The new mechanism is operated by Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP), with funding from the European Union through the EU4Innovation East programme, co-financed by the Government of France and implemented by Expertise France. It focuses on one of the most challenging stages in the development of a technology product: moving from an idea to validation, prototyping and testing, and ultimately to a market-ready product. Limited access to capital at early stages is also identified at regional level as one of the key challenges facing startup ecosystems in Eastern Europe.
What the Moldova Innovation Fund Offers
The Fund introduces a competitive grant mechanism designed for projects with technological and commercial potential. Depending on the stage of development, funding can reach €20,000 for pre-seed projects and €40,000 for early-stage projects.
Funding can support stages such as idea validation, proof of concept, prototype development, technology testing, product improvement, market validation and preparation for a subsequent investment stage.
The Fund is not limited to software products. It targets innovative products and technologies, including digital solutions, software and physical or hardware products, allowing technology projects to receive support regardless of whether the innovation lies in an application, an algorithm, a device or a combination of software and hardware. The areas covered by the Innovation Fund include, among others, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, govtech, agritech, biotechnology, big data, cloud technologies, robotics and other emerging technologies.
Claudiu Năsui, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalisation: “For Moldova, innovation is not only about developing new technologies. It is about creating the conditions needed for ideas and talent to turn into concrete products, companies and economic value. By supporting entrepreneurs at the stage when good ideas need resources to be tested, validated and brought closer to the market, we are investing in a more competitive economy and strengthening Moldova’s capacity to create products and companies that can succeed in European and international markets.”
First Funding Call Opens on 1 October
With the launch of the Fund, the fond.mitp.md platform is also becoming operational, providing the application process for the first Moldova Innovation Fund call. The platform contains all the information needed to apply, including eligibility criteria, funding conditions, required documents and the stages of the selection process.
The first round marks the beginning of four funding calls planned over the next two years, providing projects at different stages of development with multiple opportunities to access funding.
Michelle Iliev, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation: “Too often, energy that should have gone into development has been spent on looking for funding. Through the Moldova Innovation Fund, we are contributing to this first step and providing the initial capital so that teams can focus on what truly matters: their own product.”
From Application to Funding: A Competitive and Transparent Process
The funding process consists of six clear stages: opening of the call, submission of applications, project evaluation, pitch session, selection of beneficiaries and progress monitoring.
Following the eligibility check, projects are evaluated competitively based on the criteria established for each call. Applicants selected for the next stage present their projects during a pitch session and answer questions from the evaluators. Selected projects receive grant funding to achieve specific development objectives, while their progress is monitored throughout implementation.
The winning projects and the amount of grants awarded are approved by the Moldova Innovation Fund Steering Committee, based on the evaluation process established for each call.
Marina Bzovîi, Administrator of Moldova Innovation Technology Park: “For us, the Moldova Innovation Fund is more than a new grant programme. We are building a mechanism that we want to see grow from one round to the next. We are starting with over €1 million and four calls, but the objective is broader: to create a predictable pathway through which a technology idea developed in the Republic of Moldova can move through validation, prototyping and testing and get closer to the market and investment. At the same time, we want the Fund to be able to attract new partners and new resources for the ecosystem in the future.”
The European Union, the Fund’s First Partner
The Moldova Innovation Fund is being launched with the support of the European Union through the EU4Innovation East project. The partnership for the Moldova Innovation Fund provides financing for the mechanism during its initial 24-month period and creates the foundation for its further development.
Julda Kielyte, Team Leader for Competitive and Inclusive Growth, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova: “We want to help establish a mechanism that can become, over time, a lasting component of Moldova’s innovation financing system and contribute to building a strong pipeline of companies ready to attract private capital. The combination of European support and local ownership is essential to ensuring that the mechanism responds to the needs of Moldova’s market and can develop and strengthen over time. For the European Union, supporting innovation means investing in the people of Moldova and in the country’s economic future.”
Julien Schmitt, Director of EU4Innovation East: “Access to funding at the early stages of development can make the difference between an idea that remains a concept and one that is tested, validated and transformed into a product. Through the Moldova Innovation Fund, the European Union is contributing to the creation of a mechanism that enables founders in the Republic of Moldova to access the resources they need to take these steps within their own ecosystem. At the same time, this is an investment in the ecosystem’s capacity to generate competitive technology products, attract investment and strengthen its connections with European and international markets. We hope this Fund will serve as a starting point for more ideas to be transformed into products and for a startup ecosystem that is more connected to growth opportunities across the region and Europe.”
The framework for the Moldova Innovation Fund was established by Government Decision No. 527/2025, which approves the Regulation on the Fund for Supporting Digital Innovations and Technology Startups and amends Government Decision No. 1144/2017 on the establishment of Moldova IT Park.
Complete information on funding, eligibility, evaluation stages and required documents is available at fond.mitp.md.
