Where can startups look for support during the COVID-19 crisis? BONUS: Free Courses and Tools

 

The rapidly spreading coronavirus COVID-19 epidemic affects every sphere of our lives. Undoubtedly, the most important and most severe effect it has on the health and life of people. However, in the long term, it is the global economy that will be particularly hard hit by this crisis.

It is a challenging time to run a business. Regardless of the size of a company, the owners must show great creativity to fight for their future. As we work mainly with startups, we know that this is a particularly unstable period for them. Launching a new product on the market is never easy, and in the face of a global epidemic, it may seem to be almost impossible. However, it’s still worth trying.

That’s why we share a crowdsourced list of initiatives that have been developed to help startups and companies affected by the restrictions introduced following the COVID-19 epidemic. Certainly, for many more months, the situation will be far from perfect, but we hope that thanks to these opportunities, you will be able to deal with it.

We divided the list into two main parts – global initiatives and those aimed at European companies.

 

 

Worldwide

• BOOST WITH FACEBOOK – Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where we operate.
• Corona Help – A list of free resources given by companies amid coronavirus.
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) checklist – An open-source checklist to help companies and individuals cope with COVID-19.
  DHL COVID-19 Supply Chain Resource Center – Their Coronavirus Supply Chain Resource center features daily updates and special reports, providing you with early warning intelligence on the Coronavirus epidemic as well as recommendations for business contingency planning based upon best-in-class supply chain risk management methodology.
• Coronavirus Innovation Map – Global map of innovative solutions created in response to COVID-19.
• Coronavirus Tech Handbook – Open Source Ventilators, Oxygen Concentrators & more.
• COVID-19 startup benefit package – From founders for founders – Apply to have your product/service listed for special conditions to help other struggling startups.
• CovTech Ventures – The CovTech accelerator program is a cluster and project sponsored by Techventures, designed to fight pandemic disease threats through collaboration between the ventures, mentors and experts.
• Digital Hackathon 3.-5. April – This is a call for action to participate and join forces to create innovative solutions for the local community. Join designers, developers, professionals and entrepreneurs in an effort focused on elevating ideas and creating space for innovators to come together in a time of global crisis.
• Ecosystem Survival Team – Blogspot and Call for people to join a Slack community to fight back together!
• ESA Space Solutions is looking for solutions to support the European community, especially in Italy, in reacting to the coronavirus outbreak in the sectors of Healthcare and Education. If you develop technology in the health and education sector, apply to the program! Applications will only be open for a short period from 31 March 31st to 20 April 20th. More information and application form available here.
• Global impact measurement on ventures by Techventures Network – Blog post with daily updates: results from the impact measurement with insights and tips.
• How to operate your startup under lockdown – Blogspot by Andreas Klinger.
• Open Source COVID-19 Medical Supplies – Facebook Group to evaluate, design, validate, and source the fabrication of open-source emergency medical supplies around the world, given a variety of local supply conditions.
• Resource for founders seeking funding during the Corona-crisis – If you look for funding, you can find out here which investors still accept pitches by mail/zoom.
• Sam Altman Funding for COVID-19 projects – Famous investor and entrepreneur Sam Altman is calling out for entrepreneurs trying to help solve the COVID-19 crises.
• Startup Survival Academy – Startup Survival in Times of Crisis is a free mini-course over three modules on how you can develop a strategy for survival.
• Support measures for startups affected by coronavirus: the ultimate resource – Blog post by Sifted providing many resources sorted by country.
• Techstars Startup Weekend Signup Form – Sign up form for a remote special edition of Techstars’ Startup Weekend on COVID-19.

 

 

Europe

BELGIUM

• Agoria FAQ – The site answers frequently asked questions about the coronavirus and government measures in Belgium.

 

CYPRUS

• COVID19: Central Bank frees €1.4 bln for banks to help clients – The Central Bank of Cyprus has freed an additional €100 mln bringing total capital buffers to €1.4 bln in a bid to encourage banks to continue lending and be more flexible to business and households affected by the coronavirus.
• Working from Home – an article a Cypriot author about how to work from home effectively.

 

DENMARK

• Free sparring by Copenhagen Business Hub experts for companies experiencing financial difficulties.
• Overview of all initiatives to support companies in these COVID-19 times, including a hotline to call.
• Overview of help from the government to support startups, small companies and freelancers.
• A survey from Danks Bank & The Hub – the goal is to understand the situation startups are in.

