Applying for Finnish startup grant (Starttiraha) — a practical guide for 2026

Starttiraha is one of the best forms of support for new founders in Finland. It provides income security so you can fully focus on building your business in the first months.

In 2026 starttiraha is granted by municipal employment services (after the TE-uudistus reform of 1.1.2025) instead of TE-toimisto. The logic remains the same, and this guide still applies.

What starttiraha is

• Duration: up to 12 months (6 + 6 months continuation, applied separately)
• Amount: in 2026 about €38/day = ~€830/month
• Taxable income: yes, same as salary
• Paid: 5 days a week (not weekends/holidays)

Who can get it

Eligibility in short:

1. You're not yet an entrepreneur — the company is not founded when you apply
2. Full-time entrepreneurship — the intent is to do it as your main job, not as a side
3. Required skills — you have education or experience in the field
4. Continuous and profitable activity — not a one-off project
5. The activity is needed — new local service or something not present in the area

You won't get starttiraha if:

• You're receiving other earnings-related benefits at the same time
• The business continues an existing one (e.g., you bought a firm and continue the same)
• You have unpaid taxes or other obligations

Core sections of the application

There are four key sections:

1. Business plan (LTS)

This is the most critical part. The reviewer largely decides based on this.

A good Starttiraha business plan includes:

• One-sentence idea description
• Customer segments (who you sell to)
• Value proposition (what you sell them)
• Market (local, national, international)
• Competition (who else does the same)
• Business model (how you earn)
• Marketing (how customers find you)
• Financial forecast (monthly first year)

Length: 5–10 pages. Don't try a 30-page version — the reviewer won't read.

AI tip: In Innovaidor you can fill the Lean Canvas first, then export + critically spar each part. Output: a document that survives the reviewer's questions.

2. Financial calculation

Predicted monthly revenue and costs for the first year. Numbers need to be realistic and justified — no wishful thinking.

Items:

• Revenue: monthly 1–12. Start conservatively, grow realistically.
• Fixed costs: rent, insurance, software licenses, accounting
• Variable costs: scales with sales (materials, production)
• Founder's salary: include starttiraha (~€830/month)
• Investments: initial investments (equipment, premises, etc.)
• Taxes: advance tax around 20–25%

Pitfall: overly optimistic numbers look implausible to the reviewer. Conservatism beats overshooting.

3. CV and skills

The reviewer wants to see you have the skills to execute.

• Education
• Work experience (especially in the field)
• Previous entrepreneurial experience if any
• Relevant projects, hobbies

Keep it concise, under 2 pages.

4. The form itself

You fill the online form through municipal employment services. Most questions are simple: name, address, planned company form, start date.

Application steps

1. Attend an info session — municipal services hold them regularly (usually every two weeks). Mandatory before applying.
2. Prepare the business plan + financial calculation + CV
3. Fill the online form and attach documents
4. Processing time 1–4 weeks
5. Decision + instructions to activate payment

What the reviewer looks for

The reviewer's job is to assess whether conditions are met and whether continuous business activity is realistic. Hints:

• Clear target group — "everyone" is not a target group
• Realistic forecasts — not "one million euros in year one"
• Existing customer contacts — mention if conversations are already underway
• Risk identification — what if demand is weak, what if a competitor copies
• Some own capital or buffer — the reviewer wants to see you're not 100% dependent on the grant

Most common rejection reasons

1. Unrealistic plan — overblown revenue forecast, unclear target group
2. You don't need starttiraha — you already have customers or revenue
3. Side-time only — you have another main job simultaneously
4. Already started — founded the company before applying
5. Past debts — taxes, debt collection

Tips that often work

• Start 2–3 weeks before the planned founding date — processing can take time
• Attach concrete evidence — emails from interested customers, preliminary contracts
• Honesty and realism on social media — the reviewer may check LinkedIn
• Continuation application: when the 6 months are ending, apply a month in advance. Requires an interim report.
• Mention AI tool usage in the business plan — many reviewers appreciate that you're not building the old way

Innovaidor + Starttiraha

You can use Innovaidor to prepare the whole process:

1. Start from a seed idea in Core Chat
2. Use Lean Canvas method for a condensed company description
3. Use Business Model Canvas for a deeper business plan
4. Use Scenarios method to outline risks
5. Use Pirate Metrics method to define what you'll measure
6. Output: a handoff document you can base the actual business plan on

Time budget: one afternoon preparation in Innovaidor + 2 days writing the actual plan.

Closing

Starttiraha isn't an automatic windfall — the reviewer evaluates real prerequisites. But with a clear idea, justified target group, and a realistic plan, your odds are good.

Start: check your municipality's employment services info session schedule. Attend the next one. After that you have 2–3 weeks to prepare the application. Innovaidor helps with the business plan section.

Note: this article is general and based on 2026 regulations. Exact conditions and amounts may change. Always verify current info via municipal employment services or te-palvelut.fi.