Business incentives 2026: which calls and loans are open in Croatia
Incentives for entrepreneurs in Croatia at the end of 2026 come from four sources: grants from EU funds, favourable loans from HAMAG-BICRO (Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovations and Investments), loans from HBOR (Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development) with a partial principal write-off, and tax incentives for investment. As of 27 October 2026, the open schemes include the Process Innovation in S3 Areas (Inovacije procesa u S3 područjima) call (grants of EUR 150,000 to 450,000), innovation vouchers (EUR 2,000 to 10,000), the HAMAG-BICRO micro loan (up to EUR 50,000 at 0.5% interest) and HBOR loans with a principal write-off of up to 50%. From 28 October 2026, applications are accepted for CAP Strategic Plan (SP ZPP) loans for farmers of up to EUR 150,000. Integrator reopens on 17 November 2026, while STEP SPIN, digital vouchers and the second Proof of Concept (Dokazivanje inovativnog koncepta) call have not yet been published.
This overview brings together all open and announced incentives for companies, sole proprietorships (obrt) and family farms (OPG) in one place, with amounts, deadlines and links to our detailed guides. Statuses were checked on 27 October 2026 on the websites of the Ministry of Economy, eufondovi.gov.hr, HAMAG-BICRO, HBOR, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU) and ruralnirazvoj.hr. For the detailed rules on grants, see the guide Grants and EU funds for entrepreneurs 2026.
In brief: incentives for entrepreneurs, as of 27 October 2026
- Grants: open calls include Process Innovation in S3 Areas (SMEs in manufacturing, until 31 December 2026), innovation vouchers (until 30 April 2027), two Interreg calls for border and coastal counties, and calls for agriculture.
- HAMAG-BICRO loans: the micro loan of EUR 1,000 to 50,000 at 0.5% interest, the SP ZPP loan for farmers of up to EUR 150,000 at 0.10% (from 28 October 2026), working capital for agriculture of up to EUR 25,000, and the loan for foster carers.
- HBOR loans: fixed interest from 2% to 3.90% for investment loans of up to EUR 400,000, and four programmes offer 0% interest on half of the loan and a principal write-off of up to 40 or 50% (production modernisation, processing of agricultural products, sustainable tourism, energy efficiency).
- Tax incentives: up to 100% lower corporate income tax for up to 10 years with an investment of EUR 150,000 and five new jobs (micro-enterprises: EUR 50,000 and three jobs), with applications accepted throughout the year, before the investment starts.
- Suspended or announced: Integrator (reopens on 17 November 2026 at 11:00), STEP SPIN (EUR 145 million according to the draft guidelines), digital vouchers, the second Proof of Concept call, Start-up/spin-off companies of young researchers (Start-up/spin-off poduzeća mladih istraživača), and the call for processing of agricultural products.
Open incentives: grants from EU and national programmes
| Call | Who it is for | Amount | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process Innovation in S3 Areas (PK.1.3.11) | micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing | EUR 150,000 to 450,000 | until funds are used up, at the latest 31 December 2026 at 11:00 |
| Innovation Vouchers for SMEs (Inovacijski vaučeri za MSP-ove, PK.1.1.06) | SMEs with at least one employee | EUR 2,000 to 10,000 | until funds are used up, at the latest 30 April 2027 at 11:00 |
| SEAS (Interreg Italy–Croatia) | SMEs and start-ups from the coastal counties and Karlovac County, with an Italian partner | EUR 80,000 to 125,000 per project, up to 80% | first deadline 9 November 2026 |
| B Light 2 (Interreg Hungary–Croatia) | SMEs from eight border counties, with a Hungarian partner | EUR 60,000 to 300,000, up to 80% | 23 November 2026 |
| Investments in primary agricultural production (Ulaganja u primarnu poljoprivrednu proizvodnju, 73.10) | farms with an economic size of up to EUR 250,000 | EUR 15,000 to 500,000 | until 12 November 2026 (laying hens) and 1 December 2026 (fruit, wine, vegetables, milk) |
| Solar power plants in agriculture and processing (Modernisation Fund) | entrepreneurs in primary agriculture and processing | up to EUR 5 million per applicant | from 9 November 2026 at 10:00 to 31 January 2027 or until funds are used up |
| Entrepreneurship development in areas inhabited by national minorities (Razvoj poduzetništva na područjima naseljenim nacionalnim manjinama) | sole proprietorships, companies and cooperatives from designated municipalities and towns, registered for at least 3 years | EUR 7,000 to 20,000 | 30 October 2026 |
We described the conditions of each call, including aid intensities and the most common mistakes, in the guide Grants and EU funds for entrepreneurs 2026, and for manufacturing companies in the article Process Innovation in S3 Areas.
