Start-ups and diaspora 30 September 2026 5 min read

Start-Up Nation: 17,600 places on free courses for young people under 30, from 6 October

MEDAT reopens registration on 6 October 2026 at 10:00 for the free Start-Up Nation courses for people aged 18–29: 17,600 places, 40 hours, followed by access to grants of up to 250,000 lei.

Todos & Company editorial team · EU funding consultancy since 2006

Start-Up Nation: 17,600 places on free courses for young people under 30, from 6 October

The Ministry of Economy, Digitalisation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism (MEDAT) is reopening registration for the free entrepreneurship courses under the Start-Up Nation programme, aimed at young people aged 18 to under 30. The 17,600 places can be taken from 6 October 2026, at 10:00, on the minimis.imm.gov.ro platform. Graduates who set up a company can then access funding of up to 250,000 lei, covering at most 90% of eligible costs.

In brief

Programme: Start-Up Nation, entrepreneurship training courses (the stage that precedes the funding)
Authority: Ministry of Economy, Digitalisation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism (MEDAT)
Beneficiaries: young people aged 18 to under 30, with at least lower secondary education completed (ISCED level 2)
Places available: 17,600, divided into four categories
Course length: 40 hours, online or in person, with an accredited certificate
Registration period: from 6 October 2026, at 10:00, for 30 days, with the possibility of extension until all places are filled
Subsequent funding: up to 250,000 lei per newly established company, at most 90% of eligible costs
Status: registration opens on 6 October 2026

Who can register and how many places are there?

The courses are open to young people aged 18 to under 30 who have completed lower secondary education. The 17,600 places are allocated by place of residence and by membership of the Roma minority:

950 places for young people resident in the Bucharest-Ilfov region;
300 places for young people belonging to the Roma minority, resident in Bucharest-Ilfov;
13,500 places for young people resident in the less developed regions (all regions except Bucharest-Ilfov);
2,850 places for young people belonging to the Roma minority, resident in the less developed regions.

The allocation matters: most places are for young people outside Bucharest and Ilfov county. Bucharest-Ilfov has only 1,250 places in total, so they are likely to be taken up faster there.

How does the course work?

The course lasts 40 hours and ends with a graduation certificate accredited by the Ministry of Labour. Participants choose a training provider from those approved on the platform, and the format, online or in person, depending on the places offered by the provider. The courses are free of charge.

Completing the course is the condition for access to the funding stage. Without the certificate, you cannot enter the competition for the grant.

How and by when do you register?

You create an account on the minimis.imm.gov.ro platform, where the registration guide is also published.
From 6 October 2026, at 10:00, you complete your registration and choose the provider and the course format.
The call window stays open for 30 days. It may be extended until all places are filled, after which a waiting list is formed.

The opening date of the next funding call window for graduates of these courses has not yet been announced.

What happens to the companies already admitted in the 4th edition?

On 28 September 2026, MEDAT announced that it is starting to sign contracts for the first call window of the 4th edition, the one for legal entities. This covers 3,140 contracts, with budget resources of approximately 800 million lei.

Beneficiaries download the non-refundable financial allocation award document from minimis.imm.gov.ro, sign it electronically and upload it again together with proof of co-financing.
The maximum deadline is 40 days from receipt of the admission decision.
In the first stage after contracting, beneficiaries can receive up to 50% of the grant value in dedicated accounts. MEDAT is transferring approximately 400 million lei to the partner banks, which have seven days to transfer the money to beneficiaries.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: if you are under 30 and are thinking of starting a business, register on the first day. The course is free and mandatory for funding, and in previous editions places filled up quickly in some regions.

Use the 40 hours to prepare your business plan: what activity you will carry out, what CAEN code you have, what equipment you will buy, who your customers are and how you will provide the jobs required by the programme's procedure. Check now whether your activity is eligible. Some CAEN codes are excluded, while others bring extra points.

Common pitfalls:

exceeding the age limit: the condition is under 30, and the time between the course and the funding can be long;
co-financing: the grant covers at most 90%, so the difference and the ineligible costs must be proven from your own money;
the company: the funding is for newly established companies set up by graduates, so do not set up the company before reading the conditions in the procedure in force.

You can quickly check which other programmes suit you with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Start-Up Nation course cost?

Nothing. The entrepreneurship training courses under the Start-Up Nation programme are free for participants. They last 40 hours and end with an accredited certificate.

When does registration for the Start-Up Nation courses begin?

On 6 October 2026, at 10:00, on the minimis.imm.gov.ro platform. The call window lasts 30 days and may be extended until the 17,600 places are filled.

Can I take the course online?

Yes. Participants choose between online and in-person formats, depending on what the training providers approved on the platform offer.

Will I automatically receive funding after the course?

No. The graduation certificate only gives you the right to take part in the funding stage, in which the newly established company can obtain up to 250,000 lei, at most 90% of eligible costs. The date of this stage has not yet been announced.

What must the companies admitted in the first call window of the 4th edition do?

They must electronically sign the financial allocation award document from minimis.imm.gov.ro and upload it again together with proof of co-financing, within 40 days at most of receiving the admission decision.

Official sources

Information verified on 30 September 2026. The conditions may be amended by the managing authority — check the guide in force before submitting.