Public funding
Subsidies and grants for companies.
Are you planning to buy equipment, digitalise the company, develop software, use artificial intelligence, automate processes, invest in energy, expand production, develop a new product or enter foreign markets? We check which grants, subsidies, public calls, European funds, favourable loans and other incentives suit your project. We monitor the calls instead of you, check the conditions, assess the chances, prepare the documentation and run the process through to submission and drawdown.
You tell us what you want to do. We check whether public funding exists for it.
What we take on instead of you
- finding suitable subsidies and public calls
- reviewing the tender documentation and conditions
- checking exclusion criteria and state aid
- a go / no-go assessment before the work starts
- the calculation of eligible costs and the financial structure
- the project description, indicators and business plan
- forms, declarations, evidence and submission
- completions, payment claims and reports
- delivery of the project in the areas we cover
Looking for a subsidy for an investment in your company?
You do not need to know the names of calls, programme labels or the differences between state aid schemes. To start with, we only need to know what you want to buy, develop or improve, roughly what the investment is worth, when you want to carry it out, where it will take place and what kind of company you are.
On that basis we check the options for grants, subsidies, European funds, favourable loans, guarantees and other forms of company financing.
- company digitalisation
- software development
- artificial intelligence and AI solutions
- business process automation
- purchase of machinery and equipment
- production robotics
- ERP, CRM, DMS and MES systems
- cybersecurity
- research, development and innovation
- development of new products and services
- energy efficiency
- renewable energy sources
- expansion of production capacity
- internationalisation and entering foreign markets
- start-up and growth of young companies
- sustainable and green investments
- tourism and hospitality
- agriculture and the food industry
Grants, subsidies, vouchers and favourable loans
Public funding for companies is not published in one place. The different forms of support are published by the Slovenian Enterprise Fund (SPS), SPIRIT Slovenia, SID Bank, the Eco Fund, ministries, ARIS, the Slovenian Regional Development Fund, municipalities, development agencies and European Union institutions.
| Type of funding | What it means |
|---|---|
| grants | a public source covers part of the eligible costs and, if delivered correctly, they do not have to be repaid |
| subsidy | financial support for a specific purpose, investment or cost |
| voucher | a smaller, simplified incentive for clearly defined services |
| favourable loan | a loan on better terms than standard commercial financing |
| guarantee | a public fund takes on part of the collateral and eases access to a loan |
| European funds | funding from EU programmes or European cohesion policy |
| state aid | the legal framework within which incentives to companies may be granted at all |
For larger investments the best answer is often a combination of grants, favourable financing and own funds. So we do not look for the call with the highest subsidy percentage, but for a financial structure that is actually workable for the project.
SPS calls: subsidies from the Slovenian Enterprise Fund
The Slovenian Enterprise Fund is one of the key sources of financing for micro, small and medium-sized companies. The programmes change between years, but usually include subsidies, start-up incentives, vouchers, microloans, loans, guarantees for bank loans and incentives for digitalisation, development and individual industries or regions.
We do not guess which programme you need. We first review your project and then check which current or announced call fits it.
- subsidies and start-up incentives
- vouchers for smaller, quickly delivered projects
- microloans and loans
- guarantees for bank loans
- incentives for digitalisation and development
- incentives for individual industries and regions
SPIRIT calls and incentives for company growth
SPIRIT Slovenia publishes and takes part in programmes tied to economic development. Companies are often interested in programmes for investments, internationalisation, exports, appearances on foreign markets, technological development, innovation and the digital and green transition.
If you are planning a larger investment or an expansion, we also check the options through SPIRIT Slovenia programmes and the relevant ministries.
SID Bank: financing larger investments
For larger projects a subsidy often covers only part of the financial structure. SID Bank offers financial instruments that can cover investments, machinery and equipment, research and development, digitalisation, sustainable projects, internationalisation, company growth and working capital under the terms of each programme.
So for larger projects we check whether it makes sense to combine grants with a favourable loan or another financial instrument.
Eco Fund: subsidies for company energy investments
For projects related to energy and the environment we also check the options at the Eco Fund and other national and European programmes.
A warning on energy investments
Conditions and eligible costs differ between calls. Do not start an investment on the assumption that a given cost will be subsidised; we check that before anything is ordered.
