Debrecen4U February 25, 2026

Briefing Held on Funding Opportunities for SMEs in Debrecen

More than twenty local SME owners expressed interest on Tuesday at the Kölcsey Centre in the funding opportunities currently available to them. Large corporations and multinational companies arriving in Hungary have benefited from numerous advantages through their investments; therefore, supporting SMEs has become a priority.

There are various grant opportunities available from European Union and government sources that may provide compensation for SMEs. At the professional briefing event titled Pályázati Aranykapu (“Golden Gate of Grants“), participating businesses received detailed expert information about these forms of support to help increase their competitiveness and adapt to labour market challenges.

“The most important thing is that they should be able to enhance their competitiveness in a way that enables them to retain their workforce, as we see that multinational companies enjoy a certain advantage, and when they established their factories in Hungary, their presence drove up wages,” said Károly Balogh, county president of the National Association of Business Owners and Employers.

Local SMEs are also supported by Jövőkép Expo, the supplier forum, free training courses organised by EDC Debrecen, as well as the opportunities provided by the SME Park.

“There are more than 10,000 businesses in Debrecen, the vast majority of which are small and medium-sized enterprises, so when we help them, we are indirectly helping the more than 40,000 people they employ,” emphasised Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa.

Younger generations are significantly more prone to anxiety and need to be approached differently than before; however, grant schemes can also offer solutions to this challenge, as highlighted at the event by Deputy Mayor Diána Széles. She stated that, alongside technological development and equipment procurement, attention must also be paid to the changing workforce. “I am very open to the city supporting any programme launched by any company. I believe we need to begin strengthening emotional intelligence within small communities; from that point onwards, attachment changes and the relationship towards a company and towards a city also changes,” she said.

At the briefing, participants received useful information not only about current funding opportunities but also about their effective utilisation.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu