bs-icon-menu

GRANTS

EmBRACE

embrace-img

EmBRACE (Enhancing MSEs sustainaBle gRowth And CompEtitiveness) – Project Overview

Small Project Fund (SPF) EmBRACE is a pilot project that finances cooperation among micro and small enterprises along the border area of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, under the Interreg VI-A IPA Cross-Border Program Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 and Interreg Italy-Croatia 2021-2027 Programme.

The project aims to enhance the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the cross-border region.

 

Project objectives

Through the EmBRACE project, support is planned for micro and small enterprises to:

  • Encourage competitiveness through the development and adaptation of business models, products, services, and processes, with a strong focus on introducing product or process innovations
  • Development of pilot actions and new business solutions
  • Improvement of cross-border business cooperation of micro and small enterprises.

 

Key Project Features

  • Each Small Project must consist of at least two (2) Final Recipients from different countries participating in the program area, with one partner being from an EU Member State (Croatia).
  • Projects involving partners from all three (3) member countries of the program area receive an additional 5 points during project proposal evaluation.
  • Each Final Recipient (micro or small enterprise) must be registered (headquartered) or have a branch within the program area, be active for at least one year prior to application submission, and belong to the micro or small business category.

Minimum Collaboration Requirement

  • The minimum form of cooperation in a Small Project involves developing a joint technology, service, or product by connecting EmBRACE Final Recipients operating on different sides of the border, with the aim of establishing a new supply chain and/or jointly entering new markets.

Funding & Eligibility

  • Final Recipients are selected micro and small enterprises through open calls.
  • The maximum share of total EU eligible costs that can be covered by the EmBRACE project is up to 85%. The remainder must be funded by the Final Recipients themselves from other sources (e.g., bank loans, other donors).

 

Selection

Small Projects are selected through a one-step selection system via open call (Call for Small Project Proposals).

 

Call for Proposals

2nd Call

A total of EUR 3,000,000.00 from ERDF and IPA III funds of the European Union is available to micro and small entrepreneurs from the program area as part of the 2nd Call for submission of Small Project proposals.

The call for submission of Small Project proposals is open from 01 October 2025 until 15 December 2025.

 

Minimum and maximum size of Small Projects (SP) in the 2nd Call for Applications:

 

Small Peoject size

EU co-financing (up to 85%) 

Minimum per Small Project

20.000,00 EUR

Maximum per Small Project

200.000,00 EUR

 

Reporting:

Small Projects will submit progress reports on a 4-month basis. SPFB (HAMAG-BICRO) will review the submitted reports about implementation progress, ask for completion if needed and accept / approve the submitted reports.

 

Total costs of cooperation activities of Final Recipients may exceed 235.294,00 EUR (EU 200.000,00 EUR), but in this case, all costs above this threshold are regarded as costs outside the Small Project’s eligible cost.

 

Value added tax (VAT) is eligible expenditure and must be planned in Small Project budget.

 

Submission

A Small Project Proposal is prepared jointly by the cooperating MSEs.

 

The required language of Small Project Proposal is English.

Submission of the Small Project Proposal should take place by any of the involved Final Recipients through this online project EmBRACE platform through the upload of:

    1. MS Word format and signed and scanned PDF version
    2. Small Project budget in MS Excel format and
    3. all the needed supplementary documents.

 

SUBMIT YOUR SMALL PROJECT PROPOSAL – CLICK HERE!

 

Small Project duration

The duration of the Small Projects is 6-12 months and must be completed by the end of August 2027 at the latest.

The period of implementation of the Small Project may not start before the date of the receipt of the Small Project Proposal but can start after what should be indicated in the proposal together with the final date of the implementation period of the Small Project.

 

DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE Guidelines for SMEs as Final Recipients (GfA)

 

For more information on EmBRACE SPF project, needed documentation, partner search visit the website https://cbchb.eu/.

QR CODE EmBRACE

1st Call

  • The 1st Call for Small Project proposals was open from June 18 to September 17, 2024.
  • Minimum and Maximum Small Project Amounts (1st Call)

Project Type

Total Eligible Costs (100%)

ERDF Co-financing (up to 85%)

Small Project up to €100,000

Min. €20,000 – Max. €100,000

Max. €85,000

Small Project over €100,000

Max. €235,294

Max. €200,000
  • Funding has been approved for 24 small projects with total eligible costs of EUR 4,811,916.77, of which EUR 4,090,129.24 are from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and IPA III EU funds.

Detailed information about the 24 contracted Small Projects can be found at EmBRACE platform: https://cbchb.eu/cbc-cro-bih-mne/embrace/small-projects/

 

Additional Information

  • Small Project Fund Beneficiary: HAMAG-BICRO
  • Project Duration: 60 months (March 2024 – February 2029)
  • Total project value/EU co-financing: €11,764,706 / EU €10,000,000
  • Funds available to micro and small enterprises/EU co-financing: €10,265,087 / €8.725.324,36
  • The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and IPA III funds of the European Union.

 

For more information on EmBRACE SPF project, needed documentation, partner search visit the website https://cbchb.eu/.

QR CODE EmBRACE

This webpage has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The content of the webpage is the sole responsibility of Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovations and Investments and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and/or the Managing Authorities.