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Eligibility
Eligible applicants are start-up SMEs which:
- Employ less than 40 registered employees
- Operate in one of the five subsidized sectors: Industry, Tourism, Agriculture, High Technologies and Crafts.
- Are new business ventures which have not conducted any business operation in the past.
Legal Forms
Kafalat Start-ups and Innovation loan guarantees are only given to SMEs incorporated as a Joint Stock company (Societe Anonyme Libanaise – SAL) registered in Lebanon as a profit making enterprise.
Criteria for Start ups
Priority will be given to start-ups having the following criteria:
- Potential to export.
- Potential to generate significant value added and/or introduce new and innovative technologies.
- Work with new prototypes, products, inventions based on detailed market analysis, financial and technical appraisal.
Not Eligible Activities
SMEs aiming to finance the following are not eligible for a Kafalat Start-ups and Innovation Loan:
- Repayment of existing debts.
- Payment for business expenses incurred prior to the issuance of the guarantee.
- Manufacturing or selling arms, weapon, or ammunitions.
- Activities that contribute to the violation of international labour law and human rights conventions or Lebanese Labour laws.
- Any activity defined as illegal, environmentally hazardous or dangerous for human health.
- All activities revolving around the gambling industry.
- Activities involved in currency speculation.
- Security investments or other types of financial assets.
- Activities in the real estate sector.
