en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Croatian Academic and Research Network (CARNET) has awarded non-repayable grant contracts to 133 approved projects, with a total value of approximately €2.9 million, to support the project call "Enhancing Cybersecurity for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)." The contract award ceremony was held at the National and University Library in Zagreb.
This is the first national-level project call executed by the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity Industry, Technology, and Research (NKS), under CARNET, targeting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The program aims to help Croatian businesses invest in strengthening their resilience against cyber threats, protecting business processes and data security, and promoting safer digital business operations.
Minister of Science, Education and Youth, Professor Radovan Fuchs, noted that the ministry, through collaboration with CARNET and the National Coordination Center, aligns European financing mechanisms with the practical needs of entrepreneurs. Due to the high quality of submitted projects and strong interest, the initial budget of €1.97 million has been increased by nearly €1 million to fund more high-quality projects and expand the scope of support.
Hrvoje Puljiz, Director of CARNET, stated that cybersecurity is one of the fundamental conditions for business success and digital transformation. In Europe, annual financial losses for SMEs due to cyberattacks have increased by over 50%, and investments in security can yield multiple returns. He believes that investing in cybersecurity is not an additional cost but an investment in ensuring business continuity, user trust, and long-term competitiveness.
Under this project call, 133 projects received funding. The small enterprise category had the highest number of approved projects, with 57; medium-sized enterprises accounted for 41, and micro-enterprises for 35.
Applicants showed the greatest interest in actions related to certification and compliance with security standards, with 129 users selecting such projects. Employee training was included in the plans of 116 projects, and 44 users planned to conduct security testing on their systems. Half of the users chose a combination of all available activities, reflecting a tendency among businesses to adopt a systematic and comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.
Vlatka Marčan, Assistant Director of CARNET and Head of NKS, believes that the strong response from businesses to the project call indicates that the Croatian economy has recognized the importance of cybersecurity investment. She stated that the next goal is to continue creating conditions that enable entrepreneurs to access the funding, expertise, and tools needed to strengthen cyber resilience. Growing threats and regulatory requirements arising from the cybersecurity legislative framework further highlight the necessity of timely investment in business security.
In terms of the distribution of funding amounts, the largest number of projects, 41, fell within the €20,000 to €30,000 range; 39 projects were in the €10,000 to €20,000 range, and 25 were below €10,000. Sixteen projects were approved in the €30,000 to €40,000 range, six in the €40,000 to €50,000 range, and seven in the €50,000 to €60,000 range.
The funds will be used to enhance the cybersecurity maturity of enterprises, conduct security assessments and testing, adhere to security standards and best practices, and strengthen employee capacity building. As the first national-level project call specifically targeting the cybersecurity of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, this program is a key initiative to strengthen the Croatian economy's resilience against cyber threats and achieve safer, more competitive digital business operations.
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