EU Funding

Process automation with non-repayable funding

Whole hours of copying data between systems can vanish through a well-designed automation — and funders have recognised such investments as legitimate digital costs.

Northdan Soft is a software supplier, not a funding consultancy, and is not affiliated with any managing authority or development agency. Programme information is indicative — always check the conditions in the programme's official applicant guide.

Automating repetitive processes — pulling orders into stock management, generating invoices, synchronising data between applications, RPA-type software robots — entered the vocabulary of funding officially with the C9 digitalization call under PNRR, Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which mentioned it distinctly on its cost list alongside ERP and cybersecurity. That call has been closed since 2023, but the category remains a reference point for the guides that follow. A window is open right now: SME Eco-Tech accepts applications until 24 September 2026, with a grant of up to 40% capped at CHF 50,000 (267,240 lei), and since the order published in Monitorul Oficial no. 558 of 7 July 2026 it also covers trade and services and microenterprises, not manufacturing alone. The limit matters, though: software needed to run the business is eligible there only up to 15,000 lei excluding VAT. Northdan Soft analyses your processes, chooses what is worth automating, describes the solution in the technical offer and in the budget on eligible costs, then builds it and documents it for reimbursement.

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How we help

Process analysis before any budget

We measure where the team loses time and automate only what brings real gain — a project budget has to buy results.

Automations described as concrete deliverables

A robot that pulls orders from email into the ERP is verifiable at acceptance; process optimisation is not. We write offers the first way.

Integration with the systems you already use

Automations connect the existing applications — stock, invoicing, online store — without forcing you to replace them.

Which funding an automation project can lean on

SME Eco-Tech is the call of the moment: open until 24 September 2026, with a grant of up to 40% and a ceiling of CHF 50,000, roughly 267,240 lei. Since 7 July 2026 it is no longer restricted to manufacturing — trade, services and microenterprises are in scope too. An automation that removes scrap or reduces consumption can fit, but the software line is capped at 15,000 lei excluding VAT, so a full-flow automation only works alongside a real technology investment.

The RPA category from the historical PNRR C9 list stays relevant for beneficiaries closing their projects — payments run to 30 October 2026 — and as an indication of what future digitalization calls may hold. Companies without an active contract should prepare their process analysis now, so they can submit quickly when a suitable session opens.

The Northdan method: automate a little, measure, extend

We start with one or two high-impact processes and automate them fully, exception handling included — half-finished automations create more work than they save. The measured results then become the argument for extending in later stages.

Every automation delivered comes with operating documentation, execution logs and an acceptance protocol, which is exactly what the payment file requires. What we do not deliver: the grant application itself, an eligibility verdict on your company, or any promise about approval — Northdan Soft is the software vendor, not a funding consultant.

Frequently asked questions

What does RPA concretely mean inside a funding project?

Robotic Process Automation: programs that perform repetitive operations instead of people — copying data between systems, filling in forms, sending notifications. In the budget it appears as software development or an RPA platform licence, with the automated processes listed explicitly.

Is automation justified for a company with ten employees?

Yes, sometimes more easily than at large firms: the processes are few and clear, and a single automation — pulling orders straight into invoicing, for example — frees hours every day. The budget stays proportional, so the cost-benefit ratio turns positive quickly.

How do I prove at reimbursement that the automation works?

Through a recorded or on-site demonstration, the robot's execution logs and the acceptance protocol signed against the deliverables in the offer. As the developers, we prepare that evidence pack at handover.