SME digitalisation support for the industrial transition of Croatian regions

This article describes the call as announced at the time of the original publication. Consult the official call documentation for its current status and applicable conditions.

Purpose of the call

Subject: The call is intended to support small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transition towards higher-added-value niches in the regional economies of Adriatic, Pannonian and Northern Croatia. It also contributes horizontally to the S3 vision and the transformation objectives of the S3 thematic priority areas.

Objective: Investment in digital technology solutions, equipment, systems and skills for SMEs, particularly newly established businesses, to modernise production processes, substantially improve business models or develop services.

Eligible activities and applicants

Eligible applicants

• SMEs, including newly established businesses, whose registered office or branch is located in Pannonian, Adriatic or Northern Croatia on the date the call is published.
• For the purposes of this call, newly established businesses are companies founded no more than 36 months before submitting their project proposal.

Eligible activities

• Introducing digital solutions into a company's production and/or business processes to support process and/or organisational innovation. This includes creating, developing or procuring digital solutions and technologies that are new to the company, as well as implementing and integrating them into existing or new information and communication systems.
• Consultancy services related to introducing or using digital solutions and technologies, including the preparation of corporate digital strategies.

Budget and funding intensity

Total allocation: EUR 30,000,000.

Minimum grant: EUR 30,000. Maximum grant: EUR 120,000.

Funding rates for SMEs

Funding rates for SME start-ups up to 36 months old

Eligible costs

Activity 1: digital solutions, equipment and systems

This activity covers the procurement and implementation of digital technology solutions, equipment and systems in production and/or business processes, including investment in complementary employee skills.

• Purchasing standard software or software tailored to the user's needs, including installation.
• Licences to purchase or upgrade software, either perpetual licences or subscriptions covering no longer than the period from acquisition to the end of project implementation.
• Cloud computing services, covering no longer than the period from acquisition of the service to the end of project implementation.
• Application networking solutions and licences, either perpetual licences or subscriptions covering no longer than the period from acquisition to the end of project implementation.
• Purchasing and commissioning computer hardware exclusively for implementing the project activities.
• Employee training related to the purchased digital solutions and technologies, supplied as part of the service and limited to 10% of the project value.

Activity 2: consultancy

Consultancy services may relate to introducing or using digital solutions and technologies, including the preparation of the company's digital strategy.

• Services for preparing digitalisation plans and strategies, plans for more efficient use of resources, process automation, business organisation and similar activities are eligible up to EUR 2,000.

Indirect costs may be calculated at a flat rate of up to 5% of eligible direct project costs. These include office rent, heating and cooling, electricity, water, cleaning, waste collection, telecommunications and comparable expenses, as well as office maintenance required for project implementation.

At the time of the announcement, publication of the call was expected in the first half of 2025.

Further information on the announced call is available in the official consultation:

Official consultation on the digitalisation support call