Startups in Ljubljana, Slovenia: 2027 guide

Startups in Ljubljana: the short answer

Startups in Ljubljana have three anchors: the Ljubljana University Incubator (LUI), Technology Park Ljubljana with more than 300 companies, and the Jožef Stefan Institute, the country’s leading research institute. Ljubljana ranks #184 of 1,000 cities in our startup city ranking (StartupBlink 2024 ecosystem scores). You can register a d.o.o. for free through SPOT, apply for a P2 grant of up to €72,000 and pitch the two venture funds the state picked in 2025. Plan for 22% corporate tax through 2028.

Is Ljubljana a good place to start a startup in 2027?

Ljubljana suits deep tech, health tech, AI and B2B software founders who want university spin-out support and the EU market from day one. LUI works mostly with deep tech teams in health, AI, mobility, fintech and agritech, and Technology Park Ljubljana runs its own programmes in digital health, extended reality (XR) and AI. Pre-seed and seed money is the realistic ask: the state-backed fund Silicon Gardens writes first tickets of €300,000 to €1.5 million.

It suits you less if you need a big home market, large later rounds from local investors or a quick permit as a non-EU founder. Your own d.o.o. has to show six months of €10,000 monthly income, or invest €50,000 first, before it can employ you.

What does the Ljubljana startup ecosystem look like?

• Ljubljana University Incubator (LUI): founded in 2004. It belongs to the University of Ljubljana and gives startups mentoring, offices with 24/7 access and help with grant applications. It also runs Start-up vikend and Labs to Market, a yearly programme that pairs researchers with experienced entrepreneurs.
• Technology Park Ljubljana: more than 300 companies with over 1,500 employees on 75,000 m². It runs the BALI accelerator for startups getting ready for their first or next funding round, the DIH Healthwise digital health hub, an XR Lab and AI HUB Slovenia.
• Jožef Stefan Institute: about 1,050 staff in natural sciences, life sciences and engineering, from computer and knowledge technologies to nanotechnology and new materials.
• ABC Hub: coworking with 24/7 access, meeting rooms and an event venue, with ABC Accelerator and BTC as partners.
• Impact Hub Ljubljana: coworking and managed offices, an incubation programme, the Social Impact Award and a SPOT point where you can register a company.
• Start:up Slovenia: the national startup platform, which lists P2 training dates.

Where do founders in Ljubljana find funding?

• P2 grant of the Slovenian Enterprise Fund (SPS): up to €72,000 of non-repayable money for new micro and small companies building new products, services or processes. It pays out in three tranches of €12,000, €21,000 and €39,000 as you reach agreed development goals and covers 100% of eligible costs. The 2026 call was open to companies founded between 1 January 2025 and 28 February 2026, and winners must work with a startup mentor. A P2 startup training adds 7 points to your score.
• Silicon Gardens Fund III and Tivoli Partners: the two managers SPS chose in its STS 2025 call, with more than €50 million of equity between them (SPS). SPS does not pick companies, so you pitch the funds directly. Silicon Gardens invests at pre-seed and seed in founders with ties to the Adria region and CEE, in marketplaces, B2B SaaS, apps and games, and D2C products. Its partners come from Outfit7, Celtra, Photomath and Microblink.
• PONI LUR: the regional development agency RRA LUR hires people with a business idea for four months and puts them through mentoring, from business model to launch. You need a permanent or temporary address in one of the 25 municipalities of the Ljubljana Urban Region. The 8th call closes on 10 December 2026, and the first participants start on 1 March 2027.
• Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs at Technology Park Ljubljana: up to €1,200 a month for up to six months with an experienced host entrepreneur abroad, for founders with an idea or up to three years in business.
• Women TechEU: €75,000 grants for women-led deep tech startups (details below).

How do you register a company in Slovenia?

Startups use the d.o.o. (družba z omejeno odgovornostjo, a limited liability company). It needs at least €7,500 in share capital, paid in cash or in kind (SPOT). Founding through the SPOT portal or a SPOT point is free of charge, and a notary charges by the notarial tariff. A single founder pays the full €7,500 in cash into a temporary bank account and brings the bank’s confirmation to the SPOT point within 15 days of filing. The company becomes a legal person once the court register enters it.

What taxes does a startup pay in Slovenia in 2026?

• Corporate income tax (DDPO): the general rate is 19%, and the flood reconstruction law (ZORZFS) sets 22% for the tax years 2024 to 2028 (SPOT, FURS). You pay 22% in 2026 and in 2027.
• Loss and relief limits: past losses can cut the tax base by at most 50% in a year, and all reliefs and losses together by at most 63%.
• Reliefs: the law grants reliefs for R&D investment, other investment, hiring, and digital and green transition spending. FURS publishes guidelines for the R&D relief.
• Withholding tax: 15% on Slovenian-source payments abroad.
• VAT (DDV): 22% standard, 9.5% reduced and 5% special reduced (FURS).

Which visa can a foreign founder use to move to Ljubljana?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no permit. Slovenia has no startup visa. Non-EU founders apply for a single permit for residence and work (enotno dovoljenje) at the administrative unit, with consent from the Employment Service (gov.si).

• Working for your own d.o.o.: the company must have been registered for at least six months, with at least €10,000 of income on a Slovenian bank account in each of those months. A younger company first invests at least €50,000 in the business where you will work (SPOT).
• Self-employment: non-EU citizens can work self-employed only after one year of continuous legal residence in Slovenia, except in regulated professions.
• Length: a first temporary residence permit runs for the time needed, up to two years (Info tujci).

