Status
Active
Maximum grant
200.000€
Minimum grant
50.000€
1 About the programme
About the Open Call
This programme supports micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Montenegro seeking to develop new or significantly improved products, services or production processes. It is specifically designed for projects whose technology readiness level (TRL) is beyond the proof-of-concept stage but not yet market-ready — typically TRL 5 to TRL 8.
The programme encourages innovation across all sectors of the economy, with a particular focus on projects that demonstrate strong market potential, technical feasibility and the capacity to create jobs and increase exports.
Grant Amount
From EUR 50,000 to EUR 200,000 per project, covering up to 70% of total eligible project costs. The remaining 30% must be covered by the applicant from own or other non-public sources.
Eligible Activities
- Research and experimental development activities
- Prototype development and testing
- Process innovation and production line upgrades
- Obtaining certifications and intellectual property protection
- Market validation and initial commercialisation activities
Implementation Timeline
Up to 18 months from the date of signing the grant agreement.
2 Eligible applicants
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises registered and actively operating in Montenegro for at least 12 months at the time of application. Applicants must have filed financial statements for at least one previous business year and must not be subject to bankruptcy, liquidation or state aid recovery proceedings. Enterprises with more than 250 employees or annual turnover exceeding EUR 50 million are not eligible.
3 Documentation
Reporting
Documentation
Public Call
4 How to apply
Applications are submitted through the online portal at fondzainovacije.me. The complete application package includes: the application form, a detailed project plan with milestones, financial statements for the past two years, CVs of key project personnel, and all required annexes specified in the programme guidelines. Applications may be submitted in Montenegrin or English. For questions, contact the Fund at [email protected].
5 Questions & Answers
Support can be applied for by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises registered in Montenegro, as well as startup teams and individuals with innovative project ideas. Each programme has specific eligibility criteria which are detailed in the public call.
Eligible costs typically include: human resources (salaries and compensation for personnel directly engaged on the project), office rent and basic business support costs, equipment and supplies necessary for project implementation (new equipment only), and external services directly related to the project.
The review process typically takes 60 to 90 days from the deadline of the public call. This includes administrative review, eligibility check, and technical-financial evaluation by independent international evaluators. All applicants are notified of the outcome in writing.
The grant amount depends on the programme you apply to. Innovation Vouchers range from EUR 2,000 to EUR 10,000. Early-stage startup and Proof of Concept programmes offer up to EUR 35,000. The MSME Innovation programme offers EUR 50,000 to EUR 200,000. The GovTech programme offers up to EUR 200,000.
Generally, you cannot receive support from multiple Innovation Fund programmes simultaneously for the same project or same costs. However, you may apply to different programmes for different projects. Please review the specific terms and conditions of each public call for details.
6 Public call results
On the programme results page you can review the complete results of all previous public calls – from selected projects to the amounts of awarded funds and key outcomes.
7 Public call archive
In the public call archive you will find all relevant documents: conditions, deadlines, criteria and lists of selected projects.
Published: 1 February 2025