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Who can apply for an innovation loan

You can apply for funding from the Innovation Investment Loan if you meet the following criteria:

Business location

Your business must be located in one of the following areas:

Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe, Gravesham, Maidstone, Medway, Sevenoaks, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge & Malling and Tunbridge Wells.

Meet all the following criteria

  • be a sole trader, partnership, limited company or a not for profit business
  • be  seeking a loan between £200,000 and £999,999
  • currently have less than 250 employees
  • be providing employment – either creating (directly or indirectly) or safeguarding jobs in the designated areas.

Priority sectors for loan

Priority sectors for loan - Health and Social Care Manufacturing, Low Carbon Technology, Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences, ICT Software Development and Information Management, Media, Creative and Cultural Industries; Marine Ports and Logistics and Technological Development.

*Ineligible Sectors - Fisheries and aquaculture, Primary production of agricultural products, Processing and marketing of agricultural products, Coal, Steel production, Shipbuilding, Synthetic fibres, Schools, colleges and other educational provision, Franchises, Defence sector activities, Professional services such as accountants, legal, financial and insurance, Tourism and leisure activities (except in the designated Assisted Areas), Road haulage, distribution and warehousing, Energy generation.

Read our application guidance (PDF, 1.6 MB) for full details.