Category: News

The STEP SPIN tender, with a total value of €145 million, was announced to entrepreneurs developing advanced technologies and planning investments in research, development and innovation capacities. Aid of 2 to 10 million euros will be available for projects linking technology development, investments in equipment and employee training through entrepreneurial partnerships.

Competition Strengthening STEP Strategic Partnerships for Innovation in the Industrial Transition Process (STEP SPIN) will be implemented under the Integrated Territorial Programme 2021-2027, in the Adriatic, Pannonian and Northern Croatia.

It aims to foster the development of strategic technologies important for the competitiveness and technological independence of the European Union, while strengthening the innovation and production capacities of companies.

Basic information about the competition

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants are: micro, small, medium and large enterprises and small mid-caps, subject to compliance with the prescribed conditions.

The applicant must have been operating for at least three years and assumes the role of consortium promoter, i.e. coordinates the implementation of the joint project.

Partnership is mandatory, it must include at least two non-interconnected undertakings, at least one of which must be a micro, small or medium-sized undertaking.

Research and knowledge-dissemination organisations, such as faculties and research institutes, may also be involved in the consortium.

For the organisation of the partnership, it is important that:

• The project promoter must have more than 50 % the total value of the project, while partners participate together with less than 50 %.
• Entrepreneurs must have their registered office or branch in the Adriatic, Pannonian or Northern Croatia, within the deadlines prescribed by the Call.
• Partners can come from different eligible regions, while research organisations can be partners from all over Croatia, including the City of Zagreb, while respecting the rules on the place of implementation of the activity and the incurrence of costs.
• Affiliated enterprises may participate in the same consortium, but at least one additional unrelated partner that is an SME must be involved.
• At the level of the Call, up to three companies from the same group of connected companies may participate in funded projects, regardless of their role in the consortium.

The relations between the members of the consortium shall be governed by Consortium agreement, which defines activities, budget, responsibilities and rights to project results.

What technologies can be developed?

Projects must focus on at least one of the four STEP strategic technology areas:

• Digital technologies and deep tech innovation – artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technologies, advanced computing and related solutions.
• Clean and resource-efficient technologies – technologies related to the energy transition, decarbonisation and more efficient use of resources.
• Biotechnologies – including critical medicines and their ingredients.
• Defence technologies – including technologies with dual-use potential.

In that regard, it is not sufficient for the project to fall within one of those areas. Reasons must be given why technology is strategically important for the European Union.

The project must meet at least one of the two conditions:

1. Introduce into the internal market an innovative, new and most advanced element with significant economic potential.
2. Contribute to reducing or preventing strategic dependencies of the European Union.

The conditions do not have to be met at the same time. The project may result in a new or upgraded product or service that meets the requirements of STEP.

Connection with the industrial transition of Adriatic Croatia

In addition to contributing to STEP objectives, projects must be linked to relevant the Regional Value Chain (RLV) and the corresponding priority niches of the industrial transition of the region where the project promoter is implementing the project.

The Adriatic Croatia Industrial Transition Plan defines five regional value chains:

The design of the project should clearly link the selected technology, planned activities and expected results to the relevant regional value chain.

Important: These niches represent a broader framework of industrial transition of Adriatic Croatia. The eligibility of an individual niche for STEP SPIN will depend on the final documentation of the Call and the contribution of the project to the STEP objectives.

If consortium members come from different eligible regions, the project is financed from the project promoter’s regional envelope.

What can be funded?

The competition brings together three groups of activities: Experimental development, investments in tangible and intangible assets and employee training.

1. Technology development and testing – mandatory part of the project

Experimental development at technological levels will be financed TRL 5-8, including prototyping, testing and technology validation and demonstration under conditions similar to actual use or in a real-world environment.

Eligible costs may include:

• salaries of research and technical staff employed by the applicant or partner,
• depreciation of instruments and equipment used for research and development;
• contractual research, acquisition of knowledge and patents and external professional services,
• material and other direct costs of development activities,
• the preparation of a feasibility study;
• indirect costs according to the rules of the Call.

2. Investments in equipment and technology

It is possible to finance initial investments in machinery, equipment, software, licences and other tangible and intangible assets; This is directly necessary for the development of strategic technology and the strengthening of the development capacity of companies.

Under the prescribed conditions, this may also include pilot production lines or first installations for new technology.

Investments must be linked to the development part of the project. The mere acquisition of a machine or the extension of normal mass production is not sufficient for notification. The cost of purchasing and amortising the same equipment cannot be double financed.

3. Employee education

It also provides funding for trainings that equip employees with the knowledge and skills needed to develop or produce the technology covered by the project.

