Status
Active
Application deadline
30. October, 2026 15:00
Minimum grant
20.000€
Maximum grant
40.000€
1 About the programme
The Proof of Concept Programme addresses the need to support innovation from the earliest stages of research by providing pre-commercial capital for the technical and commercial validation of an innovative concept.
Proof of Concept is needed to provide evidence that a new process or technology is feasible and has the potential for commercial application. The Programme enables comprehensive commercial and technical verification and validation of research results with commercial potential, with the aim of reducing technical and commercial risks, identifying the most appropriate commercialisation strategy and protecting the innovation.
The PoC Programme represents one of the earliest stages in innovation development, where the validity of the technological solution concept is being verified. The Programme primarily finances research activities at Technology Readiness Levels TRL 3–4, which can be classified as industrial research.
Total call budget
€500,000
Grant amount
- Minimum grant amount: €20,000
- Maximum grant amount: €40,000
Co-financing intensity
Enterprises:
- micro and small enterprises – 70%
- medium-sized enterprises – 60%
Research and knowledge-dissemination organisations: up to 90% of eligible project costs.
Project duration
From 4 to 12 months.
Technology Readiness Level
The Programme primarily finances research activities at Technology Readiness Levels TRL 3–4.
Eligible activities
The Programme supports:
- development of prototypes in a laboratory environment;
- demonstration of technical feasibility;
- verification and protection of intellectual property;
- market analysis;
- preparation of a feasibility study;
- development of a concept and/or strategy for the development and/or commercialisation of a product.
The Programme will not co-finance activities related to product development and commercialisation.
Selection criteria
- Project – objectives, purpose and expected project results, and feasibility of the proposed research;
- level of innovation of the project;
- assessment of market potential;
- operational capacities of the applicant.
Eligible areas of research and development
At least 70% of the Fund's available funds under this Programme will be allocated to applications in the priority areas of the applicable Smart Specialisation Strategy of Montenegro, depending on the quality of the projects.
2 Eligible applicants
Under this Programme, the following applicants are eligible:
Companies that fall into one of the following three categories:
| Enterprise category | Number of employees | Annual turnover | or | Balance sheet total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium-sized enterprises | < 250 | ≤ EUR 50 million | or | ≤ EUR 43 million |
| Small enterprises | < 50 | ≤ EUR 10 million | or | ≤ EUR 10 million |
| Micro enterprises | < 10 | ≤ EUR 2 million | or | ≤ EUR 2 million |
Companies must:
- comply with the definition set out in Annex I to the GBER Regulation;
- be registered in the Central Register of Business Entities of Montenegro;
- have their registered office in Montenegro;
- have fulfilled all obligations relating to the regular payment of taxes and social security contributions;
- not be subject to pre-bankruptcy or bankruptcy proceedings, liquidation proceedings, or have suspended their regular business activities, or similar proceedings, in accordance with national legislation;
- have a positive equity value in their balance sheet as of 31 December 2024;
- not have received financial support from national or international public funding sources or donor programmes for the same activities covered by the project application. If the applicant has applied for funding from other state aid providers for the same eligible costs, it must submit a statement indicating the amount and status of such support.
Research organisations whose primary objective is to independently conduct fundamental research, industrial research or experimental development, and which are registered in the Register of Centres of Excellence, licensed institutions and organisational units referred to in Article 28, paragraph 3 of the Law on Scientific Research Activities, maintained by the Ministry of Science and Technological Development – Law on Scientific Research Activities ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", Nos. 80/2010, 40/2011 – other law, 57/2014 and 82/2020).
The research organisation must meet the definition of a “research and knowledge-dissemination organisation”, in accordance with the Framework for State Aid for Research and Development and Innovation (2022/C 414/01), Section 1.3, point 16(f).
3 Documentation
Public Call
Documentation
4 How to apply
How to Apply
Applications for the Public Call must be submitted electronically through the Innovation Fund of Montenegro’s application portal: www.programifonda.me.
1. Register
Visit www.programifonda.me and create a user account.
2. Activate your account
Once you have registered, your account will be automatically approved. You will receive your login credentials at the email address provided during registration.
3. Submit your application
Once you log in to the portal, you will have access to the information and documentation required to prepare your application. The application must be completed and submitted directly through the portal.
Application deadline
30 October 2026, by 3:00 PM
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +382 20 653 891
5 Questions & Answers
6 Public call results
On the programme results page you can review the complete results of all previous public calls – from selected projects to the amounts of awarded funds and key outcomes.
7 Public call archive
In the public call archive you will find all relevant documents: conditions, deadlines, criteria and lists of selected projects.
Published: 23 September 2026