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Financing for Innovative Entrepreneurs

As a startup or established entrepreneur with a digital solution, you want to grow, improve your business case, and work toward funding. Investors often want insight into specific issues that may be unfamiliar to you as a startup. In addition, there are always interesting grants, funds, and schemes available, but where can you find them? That’s why targeted advice and expert support are essential.

Funding support provided by Digitalzh

For companies working on digitization and seeking funding, we offer various services. For example, you can consult a specialist advisor (either suggested by yourself or found with our help) who can be deployed for a maximum of 5 working days to give you advice. This could include guidance on which strategy to follow or an evaluation of the pros and cons of different financing options. This is a risk-free way to find out whether the consultant really suits you and excels at the job.

But that’s not all. Through Digitalzh, you get strong support in your financing journey. Our ‘Access to Finance’ services offer strategic advice and guidance to entrepreneurs at various stages of growth in obtaining financing or improving their business case.

We can help you with:

  • Expert advice: Experts from outside your organization can give insight into specific expertise required by an investor, such as IP strategy, business model building, legal issues, and ownership structure.
  • 1-on-1 coaching: In addition, you can receive feedback on your proposal and pitch deck through our experts in 1-on-1 coaching sessions.
  • Market Readiness Program (MRP): This program offers weekly workshops, peer feedback, and 1-on-1 coaching to prepare your business step by step for market entry and investment. Over 10 weeks, we cover essential topics such as customer insight, problem and solution validation, pricing strategy, business model development, ROI, and pitch training.
  • Token Financing: Flexible and innovative financing options that allow companies to raise money without traditional bank loans or equity sales. Our experts help you develop a customized financing plan, perform technical due diligence, and identify potential investors.
  • Access to grants and funds: We help point you in the direction of the right financial resources through various grants, funds, workshops, and schemes.

Download the "Funding Landscape" with an overview of available grants, funds, and schemes here.

Schedule an intake via our intake form and receive our comprehensive “Financing Landscape” document.

More Details on Our Expert Advice:

  • For whom? Digital startups or SMEs headquartered in South Holland across all sectors.
  • Why? To assist start-ups and established entrepreneurs in areas they may be less familiar with but need to present to potential investors. Examples include: legal housekeeping, IP strategy, building business models, and ownership structure.
  • Where and how? Companies wishing to get started can submit an application using the intake form at the bottom of this page. You are responsible for hiring the right expert, but can always ask Digitalzh for advice.
  • What do you receive? Advice from an on-site expert about the topic most relevant to you.
  • How much does it cost? Digitalzh will cover 100% of the cost of hiring an expert, up to a maximum of €5,000 and for a maximum of 5 working days.

More Details about our Market Readiness Program:

  • For whom? Innovative startups and SME entrepreneurs in all sectors, headquartered in South Holland, who are preparing to enter the market or already have paying customers.
  • Why? To help entrepreneurs in areas with which they are less familiar, but which are essential to a successful securing financing. This includes understanding customer problems, product solutions, profitable business models, team operations, and well-supported funding applications.
  • Where and how? Companies should apply using the intake form at the bottom of this page. Over ten weeks, participants engage in weekly meetings (workshops or individual sessions) and independent work with guidance from a Business Developer, Investment Manager, or other involved experts. The program requires a significant time commitment (approximately 20 hours per week).
  • What do you receive? Insight into how potential investors will evaluate your business case, guidance in gathering evidence, and practical support in achieving milestones. You will follow the intensive program together with other entrepreneurs, which is instructive and motivating.
  • How much does it cost? Participation is free for companies. However, there is a selection process and a serious time commitment is required.

Details about Token Financing:

  • For whom? SME+ companies across all sectors headquartered in South Holland seeking financing and capital in the form of debt, venture capital, or bonds.
  • Why? Token financing offers entrepreneurs a flexible and innovative way to obtain financing without relying on conventional bank loans or selling equity. It provides access to a broad spectrum of investors, small and large.
  • Where and how? Entrepreneurs can submit an initial application online. Following your application, we conduct preliminary due diligence. Our experts and legal advisors then proceed with a technical due diligence to identify potential cornerstone investors interested in your company.
  • What do you receive? We evaluate the most appropriate form of financing for your business, focusing on feasibility and the type of tokenization that best fits your needs. You will receive a customized financing plan tailored to your needs and goals. Throughout the process, we provide comprehensive guidance and support, from initial application to final token issuance.
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FAQ

Digitalzh offers comprehensive support for companies seeking funding for their digitization projects. We help you identify suitable grants, funds, and other financing options. In addition, we offer 1-on-1 coaching and advice from experts in areas such as IP strategy, business model development, and legal matters. Our services are designed to strengthen your business case and prepare you for investors.

The Market Readiness Program (MRP) is an intensive 10-week program that prepares you for market entry and investment. The program offers weekly workshops, peer feedback, and individual coaching. You will learn essential skills such as customer insight, validating your product, pricing strategy, and preparing a strong pitch for investors. The program is free, but requires a significant time investment of around 20 hours per week.

