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What are SME and the other company size types in CATpool?

The extend of free software usage rights depends on the size of the member company. The principle applies that the smaller the member company the more software can they use for free. Concerning the data distribution no differentiation is made regarding the size of the member company.

As for the usage rights to the CATpool software we differentiate between four company size groups. Additionally, the "CATpool supporters" who especially actively support the CATpool project get even more advantages:

VSE - Very Small Enterprises
as defined by CATpool		 SME - Small or Medium Enterprises
as defined by the EU
This is the CATpool definition for companies, which meet these requirements:
  • less than 10 employees
  • and has an annual turnover not exceeding
    3 million Euro
  • and is owned by less than 25% by larger organisations (Non-SME2)
    (unless these are financial investors, such as banks or venture capitalists).

If one of these conditions is NOT met one is NOT a VSE in the terms of CATpool.

This is our definition to especially support the many self-employed people and small companies that are run by the owner or an owner family in order to provide them with even more extended usage rights.

We believe that the gap between say 5 and 245 employees is just too large.

 The term SME has been defined by the EU. An SME is one which:
  • has fewer than 250 employees
  • and has either
    • an annual turnover not exceeding 40 million Euro, or
    • an annual balance-sheet total not exceeding 27 million Euro
  • and is owned by less than 25% by larger organisations (Non-SME2)
    (unless these are financial investors, such as banks or venture capitalists).

If one of these conditions is NOT met one is NOT an SME and NOT eligible for the free CATpool software! But still, the license fees for non-SME are very moderate and they will pay back in any case!

Note that for CATpool purposes we have stripped the last EU requirement asking for an SME to be operating in one of the EU member states. CATpool is a world-wide venture open to members from all over the world!

Non-SME1: Owner-run large companies

Non-SME2: Large enterprises
Non-SME1 is our term for companies that do not qualify as an SME that are owner-run and that are within these limits:
  • fewer than 500 employees
  • and has either
    • an annual turnover not exceeding 100 million Euro, or
    • an annual balance-sheet total not exceeding 50 million Euro
  • and is less owned by than 25% by larger organisations
    (unless these are financial investors, such as banks or venture capitalists).

If one of these conditions is NOT met one is NOT a Non-SME1.

This is our definition to grant somewhat larger companies, which are privately owned and run, some advantages over the big corporate groups.

 Non-SME2 is our term for companies that do not qualify as an SME nor as a Non-SME1 and that means:
  • more than 500 employees
  • or has either
    • an annual turnover exceeding 100 million Euro, or
    • an annual balance-sheet total exceeding 50 million Euro

This includes all companies whose stocks are publicly traded disregarding of size.