EU Funding
Digitalization funding: the questions entrepreneurs actually ask us
We have gathered in one place the questions that keep coming back in conversations with companies — with short answers, verified on 30 July 2026.
Questions about financing digitalization rhyme from one company to the next: what is still open, how much is given, how much do I put in, who helps me and who should I steer clear of. This page collects them all, with answers updated on 30 July 2026 and one editorial promise: when we do not know, or when the information has not been published officially, we say exactly that instead of filling the gap with guesses. The context in brief: two schemes are accepting files — Action 2.1 of POCIDIF, the operational programme for smart growth, digitalisation and financial instruments, for ICT companies, and SME Eco-Tech, open since July 2026 to manufacturing, trade and services alike — Start-Up Nation session 2 is announced without a calendar, and beneficiaries of C9 under PNRR, Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, are racing towards their final payment deadlines in October. In that landscape Northdan Soft plays a single role, and plays it well: the software vendor that documents the project technically — offer, budget on eligible costs, draft contract — and then delivers the implementation with the payment paperwork in order. The questions and answers below start from that honest position.
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How we help
Answers that are dated and checkable
Every statement on this page has a verification date and an official source behind it, so you know how fresh what you are reading actually is.
The vendor's view, not a dream seller's
We answer from the experience of real funded implementations, including what happens when deadlines start to creak.
Questions chosen for what actually blocks a file
The list does not cover generalities; it covers the rules a budget most often misses — offers, cost shares, scoring thresholds and result indicators.
How to read answers about funding
The golden rule: every piece of funding information has an expiry date. An answer that was correct in March can be dangerously false in August, because sessions close, ministerial orders move deadlines and budgets run out. Always check the date and cross-check against the scheme's official guide.
The second rule: separate the roles. The funding consultant answers for the file and eligibility, the software vendor for the solution and the delivery, and the managing authority for the rules and the payments. Anyone claiming to cover all three usually does none of them well.
What you will not find in this FAQ
You will not find promises about scores, invented calendars for unannounced sessions or eligibility “tricks”. That kind of content attracts traffic but misleads — and companies that plan on false information lose real money.
You will also not find a figure without its source. The quick test for any funding page, this one included, is whether it names the order that approved the guide it quotes and the date on which the information was verified.
Frequently asked questions
Which digitalization funding is accepting applications right now?
As of 30 July 2026: POCIDIF 2.1, with submissions until 30 September 2026, reserved for SMEs whose registered CAEN activity code places them in ICT, and the Swiss SME Eco-Tech scheme, until 24 September 2026 at 20:00, open to manufacturing, trade and services. The other schemes are either announced or in implementation.
What amounts do the current digitalization schemes provide?
POCIDIF 2.1 starts at EUR 200,000 in non-repayable aid and rises to EUR 1,500,000 for an innovative software solution; the EUR 3,000,000 ceiling applies only to hardware products manufactured at the beneficiary. SME Eco-Tech grants at most 40% of the investment, capped at CHF 50,000, that is roughly RON 267,240. For schemes that are merely announced, the final amounts arrive with the guides.
How much do I have to put in myself in a digitalization project?
It depends on the scheme: historically, PNRR C9 required a minimum 10% own contribution; under SME Eco-Tech the company carries at least 60%. On top of the official percentage there is always VAT and the ineligible costs — a budget we calculate transparently in our cost breakdowns.
Can I still apply to the PNRR digitalization grants?
No — the PNRR C9 calls for SMEs (both the one up to EUR 100,000 and the advanced-technologies one) are closed, and the winning projects are in their final execution phase, with payments running until 30 October 2026 per Order 963/2026.
I am a sole trader (PFA) — do I have access to these funds?
In most digitalization schemes, no: they target companies qualifying as SMEs. There are nuances from one guide to another, so a point check is worth doing, but the realistic plan for a sole trader with funding ambitions usually runs through a limited company.
Who guarantees I will get the funding if I work with professionals?
Nobody — and that is the test of seriousness. Evaluation is competitive, budgets are limited, and promises of “guaranteed funding” are an alarm signal, not a sign of competence. Professionals raise your chances through the quality of the file, and that is all.
What happens if I do not finish implementation within the contract deadline?
Costs incurred after the deadline fall out of the claim, and in severe scenarios the financing contract is terminated with recovery of the sums paid. PNRR C9 beneficiaries are living exactly that pressure in 2026 — which is why a vendor's delivery discipline is worth as much as the grant itself.
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Let’s talk about your project
Message us on WhatsApp or send an email — you talk directly to a developer.
office@northdan.com · +40 752 070 247