The Action aims to support new and start-up, small and medium-sized enterprises that are or will be active in the Region of Western Macedonia, in order to stimulate entrepreneurship in the Region, to enhance job creation and to create the basis for competitive businesses both in the domestic and international market.

 

The total budget of the Action amounts to 4.200.000,00€.

 

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

An enterprise can apply for the Action if it meets – cumulatively – the following conditions:

• Any new business must be incorporated after 01/01/2022 and have less than (2) full, closed fiscal years, up to the date of the call for applications, i.e. 02/04/2025.
• The same investment entity (partner/shareholder/enterprise) must not be involved in more than one (1) investment project involving an enterprise in the process of being set up.
• It must have at least one eligible – based on the Call for Proposals – SIC in which it must operate until the submission of the 1st Verification Request (under establishment) or before 02/04/2025.
• Operate legally with the appropriate licensing document.
• For businesses in the process of being set up: to be established, with a minimum participation of 51% and exclusive management/representation, by natural persons who, within the year 2023, have not carried out any business activity, either as sole traders or as partners/shareholders in other businesses.
• For new businesses: be registered in the Register of Beneficiaries.
• Submit evidence of availability of funds documenting the coverage of at least 25% of the total costs of the investment project.
• Provide evidence of the availability of the investment site in case the investment project involves the construction/expansion of a building.
• Commit that until the completion of the investment and depending on the type and nature of the operation, it will ensure access for people with disabilities to the buildings, services and electronic environments of the enterprise.

 

BUDGET & IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD

Minimum Budget: 15.000,00€

Maximum Budget: 250.000,00€

 

The duration of the Action’s implementation is twenty-four (24) months from the date of publication of the Decision of Inclusion of each project.

 

RATE OF AID

The aid scheme of the Action is Regulation E.E. 2831/2023 (De Minimis) and the aid rate for all investment projects is 70% of the subsidised budget.

In case the investment project includes personnel costs, the grant rate is increased – only for this category of expenditure – to 80%.

 

ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE

Category of Expenditure	Sub-Category of Expenditure
Personnel Costs	·         Full salary costs of newly recruited staff
Expenditure on Equipment, Means of Transport & Instruments	·         Equipment for environmental protection and energy saving ·         Other equipment ·         Digital office equipment ·         Production and mechanical equipment ·         Electric means of transport
Expenditure on Buildings, Grounds, Facilities & Environment	·         Buildings, facilities and surroundings
Expenditure on the Provision of Services	·         Cost of consultancy services provided by external consultants ·         Software supply/use services under “Software as a Service”, “cloud computing” or similar ·         Costs of providing services for product and/or process development studies ·         Certification of services & procedures according to national, harmonized and other European and international standards ·         Packaging Design Services – Label Design – Branding ·         Intellectual property – Patents – Transfer of know-how
Software Costs	·         Software and software program licenses
Advertising, Promotion and Networking	·         Expenditure on participation in trade fairs ·         Other publicity – promotion and networking costs
Indirect Costs	·         Indirect Costs

The date of eligibility of expenditure is the date of publication of the Call for Proposals, i.e. 02/04/2025.

 

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation method will be comparative and will be based on the following criteria:

• Available funds in relation to the investment project
• Experience of owner or partner/shareholder with the largest shareholding
• Studies of the owner or partner/shareholder with the largest shareholding
• Existence of a registered patent related to the business plan

The minimum acceptable score is 40 points.

 

Opening Date of applications submission: 03/04/2025, 13:00

Closing Date of applications submission: 03/07/2025, 15:00

 

For furthermore information, you can call us at 2108020555 or e-mail us at [email protected].