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Initial criticism of him did not last long. The Covid Startup Relief Fund turned out to be the most popular Corona-related measure on the startup scene (especially since its ‘brother’, the TrackFund, probably will not be before the end of the acute crisis). Only one thing has been causing discontent for months: the € 50 million budgeted for the relief fund quickly dried up, specifically in August. Since then, various actors on the scene and the opposition have repeatedly called for a new edition, despite the fact that the Minister of the Economy, Margarete Schramböck, categorically ruled out such a publication from the beginning.
But the clear words of the minister – with an indirect reference to decisions of the Ministry of Finance – did not prevent the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Harald Mahrer, from publicly demanding the new edition of the Covid Startup Aid Fund. He did it during the presentation of the StartupNOW initiative and the new “Head of Startup Services” of the Chamber of Commerce, Kambis Kohansal Vajargah. The results of a survey on the startup scene were also presented, which showed that this was the biggest wish.
Covid Startup Relief Fund Reissue: Mahrer’s Suggestion: Scene Request
After Mahrer indicated that a renewal of the fund with another 50 million euros, as requested by him, is now in the room after the budget decision, some people from the startup community recently appeared with a corresponding request. However, it is demanding a budget of 150 million euros for the new edition. The startups Monkee, Dealmatrix and Blockpit are in particular Business angel of the year Niki Futter, Venionaire, Business Angel Institute and ESAC founder Berthold Bauk-Karlic, and the aaia behind the petition. In addition, you have “many other people and institutions” behind you, says the text signed by Niki Futter in the petition. Meanwhile, AVCO has also explicitly announced its support by submitting it.
“The Covid Startup Relief Fund was too low and therefore completely sold out very quickly. Many startups are still fighting for investors and are at a disadvantage compared to locations like Berlin, London or Paris, because comparable and much larger instruments attract capital from all over Europe, ”Futter argues, among other things. Designing the aid fund as a repayable grant ensures that a large part of the aid money will return to the Republic of Austria.
Moderate participation as a bad basis for negotiations?
But so far, participation in the Covid Startup Relief Fund petition has been moderate. As of Monday (December 14) evening, not 350 people have signed up online. 5,000 signatures are issued as a target, a significant reduction from the 18,000 target originally issued a few days ago. Of course, it is questionable to what extent a few thousand signatures change something that is apparently being negotiated behind closed doors between the Ministry of Economy, the Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance. However, a very low stake could also be used as an argument for the other party.
