Digitalisation Subsidies 2026: How to Partly Fund Custom Software

Introduction

Many business owners postpone a custom software project because the upfront investment feels large. What they often do not know: a substantial part of that investment may be subsidy-eligible in 2026. Not through a single national software subsidy, because that does not exist, but through a patchwork of regional and national schemes for digitalisation, innovation and process improvement that custom software falls under.

In spring 2026 several schemes were open. The Province of Limburg launched the Sprint subsidy for SMEs with a deadline of 11 June 2026 and up to 24,500 euros per company at 50 percent reimbursement. Overijssel opened schemes for industrial digitalisation from 20 May. In the north of the Netherlands the JTF scheme for Groningen and Emmen runs until 31 October 2026, with up to 100,000 euros for the purchase and implementation of software. This article explains how those schemes work, what they do and do not cover, and how to set up a software project so it is subsidy-eligible. Note: conditions and deadlines change, so always check the current situation with the executing body.

Why there is no standalone software subsidy

Most subsidies do not fund software as an end in itself. They fund an outcome: higher labour productivity, a more efficient production process, sustainability or innovation. Custom software is then the means to reach that outcome. That sounds like a formality, but it determines how you phrase an application. An application that says we want a new system built scores poorly. An application that says we cut our failure costs by twenty percent by digitalising this process, and the software is the instrument, matches what the scheme steers on.

This also explains why many owners miss the subsidy. They search for software subsidy and find nothing fitting, while the scheme they need falls under digitalisation, smarter working or innovation. The trick is to translate your software project into the language of the scheme, not the other way around.

The regional schemes: up to 50 percent reimbursement

"No thick advisory reports, but direct money for concrete action. The focus is on applying existing, proven technologies."

— Deputy Stephan Satijn on the Limburg Sprint subsidy, De Limburger, May 2026

The most concrete opportunities often sit at provincial level. The Limburg Sprint subsidy is a good example: aimed at AI, digitalisation, sustainability and labour productivity, with 50 percent reimbursement up to 24,500 euros per company and up to 100,000 euros for collaborations. The lower limit is a project of at least 10,000 euros. The budget is distributed on a first-come basis, so anyone who meets the conditions and is on time has a real chance.

In the north of the Netherlands the JTF scheme for SME digitalisation and robotisation targets the process and manufacturing industry in Groningen and Emmen. It reimburses up to 20,000 euros for a strategic digitalisation advisory and up to 100,000 euros for the purchase and implementation of hardware and software, also at 50 percent. Overijssel reimburses 40 percent of the cost of hiring an external expert up to 10,000 euros. The pattern is always the same: advice first, then implementation, with a reimbursement rate of 40 to 50 percent.

These schemes are tied to region, sector and period. A manufacturing company in Groningen has different options than a service provider in North Holland. It therefore pays to search specifically for your province and your industry code before planning a project.

The WBSO: structural benefit on development hours

Where regional subsidies are temporary and location-bound, the WBSO is national and structural. The WBSO is not a subsidy but a tax scheme that reduces the wage costs and costs of research and development work. For software development that is relevant: developing new, technically challenging software can qualify as research and development.

The key word is new. The WBSO is meant for technical development where you solve a technical problem that cannot be covered with standard solutions. Building a standard webshop usually does not qualify. A new algorithm, a complex integration or a platform with technically novel components often does. For companies that structurally develop or commission software, the WBSO can deliver a substantial benefit year after year.

The SLIM scheme is another national option, aimed at training and developing staff, including digital skills. It does not cover software, but it does cover the adoption around it: training your team to use new systems well. Adoption is exactly where many software projects fail, so this is a useful addition.

The digitalisation advisory as a smart first step

Many schemes first reimburse a digitalisation advisory and then the implementation. That is not a bureaucratic hurdle but an opportunity. A digitalisation advisory forces you to clarify, before building, which problem you solve, what it yields and how you measure it. Exactly the questions a good software project needs anyway.

In practice this often works in two phases. First an independent expert draws up an advisory with you: current situation, bottlenecks, proposed digitalisation steps and a substantiated business case. That advisory is subsidy-eligible. Then you apply for a second part for the implementation, based on the advisory. By following this structure you increase your chance of approval and force yourself into a well-considered scope.

At MG Software we provide the technical substantiation for such an advisory: architecture choices, a realistic budget and a phased plan. The subsidy application itself is usually filed by a specialised subsidy advisor. We make sure the technical story is sound and matches what the scheme asks.

How to set up a subsidy-eligible software project

Start with the outcome, not the technology. Phrase the measurable business result you pursue: less manual work, shorter lead time, lower failure costs, higher capacity. That is the language schemes think in. Attach the software to it as a means, not an end.

Account for the structure of the scheme. Many subsidies have a lower limit, a maximum amount and a reimbursement rate. A project of 10,000 euros with 50 percent reimbursement means you bear 5,000 euros yourself. Plan your project to fit within the scheme's limits, without artificially inflating the scope, because that stands out during assessment. Also watch the lead time: some schemes require the project to be completed within eighteen months.

Finally, watch timing and stacking. Regional budgets are often distributed on a first-come basis, so applying late means missing out. At the same time, you sometimes cannot stack schemes on the same costs. A subsidy advisor knows these rules; involve them early, because the planning of your software project and the planning of your application must align.

What we do and do not do

We are a software studio, not a subsidy advisory firm. That distinction is important and honest. We do not file subsidy applications for you and do not guarantee approval. What we do: shape your software project to match what schemes reimburse, provide the technical and financial substantiation, and work with the subsidy advisor who handles the application.

In practice that division of roles works well. The subsidy advisor knows the schemes, deadlines and forms. We know the technology, the architecture and the realistic costs. Together you deliver an application that is both formally correct and technically credible. An application with a vague technical annex gets rejected; an application with a concrete, substantiated software scope makes an impression.

Considering a digitalisation project and want to know whether it can be set up to be subsidy-eligible? Tell us your plan. We think along on scope and budget, and refer you where needed to a subsidy advisor in your region. Many schemes have hard deadlines, so starting on time pays off.

Conclusion

The biggest reason owners miss digitalisation subsidies is that they do not know their software project qualifies. There is no button labelled software subsidy, but there is a range of schemes for digitalisation, innovation and productivity where custom software is the means. Those who phrase the project in that language considerably increase their chances.

Subsidies are not a reason to build software you would not build otherwise. But if you are going to invest in digitalisation anyway, it is a waste to leave money on the table. Start with the outcome, involve a subsidy advisor early and make sure your technical story is sound. That last part is exactly where we help.