[REVISION HISTORY]

Economic support for Serbian SMEs and startups

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2026-09-17 11:18 UTC → 2026-09-21 15:13 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Serbia is seeing a series of economic initiatives aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the startup ecosystem. In early September, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with European Union support, launched the Portfolio Risk Sharing Facility (PRS). This mechanism provides non-financial portfolio guarantees to financial institutions to reduce lending barriers for businesses in sectors like tourism, agriculture, and the green economy, particularly those in rural areas or owned by women and youth. By mid-September, additional domestic and international support measures were introduced. The National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED) announced a startup ecosystem strategy running through 2030. Concurrently, the ‘POS Program 2.0’ was launched to provide free POS terminals to approximately 11,000 small businesses, while a 100 million dinar government program was approved to fund equipment and modernization. Furthermore, the Business Incubator Novi Sad and the European House began organizing information sessions across six cities to promote the ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ program. In late September, the European Investment Bank (EIB) expanded these efforts through new agreements with major financial institutions. A 22 million euro package with Erste Bank, comprising a 20 million euro loan and 2 million euros in EU grants, focuses on digitalization, the green transition, and sustainable agriculture. The grants allow qualifying companies to reduce repayment amounts by 10 percent. Additionally, a 56.5 million euro initiative was secured with UniCredit Bank and UniCredit Leasing Serbia. This package includes 50 million euros in loans and 6.5 million euros in grants, specifically targeting companies committed to inclusive employment and the professional advancement of women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

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