At the ITAPA technology conference, a blunt diagnosis was voiced: Slovakia has few startups due to long-term underfunding of innovation and a weak ecosystem. Government representatives presented measures ranging from scholarships for talented students and new investment tools to more transparent grants. The goal by 2030 is clear – to catch up with the European average in spending on research and innovation.
Why so few startups emerge in Slovakia
According to the panelists, the problem is long-standing: the country has systematically underfunded research, development, and innovation and has fallen behind the EU. Capital is lacking in the earliest stages; the presence of "business angels" and reinvestment by successful entrepreneurs into new firms is also weak. It is further undermined by young people leaving abroad after secondary school and by a smaller, less developed domestic market.
Universities are an important source of ideas, but their support for students starting companies is uneven. Competitions, "pitching" events, and incubation programs directly at the schools can help. The key is connecting the academic, business, and public sectors so that research turns into usable solutions more quickly.
Money, talent, and the ecosystem: what the government promises
The education ministry has launched a scholarship scheme for first-year students at Slovak universities, with higher support for shortage fields (up to 16,500 euros over three years) and standard scholarships up to 9,000 euros. Alongside this, investments are being made in the quality and attractiveness of universities – in infrastructure, modern programs, and the quality of teaching – in the order of hundreds of millions of euros. The aim is not only to bring young people in, but also to keep them and help them see a future at home.
On the capital side, new instruments are being added from the state and the Recovery Plan. Slovak Investment Holding is launching both seed and growth capital with the aim of supporting approximately 40 companies in a volume of over 30 million euros, and is also testing a guarantee instrument with a forgivable portion of the loan for digitization projects. MIRRI is at the same time preparing more targeted calls and wants to concentrate support on areas with the greatest potential; among them is a call for cutting-edge digital technologies (TRL 6–8), which it plans to launch in the coming months after delays.
Transparent grants and predictable calls
The project evaluation system is also changing: a unified description and three identical criteria – excellence, impact, and implementation – are being introduced, with scoring modeled on the EU. For larger amounts, projects are evaluated by foreign experts to avoid conflicts of interest, and institutions are to publish the schedule of calls in advance so applicants can prepare.
Transformational and innovation consortia undergo external evaluation and subsequent presentations before an international commission; the goal is to meet implementation deadlines and improve coordination. Over a longer horizon, the National Research, Development and Innovation Strategy 2030 applies: Slovakia wants to reach the EU average in R&D spending, rely more on national sources, and systematically involve the private sector.
