The Croatian Agency for Small Business, Innovation, and Investment (HAMAG-BICRO) officially opened its branch office in the Split-Dalmatia County on January 28, 2022. This is the sixth branch office to be opened, located within the premises of the Croatian Chamber of Economy – Split County Chamber. It was established as part of the second phase of the project “Development of the Network of Entrepreneurial Support Institutions (PPI) via HAMAG-BICRO – BOND 2,” co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund. NetHub Business Accelerator, as an entrepreneurial support institution and a member of the BOND Network, participated in the event.
The main goal of the BOND 2 project is to contribute to increasing entrepreneurial activity by creating a more favorable business environment across Croatia’s regions, thereby ensuring stable growth and development of the entire economy. During the event, the President of the Management Board of HAMAG-BICRO, Vjeran Vrbanec, emphasized the agency’s position as the central institution for entrepreneurs requiring financial support at all business stages. He also highlighted the decentralization project’s rollout across all parts of the country.
The event served as an opportunity for networking among entrepreneurial support institutions. Representatives discussed new opportunities for grant funding in the current programming period, particularly the upcoming calls under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).
The call “Grants for Startups” was announced, aimed at newly established SMEs to encourage the successful launch of products and services with growth and export potential. The goal of this investment is to stimulate the growth of startups in high-tech and knowledge-based sectors during the pre-commercial phase through support for product development, increased production capacity, and investment readiness. Individual grants up to 1 million HRK will be supported, with eligible costs including the purchase of equipment and materials, hiring staff, and contracting external services.
Also announced was the call “Commercialization of Innovation,” which encourages SMEs to commercialize their innovative products and services—specifically projects mature enough for market entry. Funding per project will range from 760,000 to 5,320,000 HRK. These grants will primarily cover costs that entrepreneurs are often hesitant to take on themselves, such as digital marketing expenses.
Entrepreneurs who recognize market opportunities and require favorable financing have finally reached the right moment. NetHub is the place to find valuable information, instructions, and advice needed to realize entrepreneurial ventures. Contact us at info@nethub.hr to check the eligibility of your project idea.