 

FINLAND

• Finnish investors share advice to startups – 12 Finnish investors share their advice to startups during the COVID-19 crisis.
• New financing for companies impacted by COVID-19 – Business Finland launched two new financial services to help mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19 on Finnish companies. Gamer Health applied for the 10k EUR fund.
• Startup Survival Guide – Maria 01 has gathered links from sources that can be useful for Finnish startups and growth companies during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

ESTONIA

• Corona Bot – Coronabot gives answers on the topics related to the virus based on data from official national and international institutions.
• HackTheCrisis – Community to fight against the COVID-19 crisis by Accelerate Estonia

 

GERMANY

• Collected Best Practices of the German Startup Scene by Bundesverband Deutsche Startups
• German Government pays up to 67% of net salary if the company cuts back on work (Kurzarbeitergeld) – Online application by Bundesagentur für Arbeit (source in German); requirements have been reduced
• Healex (specialized in the digitization of knowledge in the health sector) is offering the Healex Site Management System for free for clinical and pharmaceutical research on the coronavirus.
• Overview of Liquidity support for each Bundesland
• Townhall Meetings – The BVDS is now regularly holding virtual town hall meetings to help startups in legal and other affairs

 

Bavaria

• Information from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs – Information on financial aid for Bavarian companies.

Baden-Württemberg

• Liquidity support through the Ministry for Economics, Work and Housing (Förderprogramm Soforthilfe Corona).

Berlin

• Coronavirus: applications for liquidity support available online from tomorrow –  Availability of liquidity support for companies has been announced.
• Tech4Artist Call for support for Artist & Freelancers in Berlin by MVPF  A form to sign up on if you’re looking for freelancers & artists or if you’re an artist or freelancer who needs short term support.

Cologne

• Tax measures of the city of Cologne – Announcement with tax relief offers by the city of Cologne.
• 10 Tipps wie Startups die Corona Krise meistern – Blogpost by STARTPLATZ.

Frankfurt and Rhine/Main

• Dealing with Corona – Article with best practices, legal information, information on financial support and much more.

North Rhine-Westphalia

• Measures of the State of NRW.

Saxony

• Liquidity support through the Sächsische Aufbaubank (Soforthilfe-Zuschuss Bund) – Application for liquidity support (must be sent by end of May).

 

GREECE

• A grassroots response by the Thessaloniki startup ecosystem to COVID-19 crisis, already 4 on-going projects need support.
• Digital Solidarity Initiative of the Ministry of Digital Governance – List of Greek companies/startups offering free services/discounts during the Coronavirus crisis.

 

IRELAND

• COVID-19 – Startup Resources – Scale Ireland – List of resources that support startups including government information, ideas from the community, information on remote work, etc.
• Web Summit’s €1 million donations for the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

ITALY

• 3D Print for reanimation valve device – Daily updates regarding the process of developing 3D printing valves for reanimation devices as a quick solution for broken supply chains.

 

LATVIA

• HackForce virtual hackathon – Facebook Event HackForce, a virtual hackathon, created as a platform for collaboration for people to find solutions for Corona related problems.
• HackForce Slack Workspace – Slack workspace HackForce.

 

LITHUANIA

• Hack the crisis virtual hackathon
  • Facebook event
  • Slack group
• Governmental support for the businesses
• Group of the volunteers on Facebook

 

LUXEMBOURG

• Governmental aid for SMEs.

 

MALTA

• Economic Support Malta – Malta Enterprise supports local and foreign businesses in Malta in dealing with the impact of COVID-19 on businesses.

 

NETHERLANDS

• gov – Government measures to help businesses.
• Cash is king – Free webinar in Dutch by Dutch financial keynote speaker Richard Take, hosted by Alex van Groningen.
• Dutch Startups Association – letter to House of Representatives – The Board sent a letter to the House of Representatives, pointing out startups are at risk of being left out of the new emergency measure for job retention.
• Dutch Tech ecosystem & COVID-19 – This survey and its analysis aim to identify the impact of COVID-19 on the Dutch startup ecosystem. Over 445 startup participants.
• RVO – Overview of all the measurements by the Dutch government, also for entrepreneurs.
• Techleap COVID-19 Startup Guide – On this page, you will find all the useful resources and contacts for your startup and your employees in the Netherlands while facing the main challenges identified in a survey done by Techleap.nl organization. This page will be continually updated by its team. You can also share relevant links with them: Giada@techleap.nl.

 

NORDICS & BALTICS

• Situation Room by byfounders – A series of virtual meet-ups focused on relevant and timely topics.

 

NORWAY

• Facebook Group for Norwegian startups/small businesses – Tips, advice, suggestions are posted in this group, targeting new managers of startups and small businesses in particular.
• Information from the Ministry of Finance – The government has presented several business-oriented initiatives aimed at strengthening the liquidity of Danish companies, two temporary compensation schemes are presented.
• Resource pool for startups and growth companies – List of links that might be useful for Norwegian startups and growth companies during and after the Coronavirus.

 

PORTUGAL

• #tech4Covid19 – A movement of technological community, there are several projects which tackle COVID-19 related problems.
• Fight COVID-19 Open Challenge – Launched by TAIKAI, an open innovation social network in which volunteers, designers, students, researchers, computer scientists, health workers, startups, software developers, business developers and others will cooperate and produce creative solutions which can help fight against the current epidemic of COVID-19.
• LinkedIn Post introducing tech4covid19.
• Portuguese Entrepreneurship Ecosystem & COVID-19 – This analysis aims to identify the impact of COVID-19 on the Portuguese Entrepreneurship ecosystem.

