ESPA for Graduates 2026: “Starting in Business” with funding of up to €36,000

07 May, 2026 18:39

A new and important ESPA action is opening for young graduates who want to take their first entrepreneurial step or who have recently started their business activity.

The “Starting in Business” program is part of the Competitiveness Programme ESPA 2021–2027, has a total budget of €70,000,000, and provides 100% public funding for eligible business plans.

The electronic application process began on Wednesday, 6 May 2026, and will be completed on Tuesday, 30 June 2026 at 15:00, through OPSKE.

👥 Who the program is for

The action is mainly addressed to graduates who obtained their first degree after 1 January 2016 and wish to:

✅ establish a new business
✅ develop a newly established activity
✅ make professional use of their field of study
✅ create a sustainable business activity

Under-establishment and newly established small or very small graduate-owned businesses may also participate in the program.

📌 Key details of the action

The action is funded by the European Social Fund+ and aims to support self-employment, new entrepreneurship, and the creation of sustainable jobs.

💶 How much funding is available

Public funding covers 100% of the total eligible subsidised budget.

In practice, a young graduate with a sole proprietorship may receive a basic grant of €13,000, while with the creation of a new job position, the amount may reach up to €28,000.

Accordingly, a corporate or multi-shareholder scheme may receive €21,000 and, with the additional support for a new job position, reach a total of up to €36,000.

🧾 How the grant is paid

The grant is not paid in full from day one. It is disbursed gradually, based on specific operational milestones.

This means that approval of the application alone is not enough. The business must actually operate, maintain eligible activity, and meet the required milestones.

🏢 Under-establishment and newly established businesses

The action distinguishes between two main categories:

1. Under-establishment businesses

This concerns businesses that will be established after the submission of the funding application.

The establishment must take place within the deadlines set by the call, and the business must operate exclusively in eligible KAD activity codes.

This category concerns those who have not yet registered a start of activity with AADE, but want to properly organize their business step.

2. Newly established businesses

This concerns businesses that were established from 1 January 2025 up to and including the date of application submission.

This category is of particular interest to those who have already started business activity during 2025 or 2026 and wish to strengthen their business during its first critical stages of operation.

✅ Basic participation requirements

Participation in the program does not depend only on holding a degree. Specific requirements must also be met.

Indicatively:

🔹 acquisition of the first degree after 01/01/2016
🔹 only one application per Tax Identification Number (AFM)
🔹 eligible KAD activity code according to the call
🔹 personal income up to €30,000
🔹 in the case of a dependent family member, family income up to €75,000
🔹 no salaried employment relationship at the start and during implementation
🔹 no old-age pension
🔹 independent and purely professional business premises
🔹 no overlap between the implementation site and the residence of the beneficiary or a first- or second-degree relative
🔹 no participation of 25% or more in another business
🔹 no inclusion in or submission to another subsidized program in the same capacity

Full eligibility must be carefully checked before submission.

📍 Why the KAD activity code is critical

One of the most important points of the program is the eligible KAD activity code.

The business must operate exclusively under KAD codes provided for in the call. For those who have not yet started business activity, this means that planning must be done correctly from the outset.

For those who have already started business activity, it must be checked whether the existing KAD codes are eligible and whether the requirement of exclusive activity is met.

A common mistake is for applicants to assume that “having the degree is enough.” In reality, there must be a proper connection between the degree, the KAD, the business activity, and the operating plan.

🏠 Attention to the business premises

The call places particular importance on the business premises.

The premises must be independent, used exclusively for professional purposes, and must not coincide with the residence of the beneficiary or a first- or second-degree relative.

Before submission, the following should be checked:

✅ the registered business address
✅ the use of the premises
✅ autonomy and exclusive use
✅ whether another business operates in the same space
✅ whether there is co-location or operational dependence
✅ whether the premises can be properly documented

The correct choice of business premises may have a decisive effect on the course of the application.

🧩 What the program can cover

The action is implemented through the simplified cost method. This means that the support is paid as a predefined lump-sum amount, without the classic process of certifying invoices and payments for each expense.

However, the business must genuinely operate and comply with all program obligations.

Indicatively, the action is linked to needs such as:

🔹 operating expenses
🔹 business premises
🔹 accounting and consulting support
🔹 promotion and networking
🔹 equipment and consumables
🔹 insurance contributions
🔹 creation of a new job position

👩💼 Which professions may be interested

The program may concern many graduates who wish to start or strengthen their own business activity.

Indicatively:

• young engineers
• architects
• IT professionals
• programmers
• economists
• accountants
• business consultants
• nutritionists
• psychologists
• occupational therapists
• tourism professionals
• marketing specialists
• creative professions
• STEM professionals

Final eligibility is not determined only by profession, but by the full set of terms in the call.

📝 How the application is submitted

The funding application is submitted exclusively online through OPSKE.

The evaluation is carried out through comparative assessment, which means that it is not enough for an application simply to be eligible. It must also be complete, properly structured, and competitive.

The quality of the application file, proper documentation, the choice of KAD, the business premises, and the business rationale all play an important role.

📂 What the applicant should prepare

For the initial eligibility check, the following are useful:

✅ degree certificate and date of acquisition of the first degree
✅ identity details
✅ tax assessment notice for the latest available tax year
✅ confirmation of whether salaried employment exists or not
✅ business activity idea
✅ possible or existing KAD
✅ date of commencement at AADE, if a business already exists
✅ business premises details or intention to lease premises
✅ basic operating and development plan
✅ intention to hire staff, if applicable

Timely preparation is essential, as mistakes in the KAD, the premises, the start date, or the supporting documentation may create problems both in the evaluation and in implementation.

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

In funding programs, problems do not always appear at the initial submission stage. They often emerge after approval, during implementation.

Common mistakes include:

🔸 choosing a non-eligible KAD
🔸 starting the business without prior review
🔸 using premises that do not meet the requirements
🔸 confusion between residence and business premises
🔸 co-location without clear separation
🔸 underestimating the obligation of real operation
🔸 incorrect assessment regarding the creation of a new job position
🔸 incomplete entry of data in OPSKE
🔸 business plan lacking a clear viability rationale

✅ Conclusion

ESPA for Graduates 2026 – Starting in Business is an important opportunity for young graduates who wish to establish or strengthen a newly established business.

With 100% funding, a basic grant of €13,000 for a sole proprietorship, €21,000 for a corporate scheme, and additional support of up to €15,000 for a new job position, the program may reach a total of up to €36,000.

However, success does not depend only on the degree. It requires proper preparation, an eligible KAD, suitable business premises, verification of income and other restrictions, and complete submission through OPSKE.

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