EU Funding

Which digitalization grant a micro-enterprise can actually access

Micro-enterprises often assume grants are for someone else. Partly true — but in 2026 there is at least one open door and one announced.

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.

With no more than nine employees on the payroll, a Romanian micro-enterprise scanning the 2026 grant landscape could be forgiven for feeling left out: POCIDIF 2.1, although open until September 2026, addresses SMEs with ICT CAEN codes and funds building a software product for sale rather than digitalizing your own operations — and its entry threshold, EUR 200,000 in non-repayable aid, calls for a project of a different scale than a typical micro firm runs. The good news arrives from another direction: the Swiss SME Eco-Tech scheme now admits micro-enterprises, an opening made by the order published in Romania's Official Gazette no. 558 of 7 July 2026, which also dropped the manufacturing-only condition and brought trade and services in. The conditions attached are strict: only micro firms set up by 31 December 2021 at the latest, with turnover of at least RON 2 million as at 31 December 2024. Submissions run until 24 September 2026, with a grant of at most 40% and a ceiling of CHF 50,000. The second relevant direction: session 2 of Start-Up Nation, officially announced by MEDAT for companies at the start of their road, with support of up to RON 250,000 and a calendar not yet published. Northdan Soft frequently works with companies of exactly this size and scales solutions to match: an online store or a management system built for five users, not five hundred, with an eligible budget and a documented implementation.

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How we help

Solutions cut to micro scale

We do not sell oversized platforms; we build exactly the modules a small team needs, with room to extend when the company grows.

A budget itemised for small ceilings

On grants with ceilings in the tens of thousands, every budget line counts; together we prioritise the features with maximum impact for minimum spend.

Guidance without corporate jargon

We explain the technology in the language of the entrepreneur who does everything in the company, from sales to accounting — because they take the decision, not an IT department.

The open door: SME Eco-Tech, now beyond manufacturing

The order published in Official Gazette no. 558 of 7 July 2026 removed the requirement that the funded activity be manufacturing, so trade and services now qualify as well, minus the domains excluded by the de-minimis rules. The same order admitted micro-enterprises, but only those established by 31 December 2021 and reporting turnover of at least RON 2 million as at 31 December 2024. Applications close on 24 September 2026 at 20:00.

Keep the support structure in mind: the grant covers a maximum of 40% of eligible costs and is capped at CHF 50,000, that is RON 267,240, while the remaining 60% is contracted as an investment loan with a partner bank. A project starts at RON 668,100 in eligible costs, so the loan involved is at least RON 400,860.

The announced door: Start-Up Nation for young micro firms

If your micro-enterprise is recently established or about to be, session 2 of Start-Up Nation — confirmed by MEDAT, with funding of up to RON 250,000 and spending possible until 8 December 2027 — deserves your full attention, even though the submission dates are still missing.

Use the wait to your advantage: define the digital component of the business plan now, with a specification and a costed budget rather than an estimate. As the software vendor we prepare that component; we do not write the application and we do not assess your eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

Can micro-enterprises really apply to SME Eco-Tech?

Yes, since the order published in Official Gazette no. 558 of 7 July 2026 — but only micro firms established by 31 December 2021 with turnover of at least RON 2 million as at 31 December 2024. The deadline is 24 September 2026 at 20:00 and the grant reaches 40% of eligible costs, capped at CHF 50,000.

Are there digitalization grants sized for a firm with 2-3 employees?

The schemes active in the summer of 2026 were not designed for companies that small, but headcount is not the filter: turnover, the year of incorporation and the minimum project value are. For modest budgets, the pragmatic alternative remains staged digitalization from own funds.

Which digital solution do you recommend for a micro-enterprise's first project?

The one that solves the most expensive current problem — usually order and stock tracking, or selling online. An online store well integrated with stock management produces measurable revenue and is straightforward to itemise in a funding budget.