Start-Up Nation 2025

The Romanian Government allocates 450 million Euros for this year’s edition of the Start-Up Nation program

Roxana Vasile, 21.03.2025, 13:50

The Romanian Government has decided to allocate almost 450 million euros for this year’s edition of the Start-Up Nation program. The program was designed to encourage and stimulate the establishment of small and medium-sized enterprises. This year, the authorities want to help over 7,000 young business people create at least 15,000 jobs. In 2025, the program comes with a number of firsts, such as the use of artificial intelligence in project analysis.

The Minister of the Economy, Digitalization, Antrepreneurship and Tourism, Bogdan Ivan, has the details:

“For the first time, we are talking about funding provided exclusively from European funds – 450 million euros. It’s the largest allocation since the beginning of this program. We are talking about skills for entrepreneurs who are going to obtain funding and not just about funding. We are using new technologies and artificial intelligence for a platform through which entrepreneurs will be able to upload these projects. They will be evaluated much faster and, at the same time, we will have a much clearer dynamic of this program.”

Each young entrepreneur who will be admitted to this year’s Start-Up Nation program will receive 50,000 euros, non-refundable, to start a business or to develop the one they already have. The investments will go both into developing entrepreneurial skills and into the business itself. Registration for the skills development module will begin on April 15, with all contracts to be signed and the 50% advance payment to be made by the end of October.

Minister Bogdan Ivan also told us what activities could be financed:

“Production and processing activities are stimulated, especially in the food industry, in the electronics industry and in IT. We are also talking about an impetus for the wood processing industry, paper and cardboard, and we are also talking about a model that can be implemented including in rural areas, especially in those economically disadvantaged areas, which can have and create access to resources for as many young entrepreneurs as possible. The target audience for these programs is young people up to 35 years old.”

Start-Up Nation is in its fourth edition. And, according to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the almost 450 million euros allocated this year represent the largest funding for this program so far. Since, for the first time, the money comes only from European funds, the State budget is relieved. (MI)