INOVA Launches €25m Green Grants for SMEs in North Macedonia

North Macedonia’s Agency for Innovation, Scientific and Technological Development and Entrepreneurship has launched a grant program to support small and medium-sized businesses investing in environmental protection and sustainability.

The green business support program for 2026–2030 is valued at €25 million, with €22 million earmarked for direct subsidies, according to the agency (INOVA). Eligible companies can receive between €5,000 and €300,000, provided they co-finance 20% to 50% of the investment, depending on the project type.

The European Union is providing €18 million, while the remaining funding will come from the Government of North Macedonia.

At least 300 companies expected to benefit

INOVA said it expects to support at least 300 companies, focusing primarily on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, particularly in manufacturing, while remaining open to applicants from other sectors. The program is designed to back projects that reduce CO₂ emissions and waste and increase the use of renewable energy, with a particular emphasis on solar power, the agency noted.

Through public calls, businesses will be able to apply for technical and advisory assistance, standardization support, and financial backing for the purchase of equipment, deployment of new technologies, and development of new products.

INOVA expects the first public call around mid-year.

Previously, the agency said the initiative would be implemented through three instruments: green startups (grants up to €40,000), green modernization (up to €150,000 per beneficiary), and transformation of industrial systems (subsidies of €300,000 per beneficiary).

Officials frame program as competitiveness and climate action measure

INOVA CEO Daniela Dimovska said the initiative offers both financial and expert support to companies investing in sustainable, environmentally friendly, and innovative solutions, describing it as a step toward an economy guided by long-term thinking and responsible action.

Daniela Dimovska, Hristijan Mickoski, and Michalis Rokas (photo: INOVA/Facebook)

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the program aims to help the country advance toward the climate neutrality goals set out in the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, by strengthening the private sector and promoting sustainable business practices. He added that green transformation should be viewed not as a cost, but as an investment in economic resilience, environmental quality, and citizens’ well-being.

EU Ambassador to North Macedonia Michalis Rokas said the program is expected to stimulate innovation and the adoption of green technologies among SMEs, supporting a new stage of development that improves competitiveness and strengthens integration into EU value chains.