The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has announced a new call for proposals under its ‘Creation and Initial Development of Startups with International Orientation (PRE-SEED)’ programme, aiming to support young innovative companies with global growth potential. 

The call, titled PRE-SEED/0526, has a total budget of €1 million, while the maximum funding available for each project has been set at €119,999. 

According to the RIF, proposals must be submitted through the IRIS portal, with the deadline set for September 11, 2026, at 1pm. 

The programme is designed to support the creation and early development of innovative startups seeking to develop products and services with prospects for international market penetration. 

More specifically, eligible host organisations include startups that are either still developing their business idea or are at the early stages of developing their product or service. 

The initiative therefore seeks to give early-stage companies the support needed to move from concept to development, while also strengthening Cyprus’ wider innovation ecosystem. 

Interested parties can find further information on RIF’s open calls, as well as relevant documents and guides, through the IRIS portal.

They may also contact the RIF Partner Support Centre by phone on 22205000 or by email at [email protected].