Annual Call Plan: What to Expect from Funding Opportunities in 2026
The Annual Call Plan has recently been published and is a key tool for anticipating public funding opportunities throughout 2026, within the scope of Portugal 2030, European funds, and other national and EU support mechanisms.
This plan allows companies and organisations to prepare their projects in advance, align investment strategies, and significantly increase their chances of success when applying for funding.
Key Funding Areas in Focus
In 2026, the Annual Call Plan reflects national and European strategic priorities, with a strong emphasis on:
🔹 Innovation and Business Competitiveness
- Business R&D and productive innovation
- Development of new products, services, and processes
- Knowledge transfer and technology valorisation
🔹 Digital Transition
- Digitalisation of business processes
- Adoption of advanced technologies (AI, automation, data, cybersecurity)
- Digital skills development for companies and employees
🔹 Climate Transition and Sustainability
- Energy efficiency and decarbonisation
- Renewable energy and circular economy
- Projects aligned with the EU Green Taxonomy and Net Zero targets
🔹 Internationalisation
- Entry into new markets
- Strengthening the international presence of Portuguese companies
- Integration into global value chains
🔹 Skills, Talent and Employment
- Workforce training and reskilling
- Talent attraction and retention
- Social innovation and qualified employment projects
Supported Project Typologies
The plan covers a wide range of project types, including:
- Individual or collaborative projects
- Business, scientific and collaborative initiatives
- Studies, pilots, prototypes and proofs of concept
- Productive and non-productive investment
- Specialised services, consultancy and capacity-building activities
Who Can Benefit?
The funding opportunities are primarily aimed at:
- Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
- Startups and scaleups
- Small Mid Caps
- Entities within the scientific and technological system
- Associations, clusters, public and social sector entities, depending on the specific call
Each call will define its own eligibility rules, co-financing rates and obligations.
Available Support Instruments
Support may be provided through different mechanisms:
- Non-repayable grants
- Financial instruments (equity, quasi-equity, guarantees)
- Blended models (grants combined with repayable financing)
Co-financing rates vary according to region, company size and project nature.
How The Venture Builder Can Support You
At The Venture Builder, we support the full funding lifecycle:
- Strategic analysis of the Annual Call Plan
- Identification of the most suitable calls for each company
- Project structuring and maturation
- Application preparation and submission
- Post-approval follow-up and project management
📩 Want to know which funding opportunities make the most sense for your business in 2026?
Contact us: comercial@theventurebuilder.pt