Green Business Innovation: €50 million from the Norway Grants for companies in Romania

Romania will have a new programme dedicated to green innovation in the business environment: Green Business Innovation, funded with €50 million from the Norway Grants 2021–2028 and administered by Innovation Norway. The official launch takes place on Wednesday, 18 November 2026, in Bucharest, in the presence of Romanian and Norwegian authorities. The calls for proposals have not yet been opened, and the detailed eligibility conditions are yet to be published.

In brief

• Programme: Green Business Innovation (Norway Grants 2021–2028)
• Authority: Innovation Norway, designated as fund operator
• Beneficiaries: the business environment in Romania; the detailed eligibility criteria have not yet been announced
• Total budget: €50,000,000
• Value per project: not yet announced
• Status: programme announced; official launch on 18 November 2026 in Bucharest; calls not yet open

What is the Green Business Innovation programme?

Green Business Innovation is one of the nine programmes through which Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are funding Romania in the 2021–2028 period of the EEA and Norway Grants. The memoranda of understanding were signed on 12 May 2026, and the total allocation for Romania is €596.3 million, one of the largest among all beneficiary states.

Of this package, the Green Business Innovation programme receives €50 million and is one of two programmes administered directly by Innovation Norway (the other being Clean Energy Transition), the Norwegian government agency for business development, which has an office in Bucharest. According to the announcement published by the Ministry of Investments and European Projects on the EU Opportunities portal, the programme aims to support innovation and competitiveness in the Romanian business environment and to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Romania and Norway.

According to the official page of the launch event, the programme will target Romanian-Norwegian business cooperation, green innovation, the development of entrepreneurial skills, start-ups and women-led enterprises.

Who will be able to apply?

The official announcement names business stakeholders, industry associations and members of the innovation ecosystem as the target audience. The specific eligibility criteria, such as company size, age, fields of activity and whether a Norwegian partner is mandatory, have not yet been published; they will be set through the calls for proposals.

A useful benchmark is the previous round of the grants: according to Innovation Norway, projects worth over €100 million were funded in Romania in green and digital innovation, renewable energy and the greening of industry, with private SMEs as the main target group. It is reasonable to expect a similar structure, but this remains an estimate, not official information.

When will the calls open?

The calendar of the calls has not been announced. The first public step is the launch event on 18 November 2026 in Bucharest, where the programme's directions will be presented. Registration for the event is on the b2match platform, with a deadline of 6 November 2026; the event also includes matchmaking sessions between Romanian and Norwegian companies, a direct channel for anyone looking for a Norwegian project partner.

Until the calls are published, there are no submission forms, deadlines or budgets per call. Any figure circulating in the press about the grant value per project is, at this point, unofficial.

What other programmes do the Norway Grants bring to Romania?

The 2021–2028 package also includes, among others, Green Transition (€84 million), Local Development (€93.6 million), Research and Innovation (€45 million) and Clean Energy Transition (€40 million), programmes relevant both to companies and to local public authorities. These are operated by Romanian ministries and agencies or by international partners and will have their own calls.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: do not wait for the guide to be published before you start preparing. In the previous round, the Innovation Norway calls were among the most accessible funding opportunities for Romanian SMEs, with procedures in English, quick evaluation and an emphasis on the business plan rather than bureaucracy, and they were oversubscribed quickly.

What you can do now: clarify your investment project with a green component (energy efficiency, waste reduction, cleaner products or processes), keep your financial statements up to date and, if possible, look for a Norwegian partner; taking part in the matchmaking on 18 November is the most direct route. Women-led companies and start-ups should follow the programme as a priority, as they are explicitly mentioned among the targeted areas. You can use the eligibility check so that we can see together which funding options suit you until the calls open.

Frequently asked questions

Can projects already be submitted under Green Business Innovation?

No. The programme will be officially launched on 18 November 2026 in Bucharest, and the calls for proposals, with deadlines and eligibility conditions, have not yet been published. Submission will only be possible once Innovation Norway opens the first call.

How much can a company receive through this programme?

The grant value per project has not been announced. Officially, only the total budget of the programme is known, €50 million, confirmed in the memoranda signed on 12 May 2026 between Romania and the donor states.

Is a partner from Norway mandatory?

This has not yet been announced. The programme's stated objective is to strengthen bilateral Romania–Norway cooperation, and the launch event includes matchmaking sessions with Norwegian companies, but whether a partnership is mandatory will be set in the guide for each call.

Who can attend the launch event on 18 November 2026?

Representatives of the business environment, industry associations and the innovation ecosystem. Registration is on the event's b2match platform, until 6 November 2026, and attendance includes access to the programme presentation and bilateral meetings with potential partners.

Official sources

• Announcement of the launch of the Green Business Innovation programme — EU Opportunities (MIPE)
• Renewed cooperation with Romania — EEA and Norway Grants (2021–2028 memoranda)
• Official page of the launch event — Romania Green Business Innovation Programme

Information checked on 20 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.