Slovene Enterprise Fund

What Slovene Enterprise Fund does

Slovene Enterprise Fund (SPS / Slovenski podjetniški sklad) is Slovenia's central public development finance institution, legally constituted as Javni sklad Republike Slovenije za podjetništvo and operating under the oversight of the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport. Headquartered in Maribor, SPS improves access to financial resources for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and scale-ups through a multi-instrument portfolio: non-repayable startup grants (up to €72,000), equity financing via the Slovenian Technology Fund (STS 2025, €50M+) and the Central European Fund of Funds (CEFoF, €674M total managed with the EIF), microcredits and loans (€5,000-€100,000), bank guarantees with 60-80% coverage up to €1.25 million, sustainable development incentives (up to €100,000), and a voucher program (60% co-financing up to €9,999.99 per voucher). Complementary non-financial products include a 70+ mentor network, pre-incubation/incubation/acceleration programs, and cross-border accelerators into USA and UAE markets.

The fund's technology stack centers on an ePortal for 24/7 electronic application submission with two-factor authentication, an ESG Pripomoček self-assessment tool aligned with VSME standards, free Excel/Word business planning templates, and two managed public registers (Innovative Startups and High-Added-Value Companies). SPS generates no commercial revenue: all flows originate from the Slovenian state budget, EU Cohesion Policy (including a €20M voucher envelope for 2023-2028), and co-managed fund-of-funds vehicles. Distribution runs through nationwide public tenders, the SPOT counseling network across 12 statistical regions, and partner commercial banks for guarantee products. Across 2021-2025, SPS distributed €840.8M in incentives across 21,754 SME projects, enabled €1.17B in total investments, and preserved over 90,000 jobs, with a current active portfolio of €892.49M across 15,695 contracts and 3,301 companies (35% tech/development-oriented).

Name

Slovene Enterprise Fund

Legal name

Javni sklad republike Slovenije za podjetništvo

Website

https://podjetniskisklad.si

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Slovene Enterprise Fund (Slovenski podjetniški sklad) is Slovenia's state-backed public development finance institution that channels EU cohesion and government funds to SMEs, startups, and scale-ups through grants, equity, loans, guarantees, vouchers, and accelerator programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SME Development Finance

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Sector & Blended Finance Arms (IFC-type) (BPADACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Development Finance, Guarantees & Blended Finance Programs (BPADABAM), SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB), Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)

Keywords

• SME development finance
• Public venture capital
• Startup grant funding
• Bank guarantee schemes
• Entrepreneurial support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Maribor

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Fund Operations: SPS is a public development fund that provides financial incentives to SMEs rather than generating commercial revenue. The fund operates through government-backed budgets and EU cohesion funds to distribute development incentives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Slovene Enterprise Fund is Slovenia's central public financial institution for entrepreneurship, providing non-refundable grants, microloans, subsidised loans, state-subsidised bank guarantees, equity financing, vouchers, and complementary mentoring and training programmes to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, startups, and scale-ups. It combines financial incentives with non-financial services such as counselling, partner-building, and entrepreneurial promotion to strengthen the competitiveness, digitalisation, and sustainable development of Slovenian companies.

Product overview

The Slovene Enterprise Fund (SPS/Slovenski podjetniški sklad) is Slovenia's central public financial institution for supporting SMEs, startups, and scale-ups. It operates a multi-layered portfolio of financial incentive products and support services organized across five operational roles: Financial Incentives (grants, equity, loans, guarantees, and sustainable development incentives), Specific Incentives (vouchers, mentoring, training, and accelerators), Development Partnerships (vertical and cross-border accelerators), Promotion of Entrepreneurship, and operating as an Efficient Public Financial Institution adhering to ESG principles. The core digital infrastructure consists of the ePortal for electronic application submission, the ESG Tool for sustainability self-assessment, and a Business/Amortization Plan preparation tool. SPS also manages two public registers (Innovative Startups and High Value-Added Companies) and co-launched the Startup Plus database with Start:up Slovenia. The fund is headquartered in Maribor and channels EU co-financed resources to Slovenian businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STEP Slovenija: National contact point for the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform
• RazvojniPlus Program
• Fundraising Bootcamp
• Register inovativnih zagonskih podjetij
• Register podjetij z visoko dodano vrednostjo
• ESG pripomoček