 

SWEDEN

• Action against Corona – Norrsek’s initiative to help accelerate solutions for fighting against the corona crisis.
• Additional info about how corona affects businesses.
• Overview of relevant information for companies with support around coronavirus crisis -Gathered information from government agencies about the new coronavirus, COVID-19, which is important for you to know about as a business owner.
• The state aid package for entrepreneurs – everything you need to know – Here you can find more information about what the Swedish government is doing to help entrepreneurs.
• Survey to monitor the situation for Swedish entrepreneurs – Survey to gather relevant information for authorities on startups.

 

SWITZERLAND

• E-solidarity – a collaboration between Swiss-based entrepreneurs. A network of Swiss startups tackling the new issues after COVID-19 challenges.
• How to run a Swiss startup during times of COVID-19 – Measures and support from the Swiss federal government and the cantons.
• Loan guarantees for SMEs – Swiss federal government assists SMEs in obtaining bank credits by funding loan guarantee cooperatives.

 

UK

• UK tech industry forms Code4COVID.org to fight the Coronavirus crisis.
• Helpline for self-employed people in Scotland.
• TechForUK: Important letter – Coronavirus Tech Handbook, advice for technologists.
• TechNation COVID-19 Updates

 

UKRAINE

• #ACLab21 – Online platform for anti-crisis solutions.
• 3D-print valves for ventilators – Revel Laboratory is developing a model to 3D-print valves for ventilators used to support the novel coronavirus patients, who are physically unable to breathe.
• COVID-19 Emergency Project – Lviv IT Cluster’s project to prevent spreading COVID-19.
• IT4Life – Kharkiv IT Cluster’s project to combat COVID-19.
• IТ Dnipro Community – joined efforts to support doctors of the local hospitals.
• Liki24 – Liki24, a Ukrainian online pharmacy startup, has launched free deliveries of medicines during the quarantine.
• StopCovidua – volunteer center to help to fight the spread of coronavirus in Ukraine powered by a group of tech entrepreneurs.
• Touch-free hand sanitizer dispenser – 3D Tech ADDtive, a Lviv based startup, has designed a touch-free hand sanitizer dispenser – 3D blueprint here.

 

 

BONUS: tools and courses

SaaS

✓ 1Password free Business Plan

✓ Adzooma fully free until June 1, 2020

✓ Airtable Pro Plan free

✓ Calendly Premium features for free

✓ Cloudflare for Teams for small businesses

✓ CTARe – 2 months free for website security and reduced prices for remote computer (PC & Mac) management

✓ Dropbox Business – Free 3 Month Subscription

✓ Free access to Atlassian cloud projects including Jira and Confluence

✓ Freshworks unrestricted access

✓ Hangouts Meet, free for up to 250 users per call and 100,000 viewers for livestream

✓ Hootsuite free access to Professional tier

✓ Microsoft Teams – Free 6 month subscription

✓ Nimbus LTD on SaasMantra free access

✓ Pandadoc free tier (eSign plan) gives unlimited everything

✓ PitchGround gives away software to small companies to help them survive the COVID-19 crisis

✓ SilFer Bots Messenger Marketing Chatbot building platform providing 6 months of their Pro Unlimited Plan

✓ Workforce management tool Bundy free for up to 10 team members

✓ Wrike Professional plan free for new users for 6 months

✓ Zencastr Hobbyist Plan free

✓ ZOHO’s Remotely free until July 1, 2020

✓ ZOOM Unlimited meeting times and breakout rooms

 

Courses

✓ Conversion Optimization course

✓ Craig Campbell’s SEO course free (regular price is $800)

✓ CXL Growth Marketing Minidegree

✓ Free Access to Premium Course Blogging for business by Ahrefs (playlist on YouTube)

✓ Free courses on Coursera

✓ Free courses on SEMRush

✓ Free courses on Udemy

✓ Link Research Tools SEO Certification

✓ MOZ SEO courses are available for free with the code ‘wegotthis’:

✓ Oberlo Dropshipping 101 course for free – the code ‘LEARNFROMHOME’

✓ Schema Markup Boot Camp

✓ Siege Media Content Marketing course

✓ Smart Passive Income Media (SPI Media) courses

✓ Spocket SEO Courses

✓ Traffic Research Bunker Edition

✓ Yoast SEO training free

 

 

We hope that all these sources of information, articles, surveys and initiatives will prove to be helpful to your business. If you are aware of other activities that could help startups and small businesses cope with this crisis, let us know. We would be happy to add them to the list. And remember that in periods like this, the best way to survive is to cooperate. We keep our fingers crossed for you!

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