A 15 million euro funding round has opened for businesses in Estonia: grants of up to 2 million euros are available
The Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) opened the 3rd August 2026 applied research programme, or RUP, 11th application round, with a total budget of 15 million euros. A grant of 250 000 up to 2 million euros can be applied for per project.
The grant is intended for companies developing new technologies, processes, products or services, or ones that differ significantly from existing solutions.
However, companies should note one very important condition: although the official application round runs until the end of September, this does not mean that it is still possible to join the 11th round from scratch.
In brief: what has opened?
EIS applied research programme, 11th application round:
- opened at 9.00 on 3 August 2026;
- ends at 16.00 on 28 September 2026;
- application round budget is 15 million euros;
- grant amount per project is 250 000–2 000 000 euros;
- ettevõtte omafinantseering sõltub projektist ja võib moodustada ligikaudu 20–75% projekti kuludest.
EIS: Applied Research Programme
Who can still realistically participate in this round?
This is the most important question in August 2026.
Rakendusuuringute programmi puhul ei saa ettevõte lihtsalt minna e-toetuse keskkonda ja esitada 28. septembriks taotlust.
Before submitting an application, it is necessary to complete mandatory preliminary counselling and pre-assessment.
Under EIS terms, the draft of the project idea had to be submitted for pre-consultation by 11 to participate in the application roundno later than 3 August 2026.
Thus, in this specific 15-million-euro round, the companies that can currently move forward are primarily those that:
- you submitted your idea to EIS by August 3 at the latest;
- have already started the RUP pre-consultation process;
- are preparing the project plan and other documents together with a RUP expert;
- will be able to have the required documents fully ready by the end of August.
If a company is only hearing about this grant round now and had not started the preliminary consultation process by August 3, then it should not assume that the 28 September deadline will still leave nearly two months to start the project.
This deadline applies to projects that have already completed the preceding process.
The next important date is 31 August
Companies already in the pre-consultation process must submit all application documents required for pre-assessment to their project’s RUP adviser no later than 31 August 2026.
By then, the documents must be fully finalized.
EIS lists, among the required documents:
- project plan;
- forecasts of economic indicators;
- project budget;
- key people involved in the project CV;
- balance sheet and income statement;
- proof of the ability to pay the project costs;
- partner information.
Only after receiving a positive pre-assessment can the company submit the final application in the e-toetus environment.
Its final deadline is 28 September 2026 at 16.00.
Which companies is the grant suitable for?
The programme is not intended only for large technology companies or industrial firms with a long history.
According to EIS, all companies registered in the Estonian Commercial Register may participate in the programme, regardless of the size of the company or how long it has been operating, provided that the company is not in difficulty.
However, the project must essentially involve research and development.
This means that funding is not provided simply to purchase a standard website, application, device or existing service.
The company must be able to demonstrate, for example:
- which scientific or technological problem is being solved;
- what is novel about the solution being developed;
- how the solution differs from those already available on the market;
- which questions or hypotheses will be tested during the project;
- what the commercial potential of the solution being created is;
- to whom and how the product or technology will later be sold.
EIS asks these questions already when registering for pre-consultation.
These articles may also be of interest
The start-up grant is still open: what a new entrepreneur needs to know before applying for up to 20 000 euros
Find out who is eligible for start-up support, what criteria must be met, and what you should consider before submitting your application.
How to obtain support or a grant for a small business in Estonia
A practical overview of finding business grants, preparing an application, required documents and common mistakes.
Latitude59 brought 450 000 euros to three startups: which sectors are investors backing now?
See which solutions from technology companies and startups are attracting investors' attention, and where innovation funding is flowing.
EL simplifies the rules on artificial intelligence: what does this mean for businesses?
An overview of how the European Union’s AI rules affect companies that develop or use artificial intelligence-based solutions.
What projects are supported?
The programme focuses on Estonia’s research and development, innovation and entrepreneurship (TAIE) priority areas.
Digital solutions
These may include, for example:
- artificial intelligence;
- machine learning;
- development of large language models;
- the Internet of Things;
- cybersecurity;
- innovative data and automation solutions.
Health technologies and services
Näiteks:
- digital medicine;
- drug development;
- personalized medicine;
- e-health solutions;
- medical devices;
- diagnostics.
Adding value to local resources
Näiteks:
- food technology;
- wood valorisation;
- new solutions for the use of mineral resources;
- valorisation of waste and secondary raw materials;
- innovative materials.
