Start-Up Nation 2020 – voted by the Chamber of Deputies

On 27 May 2020, the Chamber of Deputies voted the law on the third edition of the Start Up Nation programme.

The law that was voted concerns the following changes:
1. higher scoring based on the CAEN code, favouring production activities;
2. introduction of an innovation tie-breaker criterion;
3. co-financing through a criterion relating to the company's subscribed and paid-up share capital;
4. higher scoring for companies set up by people who have not had other companies before;
5. criteria on the digitalisation of the business – use of software applications for accounting, invoicing and online orders, and having a website presenting the business;
6. higher scoring for the energy performance of the equipment or technological solutions used;
7. lower scoring for businesses in the counties of Bihor, Brașov, Timiș, Constanța, Ilfov, Bucharest and Cluj.

Companies set up by individuals can still apply for Start-Up Nation, but not more than 3 years before the project is submitted.

On the phenomenon of projects being sold after approval, the following provision was introduced: during the contractual implementation and monitoring period, beneficiaries may not transfer more than 49% of the company shares, except to Business Angel investors (under Law no. 120/2015) or to people who have not previously had any other company.

The scoring grid adopted by the Chamber of Deputies: OUG 10/2017 is attached.

We will have to wait and see whether this will be the final form of the Start-Up Nation 2020 programme.