A TOTAL OF EUR 7,5 MILLION AVAILABLE TO CROATIAN AND HUNGARIAN ENTREPRENEURS FOR CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROJECTS
The Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovations and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO) has published the documentation for the 1st Call for Light Project Proposals for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from the cross-border area of Croatia and Hungary, within the project B Light 2 – Fostering cross-border business cooperation of SMEs operating on different sides of the Hungary-Croatia border.
The first Call for Light Project Proposals will be launched on 24 September 2026, making EUR 3.75 million available from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Croatia and Hungary for the implementation of cross-border cooperation projects.
European funding may cover up to 80% of the total Light Project value, with the maximum amount of EU funding available per Light project set at EUR 300,000.00.
Each Light Project proposal must involve at least two partners, one Croatian and one Hungarian entrepreneur, while the maximum number of partners is four. Research and development organisations are eligible to participate provided that the project includes at least two SMEs, one from Croatia and one from Hungary.
Eligible applicants are small and medium-sized enterprises registered in the cross-border programme area of Croatia (Međimurje, Varaždin, Koprivnica-Križevci, Bjelovar-Bilogora, Virovitica-Podravina, Požega-Slavonia, Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srijem Counties) and Hungary (Zala, Somogy and Baranya Counties).
The complete documentation related to the 1st Call of the B Light 2 project is available at the following link.
The B Light 2 project and all details of the Call will be presented at the Opening Conference in Pécs on 23 September 2026.
The conference programme is available at the following link. Participation in the conference is free of charge, and registration is available via the registration form.
The B Light 2 project is a strategic project supporting cooperation among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Hungary-Croatia border area under the Interreg VI-A Hungary-Croatia Programme 2021–2027, as a continuation of the strategic B Light project implemented during the previous programming period.
The overall objective of the B Light 2 project is to improve the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs so-called Light Partners) in the border area between Croatia and Hungary by promoting the development and expansion of advanced capacities for product and service innovation, enabling them to compete more effectively in both local and international markets.
HAMAG-BICRO is the Lead Partner of the project, with three Hungarian and four Croatian institutions participating as Territorial Partners in their respective regions:
- Zala Megyei Vállalkozásfejlesztési Alapítvány
- Somogy Társadalmi Felemelkedéséért Fejlesztési,Kommunikációs,Oktatási Nonprofit Kft
- Baranya Vármegyei Fejlesztési Ügynökség Nonprofit Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság,
- Javna ustanova za razvoj Međimurske županije REDEA
- PORA Regionalna razvojna agencija Koprivničko-križevačke županije
- Poduzetnički inkubator Virovitičko-Podravske županije
- Centar za poduzetništvo
For further information, please contact: blight@hamagbicro.hr.
The project is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
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