Pros and cons for founders in Ljubljana

Pros

• LUI, Technology Park Ljubljana and the Jožef Stefan Institute are all in one city, so research partners, incubation and office space sit close together.
• P2 pays up to €72,000 without taking equity.
• Founding a d.o.o. through SPOT costs nothing beyond the €7,500 capital, and Impact Hub Ljubljana runs a SPOT point.
• PONI LUR pays you a salary for four months while you build the business.

Cons

• Corporate tax sits at 22% until the end of 2028.
• Silicon Gardens caps first tickets at €1.5 million, so bigger rounds mean pitching investors abroad.
• Non-EU founders face a €50,000 investment or six months of €10,000 monthly income before their own company can employ them.

What does Ljubljana offer women founders?

The strongest current option is Women TechEU: €75,000 in non-dilutive funding plus mentoring for 160 women-led deep tech startups, with 40% of the budget reserved for Widening countries, Slovenia among them (REA). A woman must hold a top management role and at least 25% of the shares, and the company must be between six months and five years old (Women TechEU). The last eligibility cut-off is 13 July 2027. We found no women-only startup programme in Ljubljana with current dates, and PONI LUR, LUI and the Technology Park programmes are open to every founder.

FAQ about startups in Ljubljana

Is Ljubljana a good city for startups?

Yes, for deep tech and B2B founders who want a university incubator, a research institute and a technology park in one place. P2 grants and two state-backed seed funds cover the first rounds.

How much does it cost to found a company in Slovenia?

A d.o.o. needs €7,500 in share capital. Registration through the SPOT portal or a SPOT point is free, and a notary charges by tariff.

What is the corporate tax rate in Slovenia in 2027?

22%, under the reconstruction law that sets this rate for 2024 to 2028. The general rate of 19% returns after that.

Sources (checked October 2026)

• LUI: Ljubljana University Incubator
• University of Ljubljana
• Technology Park Ljubljana
• Technology Park Ljubljana: about
• Jožef Stefan Institute
• ABC Hub
• Impact Hub Ljubljana
• Start:up Slovenia
• gov.si: P2 2026 call
• SPS: equity for early-stage companies
• Silicon Gardens
• Tivoli Partners
• RRA LUR: PONI LUR 8th call
• SPOT: founding a d.o.o.
• SPOT: corporate income tax
• FURS: corporate income tax
• FURS: VAT
• gov.si: employment and work of foreigners
• SPOT: employing a foreigner
• Info tujci: temporary residence permit
• EIC: Women TechEU 2026-2028
• Women TechEU: eligibility
• REA: Widening countries, March 2026

MeanCEO Index for Ljubljana 🇸🇮

Ljubljana is a promising startup city with its own charm. Here is how it scores for female entrepreneurs on the ten factors of the MeanCEO Index.

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1. Weather ☀️

• Score: 6/10
  • Ljubljana has a temperate continental climate with four clear seasons. Summers are warm and pleasant, winters are chilly, and the city gets a fair amount of rain along with a decent number of sunny days.

2. Location 🏞️

• Score: 5/10
  • Ljubljana lies inland, a short trip from the Croatian and Italian coasts. Lakes and rivers give plenty of outdoor recreation, and there is no beach in the city itself.

3. Women Friendly 👩‍💼

• Score: 8/10
  • Slovenia has made real progress on gender equality, and Ljubljana reflects it. The city has initiatives for women in business, while some deep-rooted challenges remain.

4. Foreigners Friendly 🌍

• Score: 7/10
  • Locals are friendly and open to foreigners. Cultural differences take some getting used to, and there are efforts to make newcomers, women included, feel at home.

5. English as a Business Language 📚

• Score: 9/10
  • English is widely spoken in the business community, so international entrepreneurs get by without Slovenian. Most professionals are fluent, which makes mixed teams easy to run.

6. Delicious Cuisine 🍷

• Score: 7/10
  • Slovenian cuisine is diverse and tasty, with local dishes built on fresh ingredients. Onions feature in some dishes, and the country’s well-regarded wines add a special touch.

7. Ease of Getting Married and Starting a Family 💍

• Score: 5/10
  • Ljubljana has a decent dating scene, and expectations around marriage and family feel traditional to some newcomers. The attractiveness of local men is a mixed bag for family-oriented entrepreneurs.

8. Medicine 🏥

• Score: 6/10
  • Healthcare is accessible, with reasonable wait times for appointments. Speed of service depends on the type of care you need.

9. Ease of Transportation & Traveling 🚍

• Score: 7/10
  • Ljubljana has a decent public transport network. International flights are limited, the closeness of other European cities makes up for part of that, and rideshare services are scarce.

10. Startup Mindset 💡

• Score: 7/10
  • The startup culture is still developing, with growing acceptance of failure as part of the process. The community is supportive and smaller than in the large European hubs.

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MeanCEO Index Score: 67/100 🎉

Ljubljana gives female entrepreneurs a supportive base, with good scores for English, women friendliness and startup attitude. It lacks a beach and a deep pool of venture capital, and its inclusive culture, decent living conditions and government support make it an encouraging place for women to start and grow a business.

Here’s to the entrepreneurial spirit in Ljubljana! 🚀