Smart and sustainable energy solutions
Näiteks:
- efficiency in energy production and use;
- renewable energy;
- energy storage;
- smart energy grids;
- resource-efficient technologies.
The support depends on how far the technology has progressed in development
RUP is not intended to fund a business idea at a very early stage or the market launch of a conventional finished product.
When assessing projects, EIS uses the technology readiness level, or TRL system.
The programme generally accepts projects at levels TRL 3–7.
Applied research – TRL 3–5
If the project is still in the research and testing phase, the support may cover:
- up to 70% for a small enterprise;
- up to 60% for a medium-sized enterprise;
- for a large company up to 50% of costs.
In the case of effective cooperation, the support rate may increase:
- for a small enterprise, up to 80%;
- for a medium-sized enterprise, up to 75%;
- for a large enterprise, up to 65%.
Experimental product development – TRL 6–7
At a later stage of the development process, the grant rate is lower:
- small enterprise up to 45%;
- keskmine ettevõte kuni 35%;
- large enterprise up to 25%.
With effective cooperation, the grant may be up to 60%, 50%, or 40%.
Does the project have to be carried out alone?
No.
A company can carry out the project independently or cooperate with:
- other Estonian companies;
- companies from other countries;
- universities and research institutions;
- testing laboratories;
- intellectual property experts.
Research and development services can also be procured from abroad for the project, but EIS emphasizes that the service provider must have recognized experience in the relevant field.
Cooperation may also be important in terms of the grant amount, as the state-funded share may be significantly higher in the case of effective cooperation that meets the requirements.
How large does the project have to be?
In this application round, the requested grant must be at least 250 000 euros.
The maximum grant is 2 million euros.
This means that this is not a typical small-business grant, but rather a programme aimed at relatively substantial research and development projects.
The maximum eligible project period is 36 months.
Example: what kind of project might qualify?
Let us imagine an Estonian company developing a new industrial AI system that can detect equipment failure before it occurs, based on data from production-line sensors.
If the company simply buys an existing AI programme and connects it to its own system, this may not qualify as sufficient development activity for the purposes of RUP.
However, if the company has to develop a new algorithm, test technological hypotheses, create prototypes and prove that the solution works under conditions in which existing solutions do not, the project may already be much better aligned with the programme’s objectives.
Therefore, what matters is not only whether the project uses, for example, AI or some other new technology.
What matters is genuine scientific or technological novelty and a development problem that needs to be solved.
If you missed the 3 August deadline, have all your options disappeared?
Not necessarily.
Although it may no longer be possible to join the current 15-million-euro 11 application round from scratch, RUP pre-consultation is generally open on an ongoing basis.
In addition, EIS has a separate call for applications for small projects under the applied research programme, where grants of 100 000 to 250 000 euros can be applied for.
- As of 7 August, EIS lists the status of this call as “Open”. Pre-consultation is also mandatory before submitting an application for this call.
EIS: call for applications for small applied research projects
Therefore, a company with a serious research- or technology-based development idea that missed the 11 application-round deadline should contact EIS and find out which RUP funding opportunity might be suitable for its project.
Important dates
3 August 2026 – the 11 application round opened, and this was also the last day to submit an idea for pre-consultation in order to participate in the round.
31 August 2026 – the final documents for projects undergoing pre-consultation must be submitted for preliminary assessment.
28 September 2026 at 16.00 – deadline for submitting final applications for projects that have received a positive preliminary assessment.
Summary
EIS’s new 15-million-euro applied research programme call is one of the largest development grants available to companies in 2026. A project can receive up to 2 million euros, and small, medium-sized and large Estonian companies can all participate in the programme.
The most important thing, however, is to understand what the deadlines actually mean.
28 September is not a deadline by which you can calmly enter the RUP with a new project. 11. To participate in the round, the project had to be submitted for mandatory preliminary consultation as early as August 3.
If the company has taken this step at the right time, the next critical date is 31 August, by which all documentation must be ready for the preliminary assessment.
If the 3 August deadline was missed, it is still worth exploring the opportunities offered by RUP’s ongoing pre-consultation and small-projects call, rather than simply setting aside a good technology development idea.
Official information:
EIS – Rakendusuuringute programm
EIS – Rakendusuuringute programmi väikeprojektide taotlusvoor
*Artificial intelligence was used in preparing this article. Although the published information has been checked, the article may contain inaccuracies or the information may change over time. We recommend checking prices, campaign terms and other important information against an official source before making a decision.
Current offers on Easyfind
How much will your job cost?
Choose a service and its scope to get an estimated price.