Romania launches a 100 million euro program to support Romanians living abroad who are starting businesses in their home country

The Romanian Ministry of Finance has announced the official launch of a new large-scale program called “Diaspora Invests at Home,” which has a budget of 100 million euro, BalkanEngineer.com learned from Romania-Insider.com. The initiative represents the first-of-its-kind financing scheme, directly supported by the government, which is specifically aimed at Romanian citizens living abroad and aims to encourage them to start their own businesses and invest back in their homeland.

Under the program, newly established companies in which Romanian citizens with permanent residence abroad are majority owners will be able to apply for grants of up to 200,000 euro to secure investment loans. State aid may cover up to 60% of the value of investment loans, with eligible amounts ranging from 5,000 to 500,000 euro. The financial support will be available between 2026 and 2029, with the administration of the scheme entrusted to the Investment and Development Bank.

According to the ministry’s official requirements, approved beneficiaries will be required to provide their own contribution of at least 10% of the total investment project cost; for young entrepreneurs under the age of 35, this threshold is reduced to 5%. Applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria, including having lived abroad for a period of at least 12 consecutive months within the last 18 months, as well as having at least one year of professional or academic experience in the sector for which funding is sought. Approved entrepreneurs are also required to maintain the investment made and the company’s ownership structure for a period of at least three years after the project’s completion.

According to Acting Minister of Finance Alexandru Nazare, the program’s goal is to transform the professional experience, skills, and resources of Romanians in the diaspora into a real engine for the country’s economic development, sending a strong signal that the state actively supports their contribution to the national economy. The maximum repayment term for loans granted under the program will be 10 years, with the final date for full repayment set for December 31, 2037.

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