Call window open Vest Ventures — regional venture capital fund for start-ups in the West Region (PR Vest 2021–2027)
Vest Ventures, a €16.5 million venture capital fund under PR Vest 2021–2027, offers pre-acceleration, acceleration and pre-seed and seed investment for start-ups in the West Region. It is investing €1.4 million by the end of 2026. The second cohort starts on 2 November 2026.
- Who can apply
- Early-stage start-ups and companies from the West Region (Arad, Caraș-Severin, Hunedoara, Timiș)…
- Total budget
- 16.5 million
- Funding amount
- The amount invested per start-up and the equity share taken by the fund have not been published
- Submission period
- online registration at vestventures.vc; the second cohort starts on 2 November 2026, and the registration deadline has not been announced
Checked in official sources on · funder: ADR Vest · official source
The call window is open. The time left until the deadline decides whether we can still build your application in time, so call today.
Who can apply
Early-stage start-ups and companies from the West Region (Arad, Caraș-Severin, Hunedoara, Timiș) or willing to relocate here. Individuals or teams, with or without a business idea, can join pre-acceleration. Acceleration takes teams that have already tested the problem they are solving, with founders from several disciplines. For seed investments, the fund looks for early-stage tech founders who already have concrete results and a validated problem.
What it covers
- Regional pre-acceleration programmes
- Intensive 16-week acceleration programme, organised in cohorts (four acceleration cohorts)
- Pre-seed and seed equity investments in start-ups
- Mentoring and workshops
- Access to the investor network
Apply in the current call window
- We analyse whether you qualify and under which programme exactly.
- We build the application: business plan, budget, supporting documents.
- We submit during the call window and follow the evaluation.
- We stay with you through the reimbursement file and final payment.
Frequently asked questions
Does Vest Ventures give non-refundable grants?
No. Vest Ventures is a venture capital fund financed with EU money from the West Regional Programme 2021–2027: it invests in start-ups in exchange for an equity stake. The pre-acceleration and acceleration programmes also offer mentoring, workshops and access to the investor network.
Can I apply to Vest Ventures if my company is not from the West Region?
Yes, if you are willing to move to the region. According to the fund's website, the acceleration programme is open to start-ups from the West Region (Arad, Caraș-Severin, Hunedoara, Timiș) or those willing to relocate here.
How much can a start-up receive from Vest Ventures?
The amount per start-up has not been officially published, nor has the equity share taken by the fund. It is known that about €6 million of the total budget of €16.5 million is earmarked for direct pre-seed investments. €1.4 million will be invested by the end of 2026.
When does the next Vest Ventures cohort start and how do I apply?
The accelerator's second cohort starts on 2 November 2026. Applications are made online at vestventures.vc. The registration deadline has not been publicly announced, so selection realistically takes place in the weeks beforehand; apply as soon as possible and confirm the timetable with the fund's team.
What kind of businesses is Vest Ventures looking for?
The fund looks for early-stage tech start-ups with a validated problem and, for acceleration, teams with founders from several disciplines. What matters is the team, the technology, the market and the potential for international growth. The first announced investment is Fiora5, a deep tech start-up developing intellectual property for high-performance, low-energy processors.
Who manages Vest Ventures?
The fund is managed by a consortium of Startup Wise Guys, Cowork Timișoara, Growceanu and Iceberg Plus. The money is allocated through ADR Vest, the Managing Authority for the West Regional Programme 2021–2027. Vest Ventures is the first regional venture capital fund with EU funding allocated through ADR Vest.
How long does it take to prepare the application?
It depends on the complexity of the project and the documents you already have. The first step is the eligibility analysis, which tells you what needs to be prepared.
What happens if I do not qualify?
We tell you before any contract is signed, and if another suitable programme exists, we point you to it.
Next step
Apply in the current call window — Vest Ventures — regional venture capital fund for start-ups in the West Region (PR Vest 2021–2027)
Fill in the form and we will tell you whether you qualify. If you do not qualify under this programme, we will tell you which other one you could apply for — or that there is none, if that is the case.
or call us directly on 0755 167 167
Other programmes
North-East Regional Programme 2021-2027 — Investments for the modernisation of micro-enterprises, Call 2 (PR/NE/2026/P1/RSO1.3/2/1)
De minimis grants of 100,000–300,000 EUR for micro-enterprises in the North-East region. Funding covers production or service capacity, new technologies and automation, marketing and branding, and digitalisation. Budget: 20.37 million EUR. Submit in MySMIS2021 by 28 October 2026, 14:00.
Call window closedPR Bucharest-Ilfov – technological modernisation of micro-enterprises (call PR BI P1/1.8/1/2025)
Grants of 25,000–300,000 euro (maximum 90%, de minimis) for micro-enterprises in urban Bucharest-Ilfov: equipment, technologies, software and production premises. The call closed on 17 February 2025 and no new call window has been announced.
Call window openPR South-West Oltenia 2021-2027 – Support for the development of strategic technologies (STEP)
Competitive call under PR South-West Oltenia (Priority 9, STEP), open until 18 January 2027, 12:00: grants of €500,000–10,000,000 for SMEs, large companies and research organisations in Oltenia. Budget: €27,631,500 from the ERDF.