ASTON PROGRAMME FOR SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH

The Aston Programme for Small Business Growth is fully funded jointly by Aston University and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

If selected to participate in the programme you will be required to complete evaluation and impact surveys during and after the programme and you will be required to provide evidence of jobs created as a result of completing the programme. Places on the programme are limited.

If you have any queries contact: centreforgrowth@aston.ac.uk or call 0121 204 3225

ONLY BUSINESSES LOCATED IN COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE OR GREATER BIRMINGHAM AND SOLIHULL LEP REGIONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PRORAMME.  IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THESE REGIONS PLEASE CALL 0121 204 3225 TO FIND OUT ABOUT OTHER PROGRAMMES.

NB: IF YOU ARE IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAMME. PLEASE CONTACT 0121 204 3225 TO FIND OUT ABOUT OTHER PROGRAMMES.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN TRADING FOR LESS THAN 12 MONTHS YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAMME

3.9  Do you have other directors/shareholders in the business?

Please list them here

5.1  Please tell us about your turnover for the past two years and your forecast for the current year:

IF YOU ARE SHORTLISTED FOR INTERVIEW YOU WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE YOUR
LAST AUDITED ACCOUNTS AND CURRENT MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS

5.2  How many employees does your business have, including owners, partners, and other Directors (not including non-executive Directors)?

All data must be related to the last approved accounting period and calculated on an annual basis. In the case of newly-established enterprises whose accounts have not been approved, the data to apply shall be derived from a reliable estimate in the course of the financial year.

If no, answer next question. If yes, go to section 7 De Minimis next page.

If answers to questions 6.1 – 6.4 are yes then your business is an SME.

If answers to 6.1 – 6.3 are yes and answers to 6.5 or 6.6 are yes then your business may be an SME.  We will need to gather more information from you to determine your eligibility.  If you need support with answering these questions please contact the programme team.

This ERDF funded programme offers assistance under the European Commission’s De Minimis State Aid regulation. This allows a company to receive up to 200,000 Euros of public aid over a rolling three-year period.

To confirm that you are able to receive this assistance you must declare the full amount of aid, from any public source, and in any format, you have already received over the last 3 years. You must also declare under which exemption this was awarded.  Please be explicit in your explanation of what the aid you received has been used for.

Assistance received through the Aston Programme for Small Business growth is governed by State Aid Regulations. An SME is allowed to receive up to €200,000 of public aid over a rolling three-year period. The estimated value of De Minimis aid you will receive through the programme is £8653 or €9423 at relevant exchange rate dated 06.08.2019.  An up to date figure may be supplied to successful applicants before their cohort begins. It is your responsibility to ensure that the value of the aid you receive does not cause you to exceed the State Aid threshold.

8.1  Please confirm that your business is not a business ‘in difficulty’ as defined below and at 2.1 of the Community Guidelines and State Aid for Rescuing and Restructuring Firms in Difficulty (2004/C22/02) at the date of this declaration.

THIS PROGRAMME IS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT AN UNDERTAKING (BUSINESS) IN DIFFICULTY.

An Undertaking in difficulty means an undertaking in respect of which at least one of the following circumstances occurs:

(a) In the case of a limited liability company (other than an SME that has been in existence for less than three years or, for the purposes of eligibility for risk finance aid, an SME within 7 years from its first commercial sale that qualifies for risk finance investments following due diligence by the selected financial intermediary), where more than half of its subscribed share capital has disappeared as a result of accumulated losses. This is the case when deduction of accumulated losses from reserves (and all other elements generally considered as part of the own funds of the company) leads to a negative cumulative amount that exceeds half of the subscribed share capital. For the purposes of this provision, ‘limited liability company’ refers in particular to the types of company mentioned in Annex I of Directive 2013/34/EU (37) and ‘share capital’ includes, where relevant, any share premium.

(b) In the case of a company where at least some members have unlimited liability for the debt of the company (other than an SME that has been in existence for less than three years or, for the purposes of eligibility for risk finance aid, an SME within 7 years from its first commercial sale that qualifies for risk finance investments following due diligence by the selected financial intermediary), where more than half of its capital as shown in the company accounts has disappeared as a result of accumulated losses. For the purposes of this provision, ‘a company where at least some members have unlimited liability for the debt of the company’ refers in particular to the types of company mentioned in Annex II of Directive 2013/34/EU.

(c) Where the undertaking is subject to collective insolvency proceedings or fulfils the
criteria under its domestic law for being placed in collective insolvency proceedings at the request of its creditors.

(d) Where the undertaking has received rescue aid and has not yet reimbursed the loan or terminated the guarantee, or has received restructuring aid and is still subject to a restructuring plan.

(e) In the case of an undertaking that is not an SME, where, for the past two years:

1. the undertaking’s book debt to equity ratio has been greater than 7,5 and
2. the undertaking’s EBITDA interest coverage ratio has been below 1,0.

The personal data which the University processes about you will include personal details such as your name, age, contact details and address. The personal data which the University processes also includes information about your disability status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religion, which is classed as “Sensitive Personal Data” under the DPA, and “Special Categories of Data” under the GDPR.

Please read the Privacy Notice below and click to confirm that you consent to your data being collected. 

I confirm that I am authorised to sign on behalf of the business applying to take part in the Aston Programme for Small Business Growth.

I confirm that all information contained within this document is true to the best of my knowledge.

I confirm that I wish to receive assistance through the Aston Programme for Small Business Growth and understand that this support is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

DISABILITY IS DEFINED BY THE DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT AS “A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL IMPAIRMENT, WHICH HAS A SUBSTANTIAL AND LONG-TERM ADVERSE EFFECT ON A PERSON’S ABILITY TO CARRY OUT NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES. THE DISABILITY COULD BE PHYSICAL, SENSORY OR MENTAL AND MUST BE EXPECTED TO LAST AT LEAST 12 MONTHS.