EU Funding

Which software costs are eligible under POCIDIF 2.1

POCIDIF 2.1 funds the development of innovative software products by SMEs with an ICT CAEN code, with grants between 200,000 and 1,500,000 EUR.

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.

The POCIDIF Action 2.1 call receives projects from 30 June 2026, 15:00 until 30 September 2026, 17:00, and support is granted only to SMEs authorised on one of the nine CAEN codes listed in the guide (2611, 2612, 2630, 5821, 5829, 6210, 6220, 6290, 6310) — a code not authorised on the submission date means automatic rejection at contracting. Unlike classic digitalization schemes, here you are not buying software for internal use: you are building an innovative software product intended for the market. That reverses the structure of the budget — the dominant costs are development costs (team, architecture, testing), not third-party licences. For dossiers of this kind, Northdan prepares the detailed technical offer and the budget broken down along the categories in the guide, and can then take on the actual build of the product. The categories listed below are those typically eligible according to the applicant guide; the exact list and the ceilings on each budget line must always be verified in the official documentation of the call.

Let’s talk about your project

Message us on WhatsApp or send an email — you talk directly to a developer.

Message us on WhatsApp Send an email

office@northdan.com · +40 752 070 247

How we help

A budget aligned to the guide's categories

We break development costs down along the budget lines the call requires, so the evaluator can verify every amount without interpretation.

A technical offer for an innovative product

We describe the architecture, the functionality and the element of novelty of the software product in the language evaluation grids expect.

Implementation with reimbursement paperwork

We deliver the product in stages and issue invoices, acceptance protocols and progress reports correlated with the project's approved budget.

Cost categories typically eligible under POCIDIF 2.1

The core of a POCIDIF 2.1 budget is software development services for the innovative product: analysis, architecture, programming, testing and launch. To these are typically added, according to the guide, the hardware needed for development, the licences and tools used in the creation process, and related services such as technical audit or security hardening.

Because a new product is at stake, evaluation emphasizes innovative character and technical feasibility. A generic “software purchase” budget does not fit here — the figures must reflect the real stages of building the product, from prototype to commercial version.

A reminder of the frame: the call is open between 30.06 and 30.09.2026, with non-repayable aid of at least 200,000 EUR and at most 1,500,000 EUR for an innovative software solution (service or application), exclusively for SMEs holding an ICT CAEN code. The higher ceiling of 3,000,000 EUR applies only to projects whose result is innovative hardware manufactured at the beneficiary — so not to the typical budget of a software company. The final list of accepted costs remains the one in the applicant guide published for this call.

How we build the technical budget of the dossier

We start from the product idea and turn it into a specification: modules, technologies, estimated effort per stage. The budget follows from the specification — not the other way around. That way every amount has a technical justification you can defend at evaluation and at reimbursement.

As development partner, Northdan signs the draft contract required in the dossier and stays responsible for delivery throughout the project. We are not funding consultants and we promise no scores — our role is the technical side, while your consultant manages the financing application.

Where the cost rules sit in the guide

The cost list is section 5.3.2 of the applicant guide, the ineligible list is 5.3.3 and the minimum and maximum values are in 5.4. The itemised budget template is Annex 6 and the salary caps for technical staff are in Annex 9. The guide was approved by Order MIPE no. 965 of 23 June 2026.

Two conditions shape every software budget: reasonableness must be justified with at least two dated, signed price offers per budgeted cost, and full outsourcing of the technical activities is not allowed — at least 20% of the aid allocated to the core activity must be carried out by the beneficiary’s own staff.

Frequently asked questions

Which software costs does POCIDIF 2.1 usually accept?

Typically, according to the guide: development services for the innovative software product, hardware needed for development, licences and working tools, plus related audit and security services. The exact list and the per-line ceilings are those in the call's applicant guide.

Can I apply to POCIDIF 2.1 if my company has no ICT CAEN code?

No — POCIDIF 2.1 is dedicated exclusively to SMEs with a CAEN code in the ICT field, per the published conditions. If your company does not qualify, other digitalization programmes are worth watching; we can prepare the technical side for any of them.

How much is the financing and until when is POCIDIF 2.1 open?

For an innovative software solution the non-repayable aid starts at 200,000 EUR and rises to 1,500,000 EUR; the 3,000,000 EUR threshold applies only to projects whose result is hardware manufactured at the beneficiary. The call is open from 30.06 to 30.09.2026, and co-financing conditions are read directly from the call's guide.

What does Northdan prepare for a POCIDIF 2.1 dossier?

The technical offer of the software product, the budget structured on the cost categories in the guide and the draft development contract. After signing, we build the product and issue the documents needed at each reimbursement request.