- improving energy efficiency
- energy renovations of business buildings
- renewable energy sources
- reducing energy consumption
- electric mobility
- more efficient equipment and environmental investments
European funds and EU calls for companies
Alongside Slovenian calls there are European programmes for companies. For more demanding development and innovation projects, programmes covering research and development, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, cybersecurity, new products, green technologies, energy and international consortia can be relevant. Depending on the project these may include Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, EIC and other European Union programmes.
European applications are usually more demanding than national ones. They often require partnerships, detailed work packages, budgets by partner, milestones, project results and an international consortium.
Calls for company digitalisation, software and automation
Digitalisation is where funding know-how and delivery know-how meet directly. In suitable calls, projects such as business systems, applications, integrations and process automation can be funded.
Digital does not automatically mean eligible
The eligibility of each cost always depends on the specific call. The fact that something is digital does not mean the cost is recognised, so we check every line item before applying.
- ERP, CRM, DMS and MES systems
- business application development
- web and mobile applications
- portals for clients and partners
- information system integrations and API connections
- process automation
- production digitalisation
- data platforms and business analytics
- IoT solutions and cloud infrastructure
- cybersecurity
AI calls: subsidies for artificial intelligence
More and more development programmes include artificial intelligence, automation, data and advanced digital technologies.
What committees look for in AI projects
The project must not be described as introducing artificial intelligence. It has to answer which problem it solves, which technology it introduces, where the development element lies and what measurable business effect it will create.
- developing in-house AI solutions
- generative AI and large language models
- AI assistants and administration automation
- AI document processing
- computer vision and machine learning
- predictive models and maintenance
- analysis of large volumes of data
- AI in production and customer support
Subsidies for equipment and machinery
The most common question companies ask is whether they can get a subsidy for a new machine or equipment. In certain calls yes, but not automatically. Funding can cover production machinery, technological equipment, automation, robotics, computer and communication equipment, specialised equipment, and intangible assets and software.
What matters is why you are buying the equipment and what project you are delivering with it. A machine that increases capacity, enables a new product, reduces energy consumption, automates production or digitalises a process tells a completely different project story than a simple purchase.
Which subsidies are available for your industry
Calls often define which activities, company sizes and locations are eligible, so there is no single list of subsidies that applies to every company. Send a short description of the investment and we will check which programmes are relevant.
| Industry | Example investments |
|---|---|
| manufacturing and industry | machinery, robotics, automation, production lines, MES, digitalisation, AI, energy efficiency |
| IT and technology companies | SaaS, software and AI development, new products, research and development, internationalisation |
| tourism and hospitality | accommodation capacity, renovations, digitalisation, equipment, energy investments |
| retail and services | CRM, ERP, e-business, automation, digital processes, equipment |
| construction and energy | machinery, plant, energy solutions, green technologies |
| agriculture and food industry | machinery, processing, production equipment, storage, digitalisation |
| creative, media and education activities | digital platforms, production equipment, software solutions, internationalisation |
How we establish whether applying is worth it
Before preparing a larger application we make a go or no-go assessment. We check whether you are an eligible applicant, whether the project is eligible, whether the costs are eligible, whether you meet the exclusion criteria, how many points can realistically be scored, how much funding you could obtain, how much own funding is needed, whether the project can be delivered on time and whether applying makes sense at all given the costs and obligations.
We will not sell you an application with no chance
If we assess that the application has no realistic chance or that the project does not suit the call, we tell you before the full documentation is prepared, not after.
What a subsidy application contains
Every public call has its own documentation, but an application usually combines the same building blocks.
European projects require more
They often additionally require an international consortium, partner declarations, work packages, milestones and deliverables, a split of tasks between partners, a risk analysis, a communication plan, a detailed budget and an exploitation plan.
- the application form and company data
- a description of the project and the investment
- project goals and measurable indicators
- a business or investment plan
- the financial structure and a review of eligible costs
- quotes or proforma invoices
- accounting data and employee data
- applicant declarations and data on linked undertakings
- data on state aid received and de minimis
- evidence of meeting the conditions
- references, staff evidence and technical documentation
- the legal representative's signature
How we write a strong project description
A weak description reads: we want to buy a new ERP and digitalise the company. A strong description answers five questions: what the problem is, what we will change, which activities we will carry out, what the result will be and how we will measure the effect.
