LithuaniaPrivate Business
Paskolos "Startuok"
Startuok loan instrument
Funding Amount
Up to €3.0M
Eligible Organization Types
Private Business
Trusted by
What is the Paskolos "Startuok" Call?
Grant Description
Loans to small and medium enterprises in Lithuania for new business start-ups or for strengthening and expanding existing activities, including social impact projects and Ukrainian-linked ventures. Financing covers investment costs and working capital needs, with subsidized fees and interest.
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
• Launch and growth of young SMEs across Lithuania, driving regional development in Central & Western and Vilnius regions;
• Increased private leverage: each euro of public loan supported by at least €0.25 of private finance, including ≥10 % SMEs’ own funds;
• Improved financial viability and equity positions of beneficiaries (own–assets ratio ≥0.1 post-loan);
• Job creation and retention, including ≥30 % of turnover and workforce for social-impact enterprises devoted to activities solving social problems or employing vulnerable persons;
• Enhanced competitiveness through investment in productive assets and working capital replenishment;
• Measurable social impact for certified social-impact projects (≥30 % revenue from social activities, ≥30 % vulnerable hires);
• Completion of projects in line with GBER/de minimis aid conditions, ensuring compliance and no undue market distortion;
• Visible ES funding outreach via mandatory publicity, reinforcing transparency and public awareness of EU support.
• Increased private leverage: each euro of public loan supported by at least €0.25 of private finance, including ≥10 % SMEs’ own funds;
• Improved financial viability and equity positions of beneficiaries (own–assets ratio ≥0.1 post-loan);
• Job creation and retention, including ≥30 % of turnover and workforce for social-impact enterprises devoted to activities solving social problems or employing vulnerable persons;
• Enhanced competitiveness through investment in productive assets and working capital replenishment;
• Measurable social impact for certified social-impact projects (≥30 % revenue from social activities, ≥30 % vulnerable hires);
• Completion of projects in line with GBER/de minimis aid conditions, ensuring compliance and no undue market distortion;
• Visible ES funding outreach via mandatory publicity, reinforcing transparency and public awareness of EU support.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
Eligible applicants: legal entities or natural persons registered in Lithuania that qualify as a very small, small or medium enterprise under the SVV Act and meet at least one:
• Operating ≤3 years since registration;
• Operating ≤5 years and conducting certified social-impact projects;
• Established in Lithuania on or after 24 Feb 2022 with a Ukrainian citizen or legal entity as owner and operating ≤5 years. Additional criteria:
• Operate in Lithuania (Central & Western region or Vilnius region);
• State or municipality holds <25 % of share capital;
• Not active in primary agriculture, fisheries, conventional financial/insurance activities (except fintech), arms/tobacco/gambling/distilled alcohol wholesale;
• For loans ≤EUR 25 000, applicant must be a micro or small enterprise or sole entrepreneur ≤1 year (exceptions for Ukrainian-owned enterprises);
• Post-loan own–assets ratio (equity/total assets) ≥0.1;
• Meet “reliable taxpayer” criteria;
• Not bankrupt, in liquidation or restructuring, nor in difficulty at time of application;
• No unresolved EU-incompatible aid or sanctions;
• Private co-financing for investment loans: ≥20 % of project costs (of which ≥10 % must be the applicant’s own funds); ILTE loan ≤80 % of eligible costs;
• Project must be economically justified and financially viable
• Operating ≤3 years since registration;
• Operating ≤5 years and conducting certified social-impact projects;
• Established in Lithuania on or after 24 Feb 2022 with a Ukrainian citizen or legal entity as owner and operating ≤5 years. Additional criteria:
• Operate in Lithuania (Central & Western region or Vilnius region);
• State or municipality holds <25 % of share capital;
• Not active in primary agriculture, fisheries, conventional financial/insurance activities (except fintech), arms/tobacco/gambling/distilled alcohol wholesale;
• For loans ≤EUR 25 000, applicant must be a micro or small enterprise or sole entrepreneur ≤1 year (exceptions for Ukrainian-owned enterprises);
• Post-loan own–assets ratio (equity/total assets) ≥0.1;
• Meet “reliable taxpayer” criteria;
• Not bankrupt, in liquidation or restructuring, nor in difficulty at time of application;
• No unresolved EU-incompatible aid or sanctions;
• Private co-financing for investment loans: ≥20 % of project costs (of which ≥10 % must be the applicant’s own funds); ILTE loan ≤80 % of eligible costs;
• Project must be economically justified and financially viable
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
• Applications submitted and evaluated online via ILTE; evaluated in order of receipt within 30 working days from complete submission; failure to respond to requests for additional information within 20 working days leads to rejection.
• Optionally combine with de minimis or GBER aid—project and beneficiary must comply with respective state-aid regulations.
• Grant (dotacija) up to 20 % of loan principal available only for investment loans if all of: located in Central & Western region; beneficiary is micro/small or individual entrepreneur; aid margin available; project is completed.
• Publicity: for investment projects >EUR 500 000 in Central & Western region must install permanent ES-funding signage (per Commission branding guidelines).
• Fees: loan setup fee 0.4 % of principal (min. EUR 500); contract amendments initiated by borrower altering substantive terms attract 0.05 % fee on outstanding balance (EUR 100–1 000).
• Borrower may pre-repay all or part of loan at any time without penalty on submission of qualified electronic signature–signed request.
• Environmental/climate: must complete GHG emissions declaration, flood risk maps, water protection zone maps, waste-management plans, and “do no significant harm” questionnaire.
• Data protection: comply with GDPR; notify data subjects via ILTE’s transparency notice.
• Optionally combine with de minimis or GBER aid—project and beneficiary must comply with respective state-aid regulations.
• Grant (dotacija) up to 20 % of loan principal available only for investment loans if all of: located in Central & Western region; beneficiary is micro/small or individual entrepreneur; aid margin available; project is completed.
• Publicity: for investment projects >EUR 500 000 in Central & Western region must install permanent ES-funding signage (per Commission branding guidelines).
• Fees: loan setup fee 0.4 % of principal (min. EUR 500); contract amendments initiated by borrower altering substantive terms attract 0.05 % fee on outstanding balance (EUR 100–1 000).
• Borrower may pre-repay all or part of loan at any time without penalty on submission of qualified electronic signature–signed request.
• Environmental/climate: must complete GHG emissions declaration, flood risk maps, water protection zone maps, waste-management plans, and “do no significant harm” questionnaire.
• Data protection: comply with GDPR; notify data subjects via ILTE’s transparency notice.
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