Have you received a grant? Here's what happens next!

Startup grant 1 – market validation

We pay the grant in two instalments:

• The first 50% upon acceptance
• The final 50% is paid at the end of the project, following a written request from you as the applicant. We will make the payment once you have submitted the final report, including project accounts approved by an authorised accountant or auditor. On My Page, you complete the final report. You can also download, complete and sign the project accounts here before uploading them.

An authorised accountant or auditor must sign the project accounts.

Startup grant 2 – concept development and market launch

We can pay the grant in three instalments. We can pay up to 50% in advance once you have provided the following documentation:

• Accepted and signed offer letter
• Written confirmation that the project has started as planned
• Documentation confirming that any 'special conditions' in the decision have been met
• Documented funding
• Payment request from the grant recipient

We can pay a further 30% of the grant once you have incurred at least 50% of the total project costs. You must provide the following documentation:

• Project accounts verified by an auditor/accountant
• Documentation confirming that the project is progressing according to plan
• Documentation showing how costs incurred have been financed

For the final payment, you must provide project accounts certified by an auditor or authorised accountant, as well as:

• Documentation showing how the costs incurred have been financed
• A written final report describing the planned activities, the activities actually carried out, the extent to which the objectives were achieved, and an assessment of the benefits

Startup grant 3 – commercialisation grant

Startup grant 3 can be paid in three instalments. We can pay up to 50% of the grant in advance once you have provided the following documentation:

• Accepted and signed offer letter
• Written confirmation that the project has started as planned
• Documentation confirming that any 'special conditions' set out in the decision have been met
• Documented funding
• Payment request from the grant recipient

You can receive a further 30% of the grant once you have incurred at least 50% of the total project costs. You must provide the following documentation:

• Project accounts certified by an auditor/accountant
• Documentation confirming that the project is progressing according to plan
• Documentation showing how costs incurred have been financed

For the final payment, you must provide project accounts certified by an auditor or authorised accountant, as well as:

• Documentation showing how the costs incurred have been financed
• A written final report describing the planned activities, the activities actually carried out, the extent to which the objectives were achieved, and an assessment of the benefits

Market acceptance means that customers show a willingness to pay for your product or service.

You can demonstrate market acceptance by providing concrete results from market research and customer interviews, crowdfunding campaigns, or evidence of statements or commitments from customers or partners.

Commitments may include signed letters of intent for continued collaboration, registered pre-orders, etc.

The key is to show that someone is willing to contribute resources to the project's continued development. By resources, we mean, for example, funding, expertise or access to networks.

You can also demonstrate willingness to pay by presenting specific test results.

To get valuable feedback from the market, you need to share information about your business idea. At an early stage, you can use a confidentiality agreement when meeting potential customers or business partners. Read more about how to share confidential information securely.

On the Tools for protecting innovation page, you will find information about the different forms of protection and some tips on what you should consider.

We also have advisers who can give you practical advice and find the right information, helping you make better decisions about protecting and commercially exploiting your intellectual property rights. Find an IPR adviser in your region.

Prepare the project accounts using the same template as the one in your grant letter. The letter specifies which project costs we will fund.

Before we can make an interim or final payment, we need confirmation from your auditor or accountant that the costs have been recorded and used in accordance with the terms of the grant. You must describe any material discrepancies in the project's final report, and we must approve them.

In the final report, you should include a brief description of the activities completed during the project, their results and the next steps. Submit the final report via My page.

When you applied for a Startup grant, you described how you planned to fully finance the project. When we ask for proof of funding for an interim or final payment, we need you to confirm whether the funding plan we approved is still current or whether there have been any changes we should know about.

Documentation of new capital contributions:

When increasing the share capital, the Brønnøysund Register Centre requires the following:

1. Minutes of the general meeting documenting the resolution to increase the share capital and amend the articles of association.
2. A declaration from an auditor, financial institution, lawyer or authorised accountant confirming that the company has received payment of the share contribution (which may be divided between share capital and share premium). You must register this within three months of the resolution passed by the general meeting.

The company will normally register the capital increase with the Register of Business Enterprises by submitting a notification. If the registration is completed electronically, the person confirming payment of the capital increase under point 2) will receive a signing request in their inbox.

We consider the special condition met when:

a) we have received a copy of the confirmation that the share capital contribution has been paid by the person referred to in point 2, and

b) when the capital increase appears in the Brønnøysund Register Centre under 'Capital' in 'Announcements'.

Alternatively, the person who provides the declaration confirming receipt of payment for the share contribution under point 2 may also confirm to us that notification of the share contribution has been submitted to the Register of Business Enterprises for registration.

If the auditor, financial institution, lawyer or authorised accountant only confirms receipt of the share capital contribution, but cannot confirm that notification has been submitted to the Register of Business Enterprises, the new capital requirement will not be met until the capital increase appears under 'Announcements'.

Documentation of payment of new subordinated loan capital:

1) You must provide a signed subordinated loan agreement between the investor/lender and the borrower that we can approve. The agreement must state that no interest or repayments may be paid on the subordinated loan without our prior written consent, and that the loan will rank as a subordinated claim under Section 9-7 of the Norwegian Creditors Recovery Act.

2) A statement from an auditor, financial institution, lawyer or authorised accountant confirming that the company has received the agreed amount of subordinated loan capital.

You must document your own work with timesheets, and approved work must be recorded as an expense in your company's accounts. This expense must correspond to the hours recorded for the project, multiplied by hourly rates that we can approve.

For companies required to keep statutory accounts, we can only approve 'own work' if it is agreed remuneration recorded in the accounts. Read about approved hourly rates.