Aligning intelligence…
Aligning intelligence…
30 grant schemes across 6 agencies, tax incentives, regulatory sandboxes, and loan guarantees — all in one place. Filter by what you're building to find the funding that fits.
Key business, technology, and funding events in Malta for SMEs and entrepreneurs.
A premier global leadership forum convening senior leaders from frontier AI laboratories, decentralised ecosystems, regulatory institutions, and venture capital. Hosted by the HumanAIx Foundation. The 2026 theme “Beyond Borders: The Inflection Point of AI” addresses AI governance, the EU AI Act, and capital allocation across next-generation AI infrastructure.
Europe's premier startup event returns to Malta. 2,500+ founders, investors, and corporates gather for two days of keynotes, fireside chats, pitch competitions, and networking. 15 early-stage startups compete for a prize package worth over €1M.
Malta Enterprise's flagship deep-tech conference (3rd edition) on Europe's semiconductor sovereignty — the EU Chips Act, IPCEI, and supply-chain resilience. Brings industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to Malta.
Select a category to see which schemes apply. Expand any card for full details including requirements, documents, and application process.
Digitalise Your SME funds web development, business intelligence, and AI integration projects. The Innovate Scheme supports product innovation. Skills Development covers team training.
Explore our BI, AI & web servicesThese stack on top of grants — claim them alongside any scheme above to maximise your total benefit.
175% tax deduction on qualifying R&D expenditure. Applies to salaries, materials, and subcontracting costs for eligible R&D activities.
Estimated Benefit
For every €10,000 of R&D spend, deduct €17,500 from taxable income. At Malta's 35% corporate tax rate, this saves €6,125 per €10,000 spent (vs €3,500 with normal deduction). Net extra saving: €2,625 per €10,000.
Accelerated write-off of AI, digital, automation, and cybersecurity capital expenditure over 2 years instead of the standard 4–6 year depreciation period. Expanded in Budget 2026 to explicitly cover AI and cybersecurity.
Estimated Benefit
Front-loads tax relief. A €50,000 tech investment is written off in 2 years (€25,000/year) instead of 5 years (€10,000/year), generating €5,250/year additional tax shield in years 1–2 (at 35% corporate rate).
Malta's regulatory clarity and proactive incentives make it one of the EU's most attractive jurisdictions for AI and blockchain businesses.
Malta was among the first EU states to designate a national competent authority. The MDIA enforces the AI Act via L.N. 226 of 2025, giving businesses clear regulatory guidance from day one.
Test emerging AI and blockchain products under regulatory supervision. The sandbox offers compliance guidance, good-faith protections, and early-mover positioning before the Act's transparency obligations apply in August 2026.
The Innovative Technology Arrangements and Services certification provides market credibility for AI and blockchain products, signalling regulatory alignment to clients and partners.
Malta's 2026 national budget allocates €100 million for AI and blockchain initiatives, including the 10% AI top-up on Fondi.eu grants and expanded R&D incentives for tech SMEs.
Many startups treat legal structure as something to deal with later. That approach stops working once you apply for grants or scale beyond your first market.
Your entity type directly affects which grants you qualify for. Several schemes require a Limited company or PLC, and evaluators check that your structure supports the project scale. Get this right before applying.
Grant evaluators verify that you own the intellectual property you are commercialising. If IP sits with founders personally rather than the company, your application is at risk. Formal IP assignment agreements are essential.
Supplier and employment contracts must support cross-jurisdiction operations. Most schemes require minimum 2 quotations for costs above €5,000 — your procurement process needs to be grant-ready from the start.
Is your governance robust enough for external investment and grant compliance? Board composition, articles of association, and shareholder registers are not just legal formalities — they are evaluation criteria.
Yes. Many Malta grants are stackable — for example, MicroInvest tax credits can be combined with Digitalise Your SME or the Innovate Scheme. However, some schemes conflict (e.g. Digitalise Your SME and Digitalise Your Business cannot fund the same project). Always check stacking rules before applying.
De minimis is an EU State Aid ceiling of €300,000 over any rolling 3-year period. Several Malta schemes (MicroInvest, Business Development, SME Enhance) fall under de minimis. If you've received other de minimis aid recently, it counts towards this ceiling.
Processing times vary by scheme: simpler programmes like SME Consultancy Services take 4–5 weeks, while larger schemes like Innovate or R&D can take 10–16 weeks. Most Malta Enterprise schemes are processed within 6–8 weeks.
While not always mandatory, having an accountant or financial advisor review your application significantly improves approval chances. Most schemes require audited financial statements and budget projections that benefit from professional preparation.
Yes. Business START offers up to €10,000 in seed funding for businesses less than 36 months old. Startups also qualify for MicroInvest, Digitalise Your SME, and the Accelerate programme (up to 7 years old). Some schemes offer higher aid intensity for micro enterprises and startups.
Most grants are reimbursement-based — you implement the project, submit invoices and milestone reports, and receive payment after verification. You must keep records for audit purposes, complete the project within the agreed timeline, and comply with reporting requirements. Failure to comply can result in clawback of funds.
Our Discovery Agent matches your company profile against all 30 schemes and recommends the optimal co-funding stack — available now in the dashboard. Or book a consultation to get started.