Research and knowledge-dissemination organisations are subject to specific rules. Salary costs of existing employees are not eligible, while the salaries of newly employed persons can be financed under the prescribed conditions. As partners, these organisations cannot benefit from regional aid for initial investment or training aid.

Eligibility of an individual cost depends on the type of activity, the status of the consortium member and the terms of the final tender documentation.

What are the co-financing intensities?

The aid intensity shall be determined separately for each member of the consortium and each type of activity.

According to the draft documentation, for investments in the area Adriatic Croatia the following maximum intensities are provided for:

Research and knowledge-dissemination organisations can achieve up to 100 % the financing of eligible research and development activities other than economic activities, subject to specific conditions.

The final aid intensity will depend on the size of the company, the type of activity and the rules of the Call.

Financial and personnel conditions

In addition to technological and project eligibility, applicants and partners will have to meet financial and personnel criteria.

• Operating income

Each applicant and partner entrepreneur must have an operating income of at least their share of the requested non-repayable support in 2025.

For example, if the holder requests €1.5 million in support and the partner requests €500,000, the holder must have at least €1.5 million in business revenue in 2025 and the partner must have at least €500,000.

• EBITDA

The applicant and each partner undertaking separately must have a sum of EBITDA for the last two approved accounting periods equal to or greater than zero. Negative EBITDA in one year is allowed if compensated by the result of the second year.

• Number of employees

The applicant must have at least five employees and the partner undertaking must have at least two employees. The number of employees shall be determined on the basis of the hours worked in the year preceding the submission of the project proposal.

Financial construction and liquidity

The funding provided must be demonstrated to finance the difference between the total value of the project, including ineligible costs, and the non-repayable support requested.

According to the draft, the financial structure can be proven by own funds or credit. In the case of own-fund financing, proof is provided in the contracting procedure that the project account has secured at least 15 % the total value of the project.

How to prepare for the application?

Although the tender is not yet open, due to the mandatory partnership, high investment amounts and demanding financial criteria, it is useful to start the preparation on time.

For an initial assessment of the application possibilities, it is necessary to elaborate:

• Technology and Innovation – a description of the solution, its development phase and contribution to the STEP strategic objectives.
• Development plan – experimental development activities, expected results and necessary investments.
• Regional connectivity – contributing to the relevant value chain and priority niches of the industrial transition.
• Partnership – the composition of the consortium, the distribution of activities and the budget, with more than 50 % project values at the promoter.
• Financial indicators – operating income in 2025, EBITDA and number of employees for each undertaking.
• Financial construction – sources of financing of own share, ineligible costs and liquidity during implementation.

According to the announced conditions, the project can last the most 24 months, and the deadline for submission of applications is set for a period of 60 days from the opening of the Call. Applications will be submitted through the eCohesion system.

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Are you planning to apply to STEP SPIN?

Rijeka Development Agency PORIN provides professional support in assessment of eligibility, design of the project concept, elaboration of the partnership and preparation of the project application;.

If you are developing strategic technology and considering investments through STEP SPIN, Contact us to take a timely look at the possibilities of logging in.

N.B.: The information was prepared on the basis of the draft Guidelines for Applicants and the announced changes from the consultation process. All these conditions are subject to confirmation in the final documentation of the Call, which will be relevant for the preparation and submission of project applications.

Looking for capital to expand your business, planning new investments or thinking about involving investors? The PutMarket programme allows companies, with the support of financial and legal experts, to assess their funding opportunities and prepare for the next stage of development.

The Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (Hanfa) and the Ministry of Finance have opened applications for PutNaMarket, educational-simulation programme (sandbox) enabling businesses a free, confidential and non-binding assessment of the willingness to finance through capital markets;.

The scheme is aimed at companies that want to explore financing opportunities beyond traditional bank loans, including venture and private equity fund investments, bond issuance or exiting the stock market.

What do companies get from participating?

Preparing for attracting investors or financing through the capital market requires more than a quality business idea. Financial stability, business model sustainability, organisational readiness and clear development plans are important.

Through the PutMarket of Enterprises programme, companies receive:

• Individual business assessment – analysis of business model, financial indicators, capital structure, governance and development plans.
• Expert support – a personalised team involving at least a financial and legal expert.
• Diagnostic report – a structured assessment of readiness for different forms of funding, with identified areas for improvement.
• Recommendations for further development – a clearer picture of funding opportunities and steps to be taken before engaging with potential investors.

Participation is Fully free, confidential and non-binding. Companies are not obliged to carry out a transaction, engage an investor or exit the stock market after the end of the programme.

Who is the program for?

