your technology, product or service is new to this country and potential buyers have to be convinced to invest in your products.
During your project, you’re not allowed to sell any of the demonstrated products. After your project is finished, you’ll have to ship the hardware back to the Netherlands, destroy it, or hand it over to a local party free of charge.
Additionally you’ll have to earn 10 times the amount of the granted subsidy in export within three years after finishing the project.
Subsidy: 50% of the costs with a maximum of € 200.000.
Feasibility studies
For the purpose of convincing a company in the targeted country to invest in your technology, product or service, you need to execute a technical and financial feasibility study. This is not a market research, but an analysis on behalf of the potential customer to show that it is technicalogically possible and financially feasibile and interesting to invest in your product.
Subsidy: 50% of the eligible costs with a maximum of € 100.000.
Investment preparation study
Your company wants to start doing business in a new foreign market to increase the export. However, before taking action, you do an assessment of the technical and commercial profitability of an investment.
The end result of your study is a report that will help your company to make a go or no go decision to invest in de targeted market.
Subsidy: 50% of the eligible costs with a maximum of € 100.000.
Conditions
- The main applicant is a SME
- Eligible costs are at least € 50.000 to max. € 400.000
- The requested subsidy is not more than 25% of the average turnover of the last three years
- The applicant has at least three employees (including management)
- The amount of subsidy granted to the company does not exceed the de-minimissteunruimte (max. € 200.000 subsidy in the last three years)
- As a result of this project, the export is increased with at least 10 times the value of the subsidy
Are you planning to do businesss beyond borders? Contact us to discuss your application.
