Clermont Auvergne Métropole finances innovation, business creation and development on its territory. Since 2018 it has devoted over 4 million euros to this. Here’s an overview of the grants and subsidies available.
Recrut’Seniors
The metropolis can support you with a subsidy:
3000€: CDD + 6 months
5000€: PERMANENT CONTRACT
You can apply for the Recrut’Seniors grant provided :
- Be in business for at least 24 months on the date of application
- Carry on your business and have your head office in the Clermont Auvergne Métropole area
- No more than 20 full-time equivalent employees
- No redundancies in the last 12 months
- Make every effort to secure the senior position created.
Download rules, letter of intent* and application form
* the letter of intent must reach us before the date of recruitment
Challenge Ouvre-Boîte
The prize: 5 grants of €4,000 each to give wings to great initiatives. What if it was yours?
The can opener challenge is for you if :
- you are a micro-business, a Scop, a VSE or an SME
- your project is less than 3 years old;
- for the 3 city policy prizes: you have launched your business in one of the 8 priority districts of the Metropole: Clermont-Ferrand: Centre, Champratel, Croix-de-Neyrat, Fontaine-du-Bac, La Gauthière, Saint-Jacques, Les Vergnes; Cournon-d’Auvergne: Le Lac.
Application forms are available from France Active Auvergne.
Application deadline for the 2026 edition: March 15, 2026
Coup de Pouce
A valuable helping hand:
Up to 20% of investments, excluding VAT
Assistance capped at 10,000 euros.
This help is for you if :
- Your company has fewer than 10 employees
- Your business – with a shop window – offers daily activities
- See the QVP Map
- your company is registered in the Trade Register on the date of application
Please note that you are not eligible if :
- Your company is located in a business park
- You have already benefited from Coup de Pouce
Download rules, letter of intent* and application form
*The letter of intent must reach us before the date of the first expenditure.
Help to change your vehicle
Within this zone, the most polluting commercial vehicles are banned. Is yours one of them? Métropole can help you replace it with a subsidy ranging from €200 to €3000 for the purchase or lease of a low-emission vehicle: a cargo bike, a scooter, a utility vehicle or a small heavy goods vehicle (under 10 tonnes). Are you planning to buy a diesel or used car? Help is also available in these cases.
You can obtain this purchase aid if :
- your company or association has fewer than 50 employees
- you operate in the Clermont Auvergne Métropole area and your company’s head office is located there
- you drive a polluting business vehicle, identifiable by its Crit’Air 5 or non-classified sticker.
Only one subsidized vehicle per company.
The Metropolitan Fund for Production Entrepreneurship
Would you like to set up or take over an industrial or craft business? Have you been in the metropolitan area for less than a year? Then you could certainly benefit from the FMEP.
For the selected project leaders, this means in concrete terms :
- follow-up and support at every stage of the project
- financial assistance of up to €25,000
Please note that you will not be able to benefit from the fund if :
- you also benefit from innovation support,
- your business is linked to a shop with a window,
- your business acquisition supports an external growth project.
What’s more, Initiative Clermont Métropole (ICM) can help you put your application together.
The Metropolitan Innovation Fund
To apply for this creation grant, three conditions must be met:
- be incubated in the metropolis by one of our 5 partners: Clermont Auvergne Innovation, Squarelab, Cocoshaker, Hub-ic or Alter’incub.
- be 60% committed to your project, and therefore have no other professional activity,
- commit to setting up their business in the Clermont Auvergne Métropole area, including the Clermont Limagne Biopôle.
Action Research
With its call for Research Action projects, Clermont Auvergne Métropole is decompartmentalizing practices and encouraging collaboration at the crossroads of the two worlds.
Are you a researcher who wants to work on very concrete issues for the region? Or have you already started discussions with your partner in the “other world”? If so, you could certainly obtain funding for your joint research program. Lasting from 6 to 18 months, successful tandems will be eligible for funding of up to 50,000 euros.
Good to know before going any further:
- the research program must be carried out in the Clermont Auvergne Métropole area, including the Clermont Limagne biopole.
- the research partner, who is the project leader, must be a doctor with a degree from his or her supervisory institution.
The venture capital company SCR Métropoles Innovations
You’re at the head of a flourishing small business, or an SME in transition, and your business is growing fast. This hyper-growth is characterized by profound changes and necessary adaptations: new investments, changes in legal status and taxation, fund-raising…
To help you turn this corner and avoid jeopardizing the jobs you’ve created, you can apply for financing from SCR Métropoles Innovations.
Web Coach
Two prerequisites need to be confirmed before going any further:
- be a craftsman, shopkeeper, VSE or SME with fewer than 50 employees, not a subsidiary of a large group,
- operate your business or have at least one establishment in the Clermont Auvergne Métropole area.
For a positive impact economy
You are concerned if you wish to benefit from support on one of the following subjects:
- implementation of an eco-design approach and/or a simplified Life Cycle Assessment for one or more products and/or services
- implementing a CSR approach
- a certification process (“ENGAGE RSE AFNOR”, “LUCIE” (PROGRESS, 26000 or POSITIVE), “POSITIVE COMPANY”, “PME +”, “B-CORP”)
- ECOVADIS rating, ISO 14001 certification, status as a company with a mission
- an “ecological transition” audit as part of a VSE/SME takeover process (audit carried out within 6 to 12 months of the actual takeover of the company)
- ecological redirection of the company or association and/or rewriting of the business model to make it more compatible with planetary limits and social needs
Rate of assistance: 80% of the cost of the support service, excluding VAT (grant capped at €2,500 per beneficiary).
Download the grant application form
To find out more about eligibility criteria and how to apply for assistance, click here.
Support for responsible tourism
Customized CSR support for accommodation and restaurants
Would you like to initiate a CSR approach for your tourist accommodation or restaurant? Benefit from up to 2,500 euros in support to finance a consulting service dedicated to the launch of your approach.
You are eligible if :
- Your structure is a tourist accommodation or restaurant domiciled in the metropolitan area (excluding furnished tourist accommodation and bed & breakfast).
- You are open at least 8 months of the year
Download the regulations to find out about eligibility criteria and application procedures.
Download the grant application form
Support for responsible labeling/certification of accommodation and restaurant offerings
Would you like to adopt a sustainable approach and promote these commitments to your customers? Benefit from assistance in the (eco)responsible labeling/certification of your offer. Up to 150 euros for support in setting up an approach and/or up to 700 euros for certification (financing part of the audit or membership fees).
You are eligible if :
- Your structure is a tourist accommodation or restaurant located in the metropolitan area.
- You are open at least 8 months of the year
Download the regulations to find out about the labels, eligibility criteria and application procedures.
Download the grant application form
Support for responsible supply qualification
Would you like to classify your meublé de tourisme and certify the quality of your services? Benefit from a subsidy of up to 140 euros for the classification audit (up to 4 meublés per file).
You are eligible if :
- You are the owner-renter of an unclassified furnished tourist accommodation in Clermont Auvergne Métropole.
- You are open to tourist rentals for at least 8 months of the year
- Your furnished property is not your principal residence
Payment of the grant is conditional on validation of certain criteria in the classification guidelines, relating to accessibility/sustainable development/physical comfort.
Download the regulations to find out about eligibility criteria and how to apply for assistance
Download the grant application form