Which funder suits your project?
Business Finland funds above all research and development projects that aim at international growth. Its Sprint grant is 75 % of approved costs, at least 75 000 and at most 100 000 euros, and at least two thirds of the project's costs must be research and development work. The applicant must be a Finnish limited company with fewer than 50 employees and turnover or balance sheet total of at most 10 million euros. Sole traders, general partnerships, cooperatives and associations cannot apply for Sprint.
The Vitality Centre development grant suits SMEs' growth, renewal, internationalisation, productivity and digitalisation more broadly. For development measures the support is at most 50 % of eligible costs, for lump-sum projects at most 60 % and for investments 10–40 % depending on the size and location of the company. The grant must be at least 10 000 € unless the call requires more.
What is not funded
Many applications fail because what is being applied for is ordinary business. The Vitality Centre does not fund sales and marketing, such as advertising campaigns, brand design or websites, nor ordinary IT purchases, software licences or purchases of ready-made buildings. Sectors based mainly on local demand, such as restaurants and beauty and sports services, are usually left outside the support.
Business Finland's Sprint, for its part, does not fund operational activities, sales and marketing, production investments or staff training.
Apply before you start
The most important rule is timing. According to the Vitality Centre, the grant must be applied for before the project starts. A project is considered started when the company signs a contract or order, begins construction work, pays anything or makes any other irrevocable commitment. Planning, obtaining permits and preliminary studies do not yet start the project.
The project can begin at the earliest on the day the application is submitted, at your own risk. In Business Finland's Sprint call too, purchases must be based on a written agreement or order made only after the application is submitted, and procurements above 60 000 euros (VAT 0) must be put out to tender.
Application stages
For Business Finland's Sprint, the company first registers with the My Business Finland service, books a meeting with an expert and submits the application in the funding e-service only after the meeting. The call has been continuous since 1.9.2026. EU-funded grants from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment are applied for in the EURA2021 system, and national ones in the Regional Administration e-service with Suomi.fi identification.
- Project plan: measures, schedule, costs and expected results
- Quotes for purchased services and investments
- Statement of own funding share
- For Sprint, also a shareholder register and an income statement and balance sheet no more than two months old
- Signatory must be a person with signing authority or a Suomi.fi authorisation
Tenders are decided by points
Vitality Centre calls are often regional and time-limited, and applications are scored against the call's selection criteria. Each call has a minimum score that the project must reach. In the spring 2026 R&D call the Vitality Centres received 431 applications requesting a total of 27,1 € million, when 5 € million was available. A good idea is therefore not enough: the application must clearly show what the project changes in the company.
If the project includes the salaries of your own staff, the vitality centre requires a written job description, and the pay must correspond to the normal level for similar duties. Part-time project work must be at least 20% of full annual working time. In development projects, a flat-rate allowance of 7% is automatically added to direct costs, and 1.5% in investments, and these costs are not itemised in the payment request.
Changes to the project must be applied for with a change application before they are made. Payment deadlines are absolute, so mark them in your calendar as soon as you receive the decision.
When the money arrives in the account
Grants are usually not paid in advance, which should be taken into account in the cash plan. The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment usually pays the support after the project has ended, on the basis of realised costs. An advance of at most 30 % of the support applied for may be available, and interim payment is possible. In EURA2021 projects, the final payment must be applied for within four months of the end of the project.
Under Sprint, a company less than five years old receives 70 % in advance if the group has no company that has reached five years of age. Older companies receive the full amount only after the project has ended.
Remember the de minimis limit
Sprint and many other business grants are awarded as de minimis aid. A company can receive a maximum of 300 000 euros over three years, and aid to group companies is added together. Aid granted from 1.1.2026 is recorded in the EU register, so keep a record of all the support you receive. Grants Radar compiles current calls, amounts and deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
Can a sole trader get a Business Finland Sprint grant?
No. Only Finnish limited companies can apply for Sprint; sole traders, general partnerships, cooperatives and associations are excluded.
Can I start the project before the funding decision?
The project can begin at the earliest on the day the application is submitted, at your own risk. If support is not granted, the costs remain payable by the company.
How much advance does the Vitality Centre pay?
An advance can be at most 30 % of the support applied for the project. Otherwise the support is paid on the basis of actual costs.
Calculate it yourself
Ready-made tools
- Grant application template · Application template, budget template and checklist
- Invoice template and invoice register · Invoice with all mandatory details, VAT breakdown, reference number and outstanding receivables
Sources
- Business Finland: Sprint Grant (continuous application 2026)
- Business Finland: Funding services at the beginning of 2026
- Vitality Centre: Business development grant
- Yritys Salo: News on development grants 2/2026
- Business Oulu: Reporting de minimis aid
The article is general information and does not replace the guidance of an authority, a lawyer or an adviser. Check up-to-date information from the sources.