Open incentives: HAMAG-BICRO loans
| Loan | Who it is for | Amount | Interest | Principal write-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro Loan for Growth and Inclusion (Mikro zajam za rast i uključenost) | companies and sole proprietorships up to 3 years old, or owners from vulnerable groups | EUR 1,000 to 50,000 | 0.5% | up to 30% with new hiring |
| SP ZPP Loan for Growth of Agricultural Production (SP ZPP zajam za rast poljoprivredne proizvodnje) | farmers in nine sensitive sectors | EUR 1,000 to 150,000 | 0.10% | up to 45%, young farmers up to 50%; applications from 28 October 2026 at 9:00 |
| SP ZPP working capital (Obrtna sredstva SP ZPP) | primary agriculture and processing | EUR 1,000 to 25,000 | 0.50% | – |
| Loan for Community Social Services (Zajam za socijalne usluge u zajednici) | foster carers of children and adults | EUR 5,000 to 50,000 | 0.1% | up to 50% |
We compared all HAMAG-BICRO programmes, interest rates and guarantees in the guide HAMAG loan 2026.
Open incentives: HBOR loans
| Loan | Who it is for | Amount | Interest | Special feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loans for Production Modernisation (Krediti za modernizaciju proizvodnje) | SMEs in manufacturing | EUR 100,000 to 3 million | 0% on half of the loan | principal write-off of up to 50% |
| Loans for Processing of Agricultural Products (Krediti za preradu poljoprivrednih proizvoda) | SMEs: slaughterhouses, processing of cereals, fruit and vegetables | EUR 200,000 to 3 million | 0% on half of the loan | write-off of up to 40%; applications from 28 October 2026 |
| Sustainable Tourism Loans (Krediti za održivi turizam) | SMEs: hotels and campsites | EUR 250,000 to 7 million | 0% on half of the loan | write-off of up to 50% for loans above EUR 500,000 |
| Energy Efficiency Loans for Businesses (Krediti za energetsku učinkovitost poduzetnika) | all sizes, through selected banks | up to EUR 3 million | 0% on half of the loan, the rest as set by the bank | write-off of up to 50% |
| Entrepreneurship of Young People, Women and Start-ups (Poduzetništvo mladih, žena i početnika) | SMEs: young people, women, start-ups, assisted areas | up to EUR 400,000 | direct 3.90%, through a bank up to 3.00% | through a bank up to 100% of the investment excluding VAT |
| Private Sector Investment (Investicije privatnog sektora) | private sector of all sizes, including sole proprietorships and family farms | direct from EUR 100,000, through a bank from EUR 50,000 | 3.40% or 3.90% up to EUR 400,000 | up to 75% of the investment, repayment period of up to 20 years |
| National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO): digital and green transition, defence and security | all sizes | from EUR 100,000 (digital through a bank from EUR 50,000) | 2.00% for direct loans of up to EUR 400,000 | repayment period of up to 20 years |
We described the conditions, documentation and choice of programme in the guide HBOR loans for entrepreneurs 2026.
Tax incentives for investment
The Investment Promotion Act (Zakon o poticanju ulaganja) allows an entrepreneur investing in manufacturing, development and innovation, IT or another eligible activity to pay 50, 75 or 100% less corporate income tax for up to 10 years, together with non-repayable aid for new jobs. The basic condition is an investment of at least EUR 150,000 with five new jobs, or EUR 50,000 with three new jobs for micro-enterprises. Applications are accepted throughout the year, are not scored and must be submitted before the investment starts. You can find sample calculations in the guide Tax incentives for investment 2026.
Suspended and announced incentives
| Incentive | Status as of 27 October 2026 | What is known |
|---|---|---|
| Integrator (PK.1.3.08) | reopens on 17 November 2026 at 11:00 | EUR 300,000 to 820,000 for partnerships of SMEs that become suppliers to larger companies; applications submitted before the suspension will be processed |
| STEP SPIN | not published; the consultation on the draft guidelines ended on 14 October 2026 | according to the draft, EUR 145 million, EUR 3 to 10 million per project, a consortium of at least two entrepreneurs |
| Digital vouchers | not published | according to the plan from December 2025, it was due to start in September 2026; the official date is not known |
| Proof of Concept, second call | not published | the first call (EUR 26,500 to 70,000) closed on 15 September 2026 |
| Start-up/spin-off companies of young researchers | not published | according to the draft, EUR 66,000 to 200,000, up to 100% of eligible costs |
| Processing of agricultural products (73.11) | planned for the fourth quarter of 2026 | according to the indicative plan, EUR 80 million |
| HAMAG-BICRO Small Loans for industrial transition and for women entrepreneurs and start-ups | temporarily closed | reopening date not published |
| Croatian Employment Service (HZZ): self-employment aid 2027 | conditions not published | applications for 2026 were accepted until 30 September 2026 |
Which incentive fits your investment?
