The GPEK Challenge Fund is Here: A New Opportunity for Green Innovation
As Kosovo advances in its green transition and aligns with European sustainability ambitions, innovation will play a critical role in helping businesses become more competitive, resource-efficient and resilient. Yet for many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), adopting new green technologies or business practices remains challenging due to high upfront costs, market uncertainty and limited access to finance.
Targeted co-investment grants can play an important role in overcoming these barriers by lowering the cost of innovation, encouraging enterprises to invest in greener technologies and business models, and unlocking additional private sector investment in solutions that generate both economic and environmental benefits. Against this backdrop, the Greening Private Enterprises in Kosovo (GPEK) project has officially opened applications for its Challenge Fund, starting on 20 July 2026.
The Challenge Fund is designed to accelerate the green transition of Kosovo's private sector by supporting SMEs with green investments. GPEK is a project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), co-funded by Sweden and implemented by Helvetas.
Supporting Green Innovation
Over the next five years, the Challenge Fund will launch a series of competitive calls, offering co-investment grants of EUR 50,000–100,000 to SMEs investing in green technologies and business practices.
Beyond providing financial support, the Challenge Fund aims to demonstrate that green innovation can be a driver of business growth and competitiveness. Successful investments are expected to generate practical examples that inspire wider adoption of sustainable technologies and business practices across Kosovo's private sector, contributing to a more resilient, resource-efficient and competitive economy.
Who Can Apply?
The Challenge Fund is open to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) legally registered in Kosovo that have been operational for at least two years and demonstrate the financial and operational capacity to implement their proposed investment.
Eligible applicants must be prepared to finance at least 30% of the total investment cost, while GPEK may contribute up to 70% for proposals selected through a competitive process.
Potential applicants are invited to visit the link below for detailed information on the application process and to access the full application package and supporting documentation.
https://www.helvetas.org/en/eastern-europe/kosovo/what-we-do/our-current-projects/challenge-fund
How Does the Selection Process Work?
For the first call for proposals, SMEs are invited to apply from 20 July 2026 to 31 January 2027. Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis starting from August 2026 onwards. Only shortlisted applicants may receive technical assistance to further develop and refine their full proposals before the final selection. Awardees will be announced as soon as they are selected, rather than waiting for the application period to close. A series of information sessions will be organized across Kosovo during the application period.
Driving Kosovo's Green Transition
The Challenge Fund represents a major opportunity for Kosovo's SMEs to invest in greener growth, strengthen their competitiveness and help shape a more sustainable future for the country's economy. Looking ahead, GPEK is exploring additional approaches to further strengthen the Challenge Fund in future Calls for Proposals from 2027 onwards.