Token financing is an innovative way to raise capital where you can raise capital without relying on traditional bank loans or selling shares. It is ideal for SME+ companies in South Holland looking for flexible financing options. Digitalzh helps you develop a tailored financing plan and guides you through the entire process, from due diligence to final token issuance. 

Digitalzh will cover 100% of the cost of hiring an expert, up to a maximum of €5,000 and for a maximum of 5 working days. Participation in the Market Readiness Program and token financing support is free for companies. All we ask of you is a serious time commitment.

You can easily apply online through the intake form on our website. After the application, we perform a comprehensive analysis to determine which type of financing iis best suited for your business. Our experts will guide you every step of the way, from preparing your business case to attracting investors.

Digitalzh is your partner in digital innovation. We help SMEs and startups in South Holland successfully digitize their business processes. Whether you are facing staff shortages, tight margins, or higher quality requirements, we believe digitalization can provide the solution. Together with our partners and experts, we support you in implementing digital innovations and developing the necessary skills.

Digitalzh is part of the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). These hubs, like Digitalzh, were created to support companies across Europe in their digital transformation. Co-funded by the European Union, we work closely with partners such as InnovationQuarter and TU Delft to help companies with digital innovations, skills development, and financial advice.

We focus on startups and SMEs based in South Holland across all sectors. Whether you are just starting out with digitalization or are already more advanced, Digitalzh offers tailored support to get your business ready for the future.

Digitalzh works with a wide range of partners, including InnovationQuarter, TU Delft, the Province of South Holland, the European Union, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. We also collaborate with fieldlabs, colleges, employer organizations, and other service providers to offer you the best possible support in your digital transformation.

After you contact us, we will pair you directly with a Digitalzh connector who matches your sector and content challenge. The connector will schedule a no-obligation appointment with you for an intake. During an intake, online or at your location, we will discuss your challenge and together draw up an action plan. This is followed by an analysis and advice on the next steps. What those next steps are varies by project and is customized.

digitalization offers numerous benefits, including:

  1. Improved quality and flexibility in production.
  2. Reduced reliance on labor through automation.
  3. More efficient use of materials and energy, leading to lower costs.
  4. Faster and more reliable delivery, enabling new business models.

Digitalzh offers the following services:

  1. Expert advice and support on digital innovation and strategy, cyber resilience, funding issues.
  2. Explore, test, and develop digital solutions in our field labs.
  3. Workshops and master classes.
  4. Developing internationally: growing across borders.

The intake, assessment, and advice are free and without obligation for SMEs and midcaps (up to 3,000 employees). TThe cost of the digitalization process depends on the specific actions you take. Digitalzh will help you take full advantage of the subsidies and schemes available for digitalization.

Digitalzh uses grants created to help SME entrepreneurs digitize their businesses. You do not have to apply for the subsidies yourself. We have already done that for you. This way, we can help you at little to no cost.

No, you can use several services. For example, do you want to expand internationally and need financing for this? We can help you with both. Discuss your challenges with our Digitalzh connectors, and they will advise you.

We obviously take your valuable time into account, but you should account for at least an hour for the intake, assessment, and advice. The time required for the next steps in the process depends entirely on your digitalization strategy. You have full control over the amount of time you invest in digitalization.

A Digitalzh connector is a specialist who will help you develop the right digitalization strategy for your business. They identify your company's opportunities and challenges and provide independent advice on the best approach. The connector also acts as your guide through our network of experts and partners, ensuring you receive the best possible support.

No problem! If you don't yet know exactly how you want to digitalize, our connector will guide you step by step. Together you explore the possibilities and map out the opportunities for your company. The connector will help you draw up a concrete plan and guide you throughout the entire process.

After you contact us, we immediately pair you with a connector that fits your specific challenge and industry. The connector schedules an intake meeting to discuss your needs and goals. Based on this conversation, the connector will draw up an action plan and you will receive independent advice on the next steps. Then you can get started on your digitalization project together with our experts and partners.

The process begins with an introduction to one of our Digitalzh connectors. After you contact us, we will pair you with a connector that fits your specific challenge and sector. During an intake meeting, online or at your location, we will discuss your digitalization needs and together draw up an action plan. You then receive independent advice on the best next steps and we put you in touch with the right experts and partners to get started right away.

Our approach is specifically designed for startups and SMEs based in South Holland across all sectors. Whether you want to produce more without additional staff, work more efficiently and cheaply, or improve the quality and speed of your deliveries, Digitalzh can help you solve these challenges through digitalization.

Of course, we always treat your information confidentially. We also ensure that, if applicable, no direct competitors are in the same peer group unless you specifically request it. Because make no mistake: digitalization is precisely something you benefit from when you tackle it together with your competitors. The advantages of joint innovation outweigh the potential drawbacks of sharing knowledge with competitors.