An example that scores
The company runs orders, stock and project documentation in several disconnected systems, which causes duplicated work, errors and weaker traceability. In the project we introduce a central information system connected with sales, the warehouse and accounting, and automate the key processes from order receipt to completion. The project reduces manual administrative work, shortens order processing time and enables central monitoring of data.
| Indicator | Before | Target after |
|---|---|---|
| order administration time | 4 hours | 1 hour |
| number of separate databases | 3 | 1 |
| manual steps in the process | 12 | 4 |
| documentation traceability | partial | centralised |
The figures are an example of how indicators should be set: measured before the project, verifiable after it and realistic, because they later form the basis for reporting.
Seven mistakes that sink an application
| Mistake | What happens |
|---|---|
| the company does not meet the conditions | the wrong size, activity, location or company age makes the application inadmissible |
| the project starts too early | signing a contract or ordering too early can destroy eligibility |
| the cost is not eligible | a sensible business investment is not necessarily co-financed |
| a required piece of evidence is missing | a declaration, quote, consent or annex can decide the fate of the application |
| a wrong signature or wrong submission | electronic systems, authorisations and signatures have their own rules |
| incorrect state aid data | linked undertakings and de minimis have to be handled correctly |
| the application scores too few points | a formally complete application is not an approval |
That is why before submission we check both: the formal part and the content scoring against the call criteria.
A call radar: we monitor the calls instead of you
The biggest problem for companies is often not preparing the application, but hearing about a good call too late. Publications are scattered across the Slovenian Enterprise Fund, SPIRIT Slovenia, the GOV.SI portal and individual ministries, the European funds portal, SID Bank, the Eco Fund, ARIS, the Slovenian Regional Development Fund, regional development agencies, municipalities and the European Funding and Tenders Portal.
You tell us once what the company does, what you intend to invest in, the approximate value and when you plan it. When we spot a suitable call or another financial instrument, we let you know and check whether applying makes sense. You do not have to check ten portals every week.
A glossary of subsidies and public calls
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| eligible costs | costs the call allows in the project and co-finances |
| ineligible costs | costs the call does not recognise and you fund yourself |
| aid intensity | the share of eligible costs that can be co-financed; with EUR 200,000 of costs and 50 % that is at most EUR 100,000 |
| own contribution | the part of the investment you provide yourself or from other permitted sources |
| de minimis | state aid of smaller value; the applicable legal basis, period, aid received and linked undertakings all have to be taken into account |
| SME | a micro, small or medium-sized company; linked and partner companies also count towards size |
| eligibility period | the period in which costs have to arise for the call to recognise them |
| exclusion criteria | conditions whose failure means the application is excluded |
| assessment criteria | the criteria by which a project scores points |
| double funding | the same cost may not be funded from two public sources |
| payment claim | the documentation with which you claim payment of approved funds after delivery |
| project durability | the period after completion in which you have to maintain the results and meet the obligations |
How working with Epix runs
Tell us what you are planning
No funding jargon needed. We are buying a production line. We want to build an AI application. We need an ERP. We are expanding a hotel. From there we take over.
We review the company and the investment
We review the activity, size, location, linked undertakings, the planned investment and other conditions.
We find the funding options
We check national, regional and European sources and other forms of public funding.
We make a go / no-go assessment
Before the heavy work we say whether the application meets the conditions and how sensible it is against the criteria.
We prepare and submit the application
The project part, financial structure, forms, declarations, evidence and a check before submission.
We help with delivery and drawdown
Claims, reports, evidence and post-approval obligations; we take on delivery when that is in line with the call rules.
What we need from you for the first review
For the first review we do not need a pile of documents. The company name, registration number, a short description of the investment, its approximate value, the planned timing and the location are enough. Then we say what else is needed.
Options first, documents later
We collect documentation only once we know which call is genuinely worth it for your company, so nothing is done unnecessarily.
- financial statements and employee data
- data on linked undertakings
- state aid received
- quotes and proforma invoices
- project documentation and permits
- references and evidence
- a digital certificate or authorisation for submission
How a call runs from publication to payment
The sequence differs between programmes, but the basic logic is similar.
Approval does not mean an immediate transfer
In many programmes the company first has to fund the project partly or fully itself and draws the funds only in line with the programme rules. So before applying we check whether the project is feasible if part of the costs has to be advanced.
When applying is worth it and when it is not
Applying makes sense
When most of the following applies.