- Investment of up to EUR 50,000, young company or sole proprietorship: the HAMAG-BICRO micro loan, and for young people, women and start-ups also the guide Aid and loans for young people, women and start-up entrepreneurs 2026.
- Manufacturing SME with a new product and process innovation: Process Innovation in S3 Areas (grants) or the HBOR loan for production modernisation with a principal write-off of up to 50%.
- Farmer or processor: the SP ZPP loan of up to EUR 150,000, calls under the CAP Strategic Plan and the HBOR processing loan from EUR 200,000.
- Larger investment with new jobs: tax incentives combined with an HBOR loan.
- Investment in reducing energy consumption: the HBOR energy efficiency loan through a bank, with a principal write-off of up to 50%.
- Consortium of companies in Pannonian, Adriatic or Northern Croatia: prepare for STEP SPIN.
Grants and loans: how to combine them
- The same cost item must not be financed twice. Grants, HAMAG-BICRO loans and bank or HBOR loans can be combined on the same project only for different costs and within the limits of State aid rules.
- The own contribution to an EU project can be financed through the HBOR EU Projects (EU projekti) programme, while the HAMAG-BICRO micro loan must not be used to pre-finance grants.
- HBOR loans for production modernisation and processing must not be used to co-finance or pre-finance grants, and the SP ZPP loan must not be combined with grants from EU funds for the same investment.
- Starting the investment is the most common reason for losing an incentive. For almost all sources, an order, contract or advance payment made before the application is submitted means that the cost is not eligible.
Not sure which incentive fits your investment?
Let us check together whether grants, a loan or a tax incentive suits you
In the introductory call we go through your investment and the amount, and tell you which sources are open, which are announced and what needs to be prepared before the deadline. The introductory call is free. Email or call us.
Frequently asked questions about incentives for entrepreneurs
Which incentives for entrepreneurs are open at the end of 2026?
As of 27 October 2026, the following are open: the grant calls Process Innovation in S3 Areas (EUR 150,000 to 450,000, until 31 December 2026) and Innovation Vouchers (EUR 2,000 to 10,000, until 30 April 2027), two Interreg calls and calls for agriculture, the HAMAG-BICRO micro loan of up to EUR 50,000, the SP ZPP loan for farmers of up to EUR 150,000 (from 28 October 2026), HBOR loans with a principal write-off of up to 50%, and tax incentives for investment.
What incentives are available for small businesses and sole proprietorships?
For small investments, the most common options are the HAMAG-BICRO micro loan of EUR 1,000 to 50,000 at 0.5% interest, innovation vouchers of EUR 2,000 to 10,000 and, for investments from EUR 50,000, HBOR loans through a commercial bank. Micro-enterprises can also use tax incentives with an investment of EUR 50,000 and three new jobs.
What incentives are available for young entrepreneurs in 2026?
The HAMAG-BICRO micro loan is also intended for owners aged 18 to 29 and for companies less than 3 years old. For young people, women and start-ups, HBOR approves loans of up to EUR 400,000, through a bank at an interest rate of up to 3.00% and for up to 100% of the investment excluding VAT. The HAMAG-BICRO Small Loans for Women Entrepreneurs and Start-ups are temporarily closed.
Can I combine grants and a loan?
Yes, but not for the same cost item. The own contribution to an EU project can be financed through the HBOR EU Projects programme. HBOR loans for production modernisation and processing must not be used to co-finance or pre-finance grants, and the SP ZPP loan must not be combined with grants from EU funds for the same investment.
When will digital vouchers and STEP SPIN open?
The dates have not been officially announced. According to the plan from December 2025, digital vouchers were due to open in September 2026, but the call had not been published by 27 October 2026. For STEP SPIN, the public consultation on the draft guidelines ended on 14 October 2026, and the draft provides for EUR 145 million and EUR 3 to 10 million per project.
May I start the investment before applying for an incentive?
As a rule, no. For grants, HAMAG-BICRO loans, HBOR loans with aid and tax incentives, a cost incurred before the application is submitted, including an order and an advance payment, is usually not eligible. Each programme sets the exact point from which costs are recognised.
Sources
- Ministry of Economy: open calls and indicative annual plan for publishing calls
- eufondovi.gov.hr: SEAS (Interreg Italy–Croatia) and HAMAG-BICRO: B Light 2
- ruralnirazvoj.hr: call 73.10 and indicative plan for publishing calls
- FZOEU: renewable energy sources in agriculture and processing (MF-2026-6-1)
- Ministry of Economy: programme for areas inhabited by national minorities 2026
- HAMAG-BICRO: loans and HBOR: lending programmes
- Omnia Solutions: all 2026 guides
This overview is summarised from official sources as of 27 October 2026. Calls may be amended, suspended or closed before the deadline, so the applicable texts of the calls and programmes prevail. We update the overview when the situation changes.
