This was announced at the forum Startup Moldova summit 2025. It took place on Wednesday, April 16 this year. “The first step in this direction is to increase the amount of grants given by the ODA for such companies,” Olga Melniciuc, executive director of the Startup Moldova organization, told Logos Press. – Today, they can receive grants of up to $50,000. The amounts will increase. The next step is envisaged for larger and “mature” companies. For them, a 50%/50% scheme will be in effect. The state will provide up to $100 thousand, and the remaining $100 thousand will be provided by the investor. And further, the authorities intend to create a fund that will stimulate the development of additional investment mechanisms in Moldova. The exact dates and figures have not been named yet, but the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization plans to launch it by the end of this year”.
At the end of last year, the creation of a fund for the development of startups was also announced. It was about $5 million of public funds intended to attract additional investments in new projects. This topic is not new for Moldova, if we take into account that more than ten years ago there were already attempts to create such a fund. A draft law was elaborated. But the document was never adopted.
Today, startups are one of the fastest growing business ecosystems in Moldova. The interest in them is high. This is evidenced by the huge number of participants at the forum, where there was literally nowhere for an apple to fall.
But the numbers are more accurate. “In total this year companies generated $40 million in profit, creating a thousand jobs – says Olga Melnicuc. – And a new job is expensive today. Positive dynamics is also observed in attracting investments for startups. Moreover, we are talking about funds not only from foreign business angels, but also from Moldovan ones. This is important, because classical financial instruments are not suitable for them, as they are risky. (Although the EBRD presented its product for startups at the forum). If last year the amount of raised funds amounted to $8 million, this year the companies already have a similar amount. The number of startups that attract investments has also grown. Although these may be small amounts, what is important is the positive dynamics. Investors are increasingly coming to startups. Most of them have been created at the intersection of technology and areas such as medicine, education, and finance, where startups are most developed. Many such projects appear in marketing and the creative industry. Groups of companies have been created around these areas. In total, there are over 250 of them in Moldova”.
Another good news is that a new provision has been introduced in the legislation, which will give an additional impetus to the development of startups. If a company wants to test its idea, it will be exempted from the obligation to prepare all the documents necessary for legalization. It will be possible to obtain them after the startup proves that the product works. In the energy sector, this rule is already allowing new companies to develop more actively.”