Products and services

• P2 Zagonske spodbude (Startup Incentives) Non-refundable grants for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSP) in Slovenia to support the development and launch of new or improved products, services, or business models. Selected through public tender with defined application periods.
• P5 Kapital za rast (Growth Capital) Equity, quasi-equity, or hybrid financing instrument providing capital for startups and scale-ups with high growth potential and ambitions to enter global markets. Includes investments in innovative enterprises via cooperation with co-investors and financial intermediaries.
• Sklad za male naložbe (Slovenian Growth Fund of Funds) Fund-of-funds vehicle providing equity, quasi-equity, and hybrid financial instruments to SMEs through selected financial intermediaries and fund managers.
• Posojila (Loans and Microloans) Loans and microloans offered to SMEs and startups in cooperation with partner commercial banks, with support from various national and EU financial mechanisms to facilitate access to credit at favourable terms.
• Poroštva (Bank Guarantees) Bank guarantees with state-subsidised interest rates issued in cooperation with SID Banka and partner commercial banks to help SMEs secure bank credit on more favourable terms.
• Vavčerji (Vouchers) Voucher schemes for SMEs covering areas such as digitalisation, marketing, intellectual property protection, business models, and skills development, providing co-financing for specific services or purchases.
• Zeleni trajnostni razvoj (ZTRR) - Green Sustainable Development Special-purpose public instrument supporting green and sustainable development of SMEs in Slovenia, financed through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the EEA Financial Mechanism with combined allocations of EUR 18.6 million and EUR 1.6 million.
• Mentorski program (Mentoring Programme) Structured mentoring programme for SMEs and startups linking beneficiaries with experienced mentors to support business growth, with measurable objectives including market entry, exports, financing rounds, and team growth.
• Programi usposabljanja in povezovanja (Training and Networking Programmes) Training programmes, seminars, and networking events organised in cooperation with SPOT and partner ecosystems to develop entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, and connections among SMEs, startups, and ecosystem actors.
• ePortal Digital application portal providing user accounts, document repositories, programme administration, and a single submission point for applicants to SPS grants, loans, guarantees, vouchers, and other programmes.
• ESG pripomoček (ESG Assessment Tool) Digital tool that supports beneficiaries and applicants in assessing their ESG sustainability profile, used by SPS for sustainability profiling and reporting under its programmes.
• Pripomoček za pripravo poslovnega in amortizacijskega načrta Digital tool supporting SMEs in preparing business plans and amortisation plans needed as part of SPS loan and financing applications, reducing preparation effort for applicants.
• Razvojna partnerstva (Development Partnerships) Partner-building programme that enables SMEs to form and develop partnerships with universities, research organisations, and other enterprises to jointly develop products, services, and business models.
• Promocija podjetništva in inovativnosti (Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Innovation) Programme of promotional activities, events, and campaigns aimed at raising awareness of entrepreneurship and innovation among SMEs, startups, and the broader Slovenian public.
• Register inovativnih zagonskih podjetij (Register of Innovative Startups) Public register of innovative startups in Slovenia providing official recognition, credibility, and visibility for listed innovative startup companies.
• Register podjetij z visoko dodano vrednostjo (Register of High Value-Added Enterprises) Public register of high value-added Slovenian enterprises providing official recognition and visibility for qualifying companies across the ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21,754 SME projects supported between 2021-2025 with 840.8 million EUR in financial incentives, enabling over 1.17 billion EUR in total investments
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Start:up SloveniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Joint initiative with Start:up Slovenia to launch Startup Plus database showcasing approximately 150 Slovenian startups and scaleups. The platform addresses scattered information challenges by centralizing data on sectors, technologies, and development stages to help entrepreneurs, investors, and international partners discover and connect with promising businesses.
• UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPS collaborates with UNIDO on multiple international development partnerships including International Biotechnology Cluster (Biopharma Global Connect), Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Western Balkans, Digital innovations transfer to Montenegro, and Global Hydrogen Partnership for industry.
• COBIK (Codecommunications Institute)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovenian partner leading the digital platform Biopharma Global Connect for the International Biotechnology Cluster, connecting top research institutions and companies from Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Canada.
• Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of LjubljanamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovenian partners in Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centre (SMIC) project, contributing to digital transformation of manufacturing in Western Balkans region.
• Digital Innovation Hub Slovenia (DIH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovenian partner in Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centre project for digital transformation of regional industry.
• USA Market AcceleratorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border accelerator program for expansion to US market including intensive training, working visit to USA, and follow-up support for companies from SPS portfolio.
• UAE Market AcceleratorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border accelerator program for expansion to UAE market including training, working visit to Dubai startup hub, and follow-up support for companies from SPS portfolio.
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in ESG Acceleration project providing free training for voluntary sustainability reporting among SMEs. GZS is a key partner in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Chamber of Craft and Small Business Slovenia (OZS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ESG Acceleration project supporting SMEs in sustainability reporting and transition to ESG practices.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HAMAG-BICRO: Croatian agency for SMEs, innovation and investments providing guarantees, loans, and equity instruments. Peer national SME development institution in a neighboring Western Balkan EU member state.
• European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE): Development fund-of-funds providing financing to micro and small enterprises via local partner institutions in Southeast Europe. Closest analog for SPS's microcredit and SME lending operations.
• SID Banka (Slovenian Export and Development Bank): Slovenia's national development and export bank providing SME loans, guarantees, and export financing. Operates in overlapping SME territory with SPS, including joint product distribution through the SID Bank Fund of Funds for microloans.
• ČMZRB (Czech-Moravian Guarantee and Development Bank): Czech state-backed development bank offering SME loans, guarantees, and EU cohesion co-financed programs. Closest structural analog among CEE national development banks.
• SZRB (Slovak Guarantee and Development Bank): Slovakia's national development bank offering SME loan and guarantee products with EU cohesion financing — operates in a near-identical regulatory and product context as SPS.

Broad incumbents

• Bpifrance: France's national public investment bank providing grants, loans, guarantees, and equity to SMEs and startups. Closest EU analog to SPS as a state-backed full-stack SME development finance institution.
• European Investment Bank (EIB): EU's long-term lending institution providing large-scale SME intermediated loans, guarantees, and equity. Upper-tier counterpart that funds many of the vehicles (CEFoF, STS) that SPS channels to SMEs.
• European Investment Fund (EIF): EU-level fund-of-funds and SME financing vehicle that directly co-manages CEFoF with SPS and provides guarantees and venture capital across Europe. Direct counterpart in cross-border SME development finance.
• KfW / DEG: Germany's state development bank group providing SME financing, development loans, and equity worldwide. DEG specifically focuses on developing/transition economies — directly comparable to SPS's blended finance model.

Regional players

• Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB): Bulgarian state-owned development bank offering SME loans, guarantees, and EU-funded programs. Comparable in scale and product mix, and relevant given SPS's active partnerships in the Western Balkans.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Slovene Enterprise Fund