Innovation in Newly Established SMEs: 2025 call closed

Note, 30 October 2026. The call Innovation in Newly Established SMEs (PK.1.1.08) is closed. Under the first amendment of 28 February 2025, applications were accepted from 10 March to 28 April 2025 at 11:00, and the Ministry of Economy lists the call among closed calls. Current calls are tracked in our guides EU grants for businesses 2026 and Business incentives and upcoming calls 2026, and support for young companies in Young people, women and start-ups 2026.

The call supported projects of newly established enterprises up to 60 months old, with an emphasis on radical innovation and a significant improvement in product commercialisation, including the protection of intellectual property, whose technological maturity is beyond the proof-of-concept stage, that is, which are at TRL 5-8 at the time the project proposal is submitted.

Basic information:

– Under the original call, applications were to be accepted from 5 March 2025 at 11:00 until 9 April 2025 at 11:00.
– The planned project duration can be at most 24 months.
– The project must be at technology readiness levels between TRL 5 and TRL 8.
– An applicant may submit only one project proposal under this call.

Applicant eligibility:
– a legal or natural person that is a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise
– a newly established SME up to 60 months old after registration, provided that:
– it has not taken over the activity of another enterprise
– it has not yet distributed profits
– it was not formed through a merger or division
– the applicant must have been established at least thirty (30) days before submitting the project proposal
– the applicant must act individually (partnerships are not eligible)
– at least one employee, based on working hours in the month preceding the submission of the project proposal.

Eligible activities:
1. Development of an innovative product
– Further development of the product’s technological readiness, including testing, demonstration and incorporation of test results into the final product, and optimisation
– Knowledge and technology transfer, including related advisory services and staff training
– Revision of the feasibility study
– Product design aimed at adapting the product to market requirements
– Protection and management of the relevant intellectual property, including applications for the grant of rights, conducting the procedure for the grant of intellectual property rights and drafting a strategic plan for the protection and management of intellectual property
– Preparation of production and investment in trial production, zero series.

2. Preparation of the product launch
– The activity cannot be carried out on its own, only together with the activity Development of an innovative product
– Preparation of a marketing plan and revision of the business and marketing plan
– Market research and market testing for the innovation
– Verification of the market analysis and/or the market need
– Adaptation to user needs
– Operational marketing activities directly related to the commercialisation of research results and the launch of the product on the market
– Preparations for the next investment cycle and attracting additional funding
– Costs related to the activity group Preparation of the product launch may amount to at most 30% of the total project value.

Some of the eligible cost categories: instruments and equipment necessary for implementation, staff salaries, software, external services, services needed to implement project activities (market research and analysis, product testing, preparation of a marketing plan, product design, etc.), indirect costs of up to 7% of the total eligible direct costs of the project, and other costs.

For more information and help with preparing your project proposal, contact us at info@omniasolutions.hr.

Companies of young researchers should follow the announced call Start-up/spin-off companies of young researchers, and loans and grants for start-ups are in our guide Young people, women and start-ups 2026. Technology readiness levels 5 to 8 are explained in TRL levels 1 to 9.

You can also follow all information on new EU and national calls for grants on our LinkedIn profile.

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