Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili, together with the Prime Minister of Georgia, attended the awards ceremony for the winners of the Innovation and Technology Agency’s 150000 GEL co-financing grant program. 20 winning startups were chosen by foreign experts from the list of specially selected candidates for the program. This was the fourteenth time the Georgia Innovation and Technology Agency held the program. In total, 264 startups have received a total of 43,5 million GEL funding through the co-financing grant programs, with the private benefit generated by these startups reaching 700 million GEL.

Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili noted that the development of an innovative startup ecosystem is a priority of the government’s economic policy. The Minister stated that the development and support of the startup ecosystem have always been, are, and will continue to be a subject of special care for the Georgian government. “Our goal is to make Georgia a hub for high-tech, global, and innovative startups” – the Minister said.

Mariam Kvrivishvili announced that, based on an assessment of the current startup ecosystem’s maturity and existing needs, the government has brought four leading American and European accelerators to the Georgian market. “The acceleration program is a logical continuation of the co-financing grant program. It will cover 160 startups annually. The program will give local startups access to global markets, international networks, and additional investments. The grant funding for participating startups will be increased from 150000 GEL to 200000 GEL” – Mariam Kvrivishvili announced.

The Minister also highlighted another initiative: the state is establishing an unprecedented tax regime for innovative startups, which will come into force on September 24. Startups will benefit from a 0% tax rate for three years. According to Mariam Kvrivishvili, in addition to startups, small and medium-sized enterprises and companies focused on research and development (R&D) will also benefit from the unique tax incentives.

Four international accelerators, the American companies Plug and Play, 500 Global, and Founder Institute, as well as one of Europe’s largest startup accelerators, the Danish company Startupbootcamp, will begin to accept applications from local startups in early 2026.