KOSGEB support programs offer significant opportunities for SMEs, entrepreneurs, and businesses aiming for growth.
KOSGEB is a significant public institution that offers various support programs to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, strengthen entrepreneurship, increase production capacity, promote digitalization, and enhance the competitiveness of businesses.
However, the same conditions do not apply to every business wishing to benefit from KOSGEB support. Depending on the support program applied for, criteria such as the age of the business, its sector, scale, field of activity, KOSGEB database registration, current business declaration, company type, and project nature may vary.
Therefore, before applying to KOSGEB, the best step is to analyze the company's eligibility status and the supports it can apply for.
Who can generally apply for KOSGEB support?
KOSGEB supports are basically To businesses with SME status, meeting certain conditions to entrepreneurs The support program is specifically aimed at firms operating in eligible sectors.
In general, the following groups can benefit from KOSGEB support:
- Businesses with SME status
- Businesses with SME status
- Companies with R&D, product development or innovation projects
- Manufacturing businesses
- Companies aiming for digitalization and capacity building
- Companies operating in the fields of software, information technology, technology, and R&D.
- Entrepreneurs eligible for calls that provide special advantages to women, young people, people with disabilities, veterans, or relatives of martyrs.
- Businesses operating in sectors supported by KOSGEB
According to KOSGEB's current definition of SMEs, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises are classified according to criteria such as the number of employees, net sales revenue, or financial balance sheet. It has been announced that the upper limit for net sales revenue or financial balance sheet used in the SME definition has been increased to 1 billion TL with the latest regulation.
What are the basic requirements for application?
Most KOSGEB support programs require certain basic conditions for application. These may vary depending on the support program; however, the general framework is as follows:
- Being registered in the KOSGEB database
The business must be registered with the KOSGEB system. KOSGEB states that registration with KOSGEB must be completed via e-Services and the business declaration form must be filled out before starting the application process.
- The business declaration must be up-to-date.
In KOSGEB support programs, the business declaration is a critical step. Businesses that are not registered in the KOSGEB database or whose SME information declaration is not up-to-date must first complete the registration and update process.
- Operating in supported sectors
Not every KOSGEB support program may be available to all sectors. Therefore, the company's NACE code and field of activity must be compatible with the support program to which it is applying.
- Meeting the business scale requirement.
Some support programs are aimed at micro and small businesses, some at small and medium-sized enterprises, and others at businesses of a specific age. Therefore, the scale of the business should be checked before applying.
- To meet the program's specific requirements.
For example, some programs consider factors such as the company's age, type, rapid growth criteria, field of activity, project subject, or application period. Therefore, simply "being an SME" is not always sufficient.
Can entrepreneurs apply for KOSGEB support?
Yes, entrepreneurs who meet certain conditions can benefit from KOSGEB's entrepreneurial support.
Operating in sectors supported under the KOSGEB Entrepreneurship Support Program for Business Establishment Support. Businesses aged 0-1 yearsFor Business Development Support, companies operating in specific fields according to NACE codes, such as manufacturing, telecommunications, computer programming, information infrastructure/data processing, and scientific R&D, are eligible. Businesses aged 0-3 years Applications can be submitted. Additionally, the business must be registered and active in the KOSGEB database, and its business declaration must be up-to-date.
Therefore, the most important issues for newly established businesses are as follows:
- The company's founding date
- Field of activity and NACE code
- KOSGEB database registration
- Business declaration up-to-dateness
- Type of support to apply for
- Type of support to apply for
In which areas can SMEs receive KOSGEB support?
While KOSGEB support programs may vary periodically, businesses can generally take advantage of support opportunities in the following areas:
Entrepreneurship
Support focused on business establishment, business development, and growth for entrepreneurs starting new businesses.
R&D, product development and innovation
Project-based support for businesses developing new products, software, processes, technologies, or innovative solutions.
Capacity building
These grants are for businesses that want to increase production capacity, invest in machinery and equipment, improve efficiency, or support their growth objectives.
Digitalization and technology
Digital transformation is a suitable topic for businesses aiming for software, data, e-commerce, automation, and technology infrastructure development.
Production and industry
Support programs launched at different times for SMEs that manufacture or want to strengthen their production infrastructure.
Internationalization and competitiveness
Support aimed at increasing the competitiveness of businesses, improving their market access, and establishing stronger corporate structures.
Can every business apply for every KOSGEB support program?
No. One of the most common mistakes in applying for KOSGEB support is thinking that every SME can benefit from every support program.
However, eligibility for an application depends on the following factors:
- The scale of the business
- Field of activity
- NACE code
- Date of establishment
- Company type
- Project topic
- Current financial and administrative situation
- Whether the support program is open or not
- Application periods
- Support received previously
- Eligibility of expenditure items
Therefore, the correct support program match should be made before applying.
What checks should be done before applying?
Before applying for KOSGEB support, businesses should review the following points:
Do you have a KOSGEB registration?
It should be checked whether the business is registered in the KOSGEB database.
Is the business declaration up-to-date?
If the SME information declaration or business declaration is not up-to-date, the application process may be disrupted.
Is the NACE code appropriate?
The support program's industry requirements and the company's activity code must be compatible.
Does the project idea qualify for support?
Not every expenditure or investment will be supported. The project subject must be aligned with the objectives of the support program.
Does the budget consist of appropriate expenses?
It should be checked whether the expenses for machinery, personnel, software, services, consulting, testing, certification, or other expenses are eligible under the support program.
Is the application period open?
While some support programs may be open for continuous application, others are offered in application periods. The application calendar should definitely be checked.
Where do companies make the most mistakes?
Common mistakes in KOSGEB applications include:
- Applying to the wrong support program
- Failure to check NACE code compliance
- The business declaration is not up-to-date.
- The project idea was not described in a way that was consistent with the purpose of the support program.
- The budget was not prepared according to appropriate expenses.
- The business plan is prepared with weak or general statements.
- The business plan is prepared with weak or general statements.
These errors may result in the application being rejected, the revision process being prolonged, or problems occurring during the payment stage.
How can GrantSary provide support in this process?
At GrantSary, we don't view KOSGEB support as simply a matter of filling out application forms. We analyze the company's current situation, sector, project idea, investment plan, and growth targets together to create the most appropriate support roadmap.
Within this scope, we offer support to companies in the following areas:
- KOSGEB database and business declaration verification.
- Preliminary analysis of NACE code and sector suitability.
- Assessment of company size and SME status.
- Identifying suitable KOSGEB support programs.
- Structuring the project idea according to the support program criteria.
- Business plan, project document and budget preparation.
- Business plan, project document and budget preparation.
- Revision, reporting, payment, and implementation process tracking.
- KOSGEB support should be evaluated together with TÜBİTAK, investment incentives, export support, and other public support programs.
KOSGEB support programs offer significant opportunities for SMEs and entrepreneurs. However, to benefit from these programs effectively, the company's field of activity, scale, NACE code, business declaration, project idea, and the specific requirements of the program to which it is applying should be evaluated together.
When the right support program is selected and the application file is well-prepared, KOSGEB support can significantly contribute to businesses' growth, production, digitalization, R&D, and competitiveness goals.
GrantSary provides end-to-end consulting services to companies throughout the KOSGEB support process, from eligibility analysis and application files to budget planning, reporting, and payment tracking.
Can your company benefit from KOSGEB support programs?
If you want to apply for KOSGEB support but are unsure which program you are eligible for, we can evaluate your company's field of activity, NACE code, project idea, and investment plan together.
