A pilot call of only 60,000 euros tested a new mechanism for Romania in the North-West Region: public financing for companies that first succeed in raising money through crowdfunding. Submissions closed on July 15, 2026.
The call, coded PRNV/2026/131.H/1, is part of the Crowd4SME-NW project, carried out within the Interreg Europe program. The total budget of the pilot call was 60,000 euros, a symbolic amount compared to usual allocations, but significant as a mechanism test.
The logic is simple and intelligent. Instead of the authority deciding administratively which project deserves funding, the initial decision belongs to the market: if a micro-enterprise succeeds in convincing the public to invest in a crowdfunding campaign, it then receives a complementary grant from public funds.
The maximum amount attracted through crowdfunding for which co-financing is granted was 20,000 euros per project. Eligible were micro-enterprises from the North-West Region selected through a successfully concluded crowdfunding campaign.
The submission window opened on June 22, 2026, and was extended until July 15, 2026, at 10:00, through Instrucțiunea nr. 76 (Instruction no. 76) of July 9, 2026.
The value of this call lies not in the money, but in the precedent. If the mechanism works, it can be replicated on a larger scale in the next financial exercise, significantly reducing the administrative cost of selection and increasing the probability that public money reaches businesses with real market demand.
Crowdfunding as a business financing mechanism is underdeveloped in Romania compared to markets in Western Europe, where crowdfunding platforms mobilize considerable sums annually. The causes relate to low trust in online transactions, the absence of a clear fiscal framework, and the lack of a culture of supporting local entrepreneurial projects.
A 60,000-euro pilot call does not change the market, but it validates a principle that could become important. If selection through real demand works better than administrative selection, the 2028-2034 financial exercise could include similar mechanisms on a much larger scale, with effects on the entire architecture of distributing European funds to companies.
Key Information
- Budget: 60,000 EUR, pilot call
- Mechanism: maximum 20,000 EUR per project raised through crowdfunding, plus complementary grant
- Eligibility: micro-enterprises from the North-West Region with a successful crowdfunding campaign
- Submission: June 22 - July 15, 2026. Call closed
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