RIF receives record 284 proposals for PRE-SEED startup programme

Nicosia, Cyprus. The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has received a record 284 proposals for its PRE-SEED programme, reflecting growing interest in creating and developing startups with international ambitions in Cyprus.

The latest PRE-SEED/0526 call, under the “Creation and Initial Development of Startups with an International Orientation” programme, closed on September 11, 2026.

Record participation

A total of 284 proposals were successfully submitted through the foundation’s IRIS electronic services portal, marking the highest participation level recorded for the programme.

The RIF said the number of submissions indicated growing momentum in Cyprus’ startup sector, with more teams and businesses seeking to develop innovative ideas into products and services capable of expanding internationally.

“The increased interest in the Programme and the record number of proposals confirm the dynamism of the startup ecosystem in Cyprus,” the foundation said.

Support for innovative businesses

The foundation said the participation level highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for new and innovative businesses.

“The creation of more and appropriately targeted financing tools and support can make a decisive contribution to exploiting the business ideas being developed in the country and turning them into viable businesses with international prospects,” the RIF stated.

The PRE-SEED programme supports the creation and initial development of startups developing innovative products and services with potential to enter international markets.

Selection process

The latest call will now proceed to the proposal selection stage.

Under the RESTART programmes’ call framework, the process includes a preliminary check of submissions followed by scientific evaluation, according to the RIF.