Is Your Business Ready to Innovate? Malta's Digital Innovation Programme 2026 Is Now Open

Up to €200,000 in funding is available for digital projects in Malta — and Quazar's Advisory team is here to help you every step of the way.

Xjenza Malta has officially launched the 3rd Call of the Digital Innovation Programme (DIP) 2026 which is one of Malta's most significant national funding opportunities for businesses and organisations working in the digital space.

If you have an idea that touches on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, sustainability technology, or any other emerging digital field, this programme could provide the financial backing to bring it to life.

What Is the Digital Innovation Programme?

The DIP is a dedicated thematic funding programme that supports the safer and more trustworthy development, adoption, and use of digital technologies in Malta. Funded projects must align with one of the below seven priority areas:

• Artificial Intelligence

• Digital Trust

• Knowledge and Data Representation and Analysis

• Technology for Peace, Sustainability and ESG

• Regulatory Compliance and Governance

• Cultural and Linguistic Technologies

• Other Emerging Technologies

  
  

Grants of up to €200,000 are available per project, with an additional sub-grant of up to €25,000 for projects that enrol in the MDIA's Technology Assessment Recognition Framework (TARF) or Sandbox programme.

Projects are to run for 24 months, with a start date no later than 1 November 2026.

Who Can Apply?

The programme is open to a wide range of Maltese entities, including:

• Private companies and partnerships

• NGOs, professional bodies, and foundations

• Public entities and research organisations

• Co-operatives

Applications can be submitted by a sole applicant or a consortium of two or more Maltese legal entities. Collaborators (local or foreign) can also be included, though they are not eligible to receive funding directly.

How Is Funding Structured?

Funding is disbursed in three tranches across the life of the project:

• 50% at the start of the project

• 30% at the project mid-point (Month 12)

• 20% upon submission of all final deliverables

The co-financing rate depends on your organisation type and the state aid route you qualify for. Applicants apply under one of three routes: De Minimis (Option A1), which funds up to 75% of eligible costs; the General Block Exemption Regulation, or GBER (Option A2), where the rate starts at a 25% base and can be topped up according to enterprise size and whether the project involves effective collaboration or wide dissemination; or the Non-State Aid route (Option B), available to public entities and research organisations that do not carry out an economic activity, which carries the highest funding intensity. Where a project enrols in TARF or the MDIA Sandbox, the related sub-grant is reimbursed at a 90% intensity under De Minimis. Determining the right route is one of the first things worth getting right, as it shapes both your budget and your co-financing obligation.

The Deadline Is Closer Than You Think

Project applications will be accepted until 1 July 2026.

Navigating a funding application, with state aid rules, eligibility assessments, budget structures, and compliance obligations, can feel overwhelming. That's where Quazar's Advisory team comes in.

We work with businesses and organisations to make the process as clear and manageable as possible. Whether you're at the early idea stage or ready to submit, Quazar's Advisory team is available for an initial consultation to assess your eligibility and outline a plan of action.

Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help your project succeed.

Get in Touch:

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Yasmine Galea

ygalea@quazar.mt / +356 2388 4600