PRIA Investment Support for Rural Businesses: Up to €200,000 to Strengthen Competitiveness

Author: Olga Luštšik

If a company operates outside major cities and plans to invest in technology, automation or resource efficiency, it is worth exploring the PRIA investment support measure aimed at increasing the competitiveness of rural businesses.

As of 1 February 2026, updated conditions apply. The changes are designed to make the support accessible to a wider range of rural entrepreneurs.

What is supported?

The measure is aimed at businesses that operate permanently in rural areas and wish to improve their competitiveness. Support can be applied for:

  • the acquisition of tangible assets (e.g. production equipment, automation solutions, IT infrastructure);
  • the acquisition of intangible assets (e.g. software, licences and digital solutions);
  • the construction of a building at the applicant’s permanent place of business in a rural area.

Key conditions of the support

  • Support amount: €10,000–€200,000 per applicant during the entire period
  • Support rate: up to 65% of eligible project costs
  • The support is granted as de minimis aid, with a ceiling of €300,000 over three years

Who can apply?

Companies are eligible if:

  • they have fewer than 50 employees;
  • their place of business is located in a rural or small urban settlement area (excluding municipalities bordering Tallinn).

The exact definition of rural areas is available on the PRIA website.

Important detail: job creation requirement

When applying for support for tangible assets or construction works, at least one new full-time position must be created as part of the project. The job must be located on the same property where the asset is installed or the building is constructed.

There is no job creation requirement when applying for support for intangible assets, such as software or digital solutions. This allows companies to focus on digitalisation and process improvement without additional staffing obligations.

For more information, visit the PRIA website.

Digiwise helps assess whether the measure is suitable and, if needed, supports the preparation and submission of the funding application.

 

Olga Lustsik (Olga Luštšik) is an Estonian digitalization and AI consultant with 15+ years of product development leadership experience. She advises SMEs on business process optimization, digital transformation, and AI adoption.