Slovenia has finally decided to invest in artificial intelligence. According to the business daily Finance, more than 50 million EUR in incentives for companies is being prepared, split across three calls from the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS).
Within the EU, Slovenia is quite late to this. But for companies that are thinking seriously about artificial intelligence, it is the first concrete financial incentive so far. It is worth understanding, even though the calls have not been officially published yet.
What is on the table
The money is split across three calls. Below is what is known now from the available information. The exact conditions and deadlines will only be clear when the calls are officially published, so always check them in the call documentation before you apply.
ARIS lists a call to support innovation projects in artificial intelligence in its list of upcoming calls (in Slovenian), with publication planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. The amounts below come from media reports and are not official until publication.
16.3 million EUR for bringing AI into companies. Intended for larger companies or consortia working with a research or public organisation, for projects with wider demonstration potential. Publication is expected in the second half of 2026.
6.4 million EUR for small and medium-sized enterprises. Intended for developing AI-based solutions and integrating them into business processes. This call is expected to follow towards the end of the year.
30 million EUR through the STEP West call (STEP zahod). Intended for developing advanced technologies, for companies in the Western Slovenia cohesion region. Publication has been delayed while it awaits agreement with the responsible ministries.
Money is not the main obstacle
In my experience, what holds most companies back is not the investment but not knowing where to start at all. That is exactly why the incentives will benefit most those who made their plan months in advance.
A subsidy will not help you choose the right solution or make the right decision. You have to do that work before you apply, not after.
Not every AI solution is a good solution
Every new system you bring into a company has consequences, both positive and negative. The wrong solution, introduced only because money is available, can cost you more than it saves. That is why it is essential to know which of your processes actually need artificial intelligence and which do not.
What you can do today
Do not wait for the official announcement. You can already take steps that put you in a better position when the call opens:
- List the processes that take up most of your time, and look at where artificial intelligence would genuinely help.
- Separate the real problem from the hype. Not every task is suitable for automation.
- Assess your technological maturity today and what you need to put in order first.
- Prepare a plan you can submit as soon as the call opens.
This is exactly what we help with in the AI diagnostic review. Together we look at your processes, separate the real opportunities from the dead ends and prepare a concrete implementation plan. When the call opens, you are ready, rather than only starting to think about it then.
Do not wait for the call to start making a plan. The money will go to those who did their homework beforehand.
If you are thinking about applying and want to check whether and where artificial intelligence can genuinely help you, write to us. We will look at the next step together.