The call for applications opened on February 16 and the application period is one month. In total, the fund for start-ups is 300 million ALL.

The director of the Startup Albania Agency, Arian Ymeri, outlines the grant support scheme, which helps innovative enterprises.

“The fund is 300 million ALL. It is the largest fund ever allocated by the Albanian government to help start-up companies, in several stages. This time we think that the number should be at least 55 going to a maximum number of 70-75 companies. The grant support scheme is divided into three phases. The first phase helps new ideas, people who can be Albanian individuals, present here, from the diaspora, but also those who are called digital nomads. They are financed up to 100 percent of the requested value. The second phase is about companies that are established, they have a prototype that is feasible and needs support to develop it even more. These companies are financed up to 4.5 million ALL and up to 90 percent of the value requested by the project. The third phase is those companies that are on the market, have a product that is already marketed and want support to develop it either more inside Albania or outside the territory, otherwise known as business model scale-up. At this stage, the scheme finances up to 85 percent of the value”, emphasized Ymeri.

According to him, priority will be given to 6 areas, while there are also detailed rules in place for those who will apply.
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