As part of Moldova Business Week, the Moldova Innovation Fund was officially launched on September 30 with a budget of over 1 million euros, intended to finance local technology startups in their early stages of development. According to Claudiu Năsui, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, the fund is intended to provide grant funding exclusively to technology startups, and the program will be administered by the Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MTIP) with support from Expertise France as part of the EU4Innovation East program, funded by the European Union and France. MTIP Administrator Marina Bzovîi stated that four open calls for proposals to select beneficiaries are planned over the next two years. Pre-seed projects will be eligible to receive up to 20,000 euros to validate their business ideas, confirm their concepts, and create initial prototypes, while early-stage projects — up to 40,000 euros to refine the product, enter the market, and prepare to attract investment. The funding will be non-repayable and awarded on a competitive basis. Funds may be used for product development and minimum viable product (MVP) creation, prototype refinement, market testing, hiring specialized professionals, purchasing materials and components, small-batch production, laboratory research, and testing hardware solutions. The priority areas identified are artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, fintech, government digital technologies, agrotechnology, medical technology, clean technology, robotics, the Internet of Things, hardware solutions, and deep tech. Applications may be submitted by legal entities registered in Moldova that are developing a technology product or have a relevant idea, as well as Moldova Innovation Technology Park's residents with their own research and development divisions or the potential to establish a subsidiary startup. Participation is open to applicants from all regions of the country, with equal access provided for women and men. Applications will be accepted online via the fond.mitp.md platform, after which they will be reviewed for compliance with the requirements and evaluated by a coordinating committee and independent experts. Teams that pass the preliminary selection will present their projects to an expert commission, and the winners will sign grant agreements. Funds will be disbursed in tranches following confirmation of the completion of established milestones and the submission of technical and financial reports. The coordinating committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, the Ministry of Finance, the Startup Moldova Foundation, business associations, and other relevant agencies. The committee will evaluate projects, approve funding, ensure transparency, and monitor the implementation of initiatives, while independent technical experts will provide industry expertise. Marina Bzovîi noted that today more than 3,000 companies are registered with the Moldova Innovation Technology Park and operate under a flat tax rate of 7%, however, for many entrepreneurs, the transition from an idea to a prototype and a market-ready product remains hampered by a lack of seed capital. The new fund is intended to promote the development of domestic export technologies, strengthen the startup ecosystem, and position Moldova as a regional innovation hub. // 30.09.2026 — InfoMarket.