- you genuinely need the investment
- the project matches the purpose of the call
- the company meets the conditions
- a competitive score is achievable
- you have the own contribution and liquidity
- the project can be delivered on time
Applying does not make sense
When any of these statements applies.
- you are creating the project only because of the subsidy
- you fail an important exclusion criterion
- the project does not match the aims of the call
- realistically the score would be far too low
- you lack the own contribution or liquidity
- the funding is too small relative to the obligations
A good call is not the one with the highest subsidy percentage, but the one that fits the project the company actually needs.
Winning a subsidy is only the start
Approved funds also have to be drawn down correctly. After approval come obligations that companies often underestimate.
Why our work does not end at submission
If the project differs substantially from the approved application or the beneficiary breaches the funding conditions, the funds can be reduced or recovered. So we also help with claims, reports and evidence.
- delivering the activities in line with the application
- rules on selecting suppliers
- handling changes to the project
- separate recording of eligible costs
- respecting deadlines, invoices and payments
- achieving the declared indicators
- reporting and payment claims
- labelling the co-financing
- archiving documentation and controls
- project durability after completion
The application and the delivery with one partner
This is where we differ from companies that only write applications. Alongside preparing applications we have in-house and partner teams that deliver projects, so for a suitable project we can join up finding the funding, preparing the application, delivering it and reporting and drawing down the funds.
Delivery by us is not a condition
Preparing the application is a standalone service. For each programme we also check the rules on selecting contractors.
- software and business system development
- web and mobile applications
- ERP, CRM and integrations
- AI solutions and process automation
- company digitalisation and data solutions
- web platforms and portals
- video and television production
- AV and event solutions
FAQ
Can you check which subsidies are currently available for our company?
Yes. We first review the company and the planned investment, then check the relevant national, regional and European funding options and tell you which ones are viable.
Are there grants for buying equipment?
Certain calls do fund equipment, but eligibility depends on the purpose of the investment, the type of equipment, the company and the specific programme. What matters is the project you are delivering with the equipment.
Are there subsidies for digitalising a company?
Programmes for digital transformation are published from time to time, and digital solutions often also appear as an eligible part of wider investment and development projects.
Are there subsidies for artificial intelligence?
AI projects appear in calls for digitalisation, research and development, innovation and in European programmes. Eligibility depends on the specific project and call.
Can we get a subsidy for an ERP or CRM?
In certain programmes software can be an eligible cost. What matters is the wider purpose of the digital transformation and the effect of the investment; we check the rules for each call.
Do you guarantee that we will get the subsidy?
No, and nobody honestly can. The decision depends on the programme rules, the quality of the project, the score, the competition and the funds available. Our job is to check before applying whether the project makes sense and to prepare the application in line with the requirements and criteria.
How much grant funding can we get?
It depends on the programme. Calls set the minimum and maximum project value, the co-financing rate, the maximum aid amount and other limits, so without a specific call and your company data no percentage can be promised.
Do we need our own funds?
As a rule yes. Most programmes do not fund the entire investment, and in some the costs have to be paid first and reimbursed later.
Can we apply if we have already started the project?
It depends on the rules of the specific call. In some programmes starting too early affects eligibility, so check the conditions before ordering equipment, signing a contract or starting delivery.
Do you also help with SPS and SPIRIT calls?
Yes. We check the calls and instruments of the Slovenian Enterprise Fund, SPIRIT Slovenia programmes and other economic incentives, and assess which one fits your project.
Do you help with European calls?
Yes, depending on the type and complexity of the project. We first check which programme is appropriate and whether the project needs international partners or a consortium.
Can you just review an application we have already prepared?
Yes. The cooperation can cover only a review of the options, a documentation check, a single part of the application or the entire process.
What happens if we do not get the subsidy?
We review the decision and the reasons, check whether a legal remedy makes sense, and usually adapt the project material for the next suitable call, so a second application is normally faster.
Can you also deliver the project the call funds?
Yes, in the areas we cover: software, AI, automation, digitalisation, web systems, video and event production. For each call we check the rules on selecting the contractor; delivery by us is not a condition for help with the application.
Tell us what you need
A few sentences are enough: what you need, for which process or system and by when. We will reply by email.
Related solutions
Sounds like your project?
Send us the project description, your existing system, the tender documents or the event date.
Or email info@epix.si