The market is open to companies of different sizes and stages of development, in particular those that:

• plan growth, new investments or business expansion,
• require additional capital to develop new products, services or markets;
• consider involving a strategic or financial investor;
• want to explore funding opportunities through venture and private equity funds (VC/PE), bonds or capital markets;
• think about long-term business development or generational transition.

The scheme is not only intended for companies that plan to go public. It is also useful to those who are just exploring available sources of financing and want to understand what investors expect and how much their business is ready for such a step.

What does participation look like?

After the application and initial assessment, the company is assigned a team of expert partners.

Through interviews, meetings and analysis of business documentation, experts look at key aspects of business, from finance and organization to management and investment plans.

At the end of the process the company gets Diagnostic report with assessment of readiness, identified challenges and recommendations for follow-up, to have a clearer view of funding opportunities and areas that need to be improved before attracting capital.

Deadline and method of application

Applications for participation in the programme are received through online application form, and are open by 5 December 2026.

Detailed information on the programme, the conditions of participation and the necessary documentation is available at the official website of the PutMarket programme.

Companies wishing to learn more before applying can also request a short, non-binding Information interview.

You're thinking about starting your own business, but you're still not sure where to start? You may have an idea that you have been developing for some time, but you need expert advice, an opportunity to check it out on the market or support in the first entrepreneurial steps.

Startup Incubator Rijeka opened applications for the 18th generation of users, and new entrants will have the opportunity to develop their business ideas over the course of six months with free education, mentoring support and connecting with the Rijeka startup community.

What can you get through the program?

Starting a business brings a lot of questions, from who your product or service is intended for and how to get to the first customers to finance, marketing and business organization. It is precisely on such questions that the participants will work through the Startup incubator program.

They will have at their disposal:

• more than 35 workshops and lectures for the development of entrepreneurial knowledge and skills,
• Individual support of more than 60 mentors from different professional fields,
• free workspace in RiHubu for a period of one year,
• advisory support in product development and prototyping, as well as opportunities to connect with investors and the international startup community.

The most successful teams were also provided with financing for the design business plans, and the best teams of the generation expect non-repayable financial support from the City of Rijeka.

The programme starts in January 2027, lasts for six months and is implemented in the Croatian language.

You have an idea, but you don't have a company yet? It's your call that's meant for you.

You do not need to have a registered business entity to participate. The call is intended for adult citizens of the Republic of Croatia who do not have their own registered business entity at the time of application.

You can apply on your own or with a team. It is important that you have a business idea that you want to develop and that you are ready to actively work on it during the program.

When selecting new users, the innovativeness and market potential of the idea, the degree of its development, as well as the motivation, competencies and willingness of the applicant to work will be evaluated.

How to apply?

If your business idea has been on hold for some time, this is an opportunity to start turning it into a concrete business plan with professional support.

Applications are open by 16 November 2026 Years, to be submitted here.

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More information is available at startup@rijeka.hr or 051 209 940.

How can urban environments be better prepared for the increasing risk of flooding?

The answer lies increasingly in the combination of quality data, accurate modelling, timely warning and concrete actions on the ground.

This approach is being developed through the project. URBANFLOODS nine pilot areas across the Adriatic-Ionian region. One of them is the Rijeka area of Rječina, This is why the development of new tools and approaches to flood risk management is also directly linked to the local context of Rijeka.

What can the data tell us before the water rises?

One of the important steps is Flood modelling in all nine pilot areas. Hydrological data are used to produce hazard maps that show which areas are more exposed to risk and form the basis for the development of early warning systems. This data will be linked through a decision support system (Decision Support System - DSS), which aims to enable better risk monitoring and more timely decision-making.

From model to field data

In order for early warning systems to be useful, models need quality data from the field.

Pilot site Fosso Terria in Italy real-time water level monitoring equipment is installed, while in the area Modica-Scicli Two hydrometers installed to enable timely activation of the warning.

For the Karas River in Serbia the hydrological assessment and flood risk study have been completed, and for the Lana and Tirana Rivers in Albania hydraulic models and hazard mapping are completed.

Different pilot sites thus test different parts of the same approach, better understand the risk, monitor what is happening on the ground and react in time.

From project results to long-term application

An important part of the story is how to transfer developed solutions from project activities to actual flood risk management.

That is why technical results such as models, hazard maps, sensor data and decision support systems are also linked to public policy recommendations. The aim is that the tools developed and the knowledge acquired will remain applicable after the end of the project and can help local and regional authorities in planning and decision-making.

This topic is particularly relevant to Rijeka because of Rice as one of the URBANFLOODS pilot areas. Experiences gathered at different locations allow for a comparison of approaches and the development of solutions that take into account different local conditions and risks.

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You can read more about current results, pilot sites and the development of early warning systems in: the 4th edition of the URBANFLOODS Newsletter.