Over €1 Million Invested to support Moldova’s innovation ecosystem with EU funding

Over €1 Million Invested to support Moldova’s innovation ecosystem with EU funding

Six organisations in the Republic of Moldova have received more than €1 million in EU grants to develop programmes supporting startups and entrepreneurs across different stages of business growth — from ideation and incubation to acceleration, investment readiness and international expansion.

The grants were awarded under the EU4Innovation East project at the event “Empowering Moldova’s Startup Ecosystem through EU Funding,” bringing together representatives of the Government of Moldova, the European Union, France and the country’s entrepreneurial community.

The six organisations were selected through a competitive evaluation process. Their programmes are designed to address different needs across Moldova’s startup pipeline, creating new opportunities for founders to develop ideas, validate products, access investment and reach international markets.

ATIC (National Association of ICT Companies) – ASCENDThe ASCEND program will provide training for young people and IT specialists, with a target of developing at least 20 prototypes and attracting €100,000 in investment.

Dreamups – Dreamups Startup Growth PipelineThe program will offer founders an end-to-end pathway from idea development to scaling, combining incubation, acceleration and product management training.

Startup Moldova – IGNITEIGNITE will support startups in accessing EU markets, provide expansion grants and develop the startup.md platform, which aims to centralize information on more than 300 ecosystem stakeholders.

Technovator – Moldova Deep Innovation PathwayThe program will focus on DeepTech solutions through activities including the 2026 edition of GigaHack, microgrants and pre-acceleration support in Bucharest.

XY Partners – MISSION 5: HealthTechThe program will support healthcare innovation through clinical validation, at least five pilot projects in medical institutions and access to investments of up to €200,000.

YEP! Moldova – Startup101 AcademyThe 12-month program will engage more than 1,000 young people, support the development of 50 Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and connect participants with experts from the Moldovan diaspora.

Together, the programs will provide founders with access to training, mentoring, incubation and acceleration, hackathons, microgrants, pilot opportunities, investment-readiness support and connections to international markets, investors and the diaspora community.

The investment comes as Moldova’s startup ecosystem continues to expand. According to the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index, Moldova recorded 91.9% growth, making it the fastest-growing startup ecosystem in Europe. The country is now home to more than 300 active tech startups, while companies such as Planable and Fagura demonstrate the potential of Moldovan-founded businesses to compete in international markets.

Despite this progress, moving from an early-stage idea to a sustainable, internationally competitive business remains a challenge for many founders. Access to structured incubation, acceleration, investment readiness, market opportunities and specialized expertise can play a critical role in helping startups make this transition.

Through the new grants, EU4Innovation East is supporting organizations that can provide this structured support over the longer term, strengthening the pipeline of startups moving from early-stage development towards investment and international growth.

The grant award ceremony brought together public officials, diplomatic representatives and key figures from Moldova’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Among the participants were Natalia Selevestru, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization; Julda Kielyte, Team Leader for Competitive and Inclusive Growth at the EU Delegation to Moldova; Her Excellency Dominique Waag, Ambassador of France to the Republic of Moldova; and Charles Mathiaux, Deputy Project Director of EU4Innovation East.

In her opening address, Natalia Selevestru, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, highlighted the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship for Moldova’s economic development:

Natalia Selevestru, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization: “Startups can become an important driver of Moldova’s economic transformation through the solutions they develop, the jobs they create, and the investments they attract. For a good idea to become a viable business and, ultimately, a company capable of competing in international markets, founders need skills, mentorship, and access to investors and markets. That is why we must invest not only in today’s startups, but also in the next generation of founders.”

Dominique Waag, Ambassador of France to the Republic of Moldova, highlighted the importance of the Moldovan-French and European partnership in supporting the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem: “France is proud to stand alongside the Republic of Moldova, together with its partners, in developing and strengthening its startup ecosystem. We are open to sharing our experience and the lessons we have learned in building a dynamic startup and innovation ecosystem. Exchanges between entrepreneurs and organisations from our two countries have already created important opportunities for collaboration and greater visibility for Moldovan stakeholders, including through events such as VivaTech, DeepTech Week and Emerging Valley. We are pleased that the visit to Paris-Saclay has opened up prospects for potential cooperation with Moldova HiTech Park. We hope that these exchanges will mark the beginning of a long-term partnership, with many more opportunities for cooperation between our ecosystems.”

The European Union’s commitment to Moldova’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem was further reaffirmed by Julda Kielyte, Team Leader for Competitive and Inclusive Growth at the EU Delegation to Moldova:

“Europe needs innovators, and the Republic of Moldova has the talent and potential to contribute to this ecosystem. European integration is not only about institutions and common standards, but also about connections between entrepreneurs, technologies and markets. Through the regional EU4Innovation East project, we are turning this vision into concrete support for startups - from idea validation to investment and internationalisation. Our goal is to ensure that ideas developed in the Republic of Moldova have every opportunity to grow and become competitive in the European market. Created in Moldova. Scaled in Europe.”

Charles Mathiaux, Deputy Project Director of the EU4Innovation East project, emphasized the practical impact of the grants:

“I had a challenging task, as I evaluated 63 projects and reviewed a strong set of high-quality proposals. I would like to congratulate all the winning organisations on the excellent projects they have put forward, which will support a wide range of activities benefiting startups across the Republic of Moldova. This programme is important for strengthening Moldova’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and creating new opportunities for its startups. At the same time, this initiative is the result of the work of an entire team, and especially the team in Chisinau. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to building this support mechanism for Moldova’s startup ecosystem.”

The funded programs will be rolled out in the coming period, providing entrepreneurs and aspiring founders with new opportunities to develop and validate their ideas, build products, access expertise and prepare for investment and international expansion.

EU4Innovation East is a regional project funded by the European Union, co-funded by the Government of France and implemented by Expertise France. The project supports startup ecosystems and innovation-driven entrepreneurship across Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, helping entrepreneurs access skills, funding, markets and international opportunities.