How to Get an LIAA Innovation Voucher in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide

Information verified: 19.08.2026. Programme conditions can change - always check the current information in official sources before applying.

If a company is developing a new product or technology, the LIAA innovation voucher programme can help fund part of the outsourced work required.

In August 2026 the programme is open. Depending on the voucher type, support can reach EUR 25,000, with a funding intensity of 45% to 100%. Applications can be submitted while funding remains available, and the project implementation period cannot exceed 12 months or 30 April 2027. We have summarised the other current programmes in our LIAA funding and support programmes section.

But the innovation voucher is not a universal grant for any digital project. What matters is not only what you want to build, but also the project goal, the innovation content, the chosen activities and whether the service provider meets the programme requirements.

In this guide we explain the process practically: from the idea and the price survey to the application, project delivery and the payout of LIAA funding.

In short: what is the LIAA innovation voucher?

The purpose of the innovation voucher support is to help companies develop new products and technologies and bring them to market.

The programme targets small and medium-sized enterprises, and the project must also meet other criteria. For example, LIAA assesses whether a new product or technology is being developed, whether there is justified market demand and competitiveness potential, and how it relates to the RIS3 smart specialisation areas.

This matters. If a company simply needs a new corporate website, that alone does not mean the project will qualify for an innovation voucher.

If, however, a new digital product, technology, prototype, innovative process or another eligible innovation is being developed, the situation can be different.

So the first step is not choosing an agency or filling in the application. The first step is to understand whether the essence of the project matches the programme's purpose.

How much funding can you get?

In 2026 LIAA offers four types of innovation voucher support.

It is important to understand that EUR 25,000 is not automatically available to every project. The support type, intensity and eligible costs depend on the specific activity and project.

For example, the classic voucher can provide up to 85% co-funding. If the eligible outsourced service costs EUR 20,000 excluding VAT and an 85% intensity applies, the theoretical support would be EUR 17,000 and the company's share EUR 3,000 plus VAT where VAT is not eligible.

This is only a simplified calculation example. Actual support must be assessed against the specific project's conditions.

How to get the innovation voucher: the process step by step

LIAA's official programme description defines a specific project process. Below we explain it from the business owner's perspective.

1. Check whether the company and the project fit the programme

First, clarify two things: does the company qualify, and does the project qualify.

LIAA currently states that the applicant must, among other things, qualify as an SME, have no tax debt above EUR 150, not be insolvent, have the necessary de minimis capacity available if funding is requested under that regime, and not be subject to sanctions.

The project must relate to developing a new product or technology, not simply to a wish to purchase some digital service. So at this stage it is worth answering:

• What exactly are we creating?
• What is new about it?
• What problem does the product or technology solve?
• Who will need it?
• What will be the measurable project result?
• How will it help the company's productivity or competitiveness?

If there are no clear answers to these questions, the project is hard to describe well in the application too.

2. Choose the right voucher type

Not every project needs the classic EUR 25,000 voucher. For instance, LIAA provides a separate design voucher for designer services when implementing a new product or process innovation, while the classic voucher covers a broader range of activities. Eligible activities currently include:

• technical and economic feasibility study;
• industrial research;
• experimental development, including prototyping;
• industrial product design development;
• testing and certification;
• securing industrial property rights;
• designer services;
• hiring highly qualified employees.

So choose not the voucher with the largest possible amount, but the support type that matches the actual content of the project.

3. Define exactly what needs to be built

This is one of the most important stages, also from a delivery perspective. Before requesting quotes, the scope of work must be clear enough. For a digital product this can include:

• product structure;
• user scenarios;
• UX/UI;
• functional requirements;
• a prototype;
• integrations;
• technology requirements;
• deliverables;
• delivery phases.

The more precisely the brief is defined, the easier it is to get comparable quotes and understand the real project cost.

At this stage Juice Digital Agency can help structure the scope of a digital project and prepare a technical and commercial proposal - from UX/UI design to digital product and website development. You can see what such a digital product looks like in practice in the InMall SaaS platform case.

4. Run market research and a price survey

This is a point you should not leave until the last minute. LIAA's current programme conditions require market research before submitting the project application, surveying at least three comparable potential service providers.

If the total contract value does not exceed EUR 69,999.99 excluding VAT, under certain conditions a price survey can replace a procurement procedure. The choice must be the economically most advantageous one and fit the project's needs.

In practice this means you should not send three different briefs to three companies. For quotes to be comparable, providers must receive a sufficiently identical scope of work.

And the lowest price alone is not the only criterion - LIAA refers to the economically most advantageous offer that best meets the recipient's needs.

5. Check the service provider's eligibility

Another frequently forgotten detail: it is not enough that the project itself fits the programme. The chosen service provider must also meet the requirements for that specific eligible activity.

LIAA's conditions differ by service type. Before signing a contract, check whether the potential provider is entitled to deliver that service and can prove the required competence or experience.

This matters especially in digital product, design and technology projects, where one project can include several different activities.

6. Prepare the required documents

The application is submitted in the LIAA business portal. Depending on the support type, supporting documents are also required. LIAA lists examples such as the SME declaration, the EDS de minimis number and, in some cases, other documents such as an employee CV.

De minimis often raises questions. Simply put, it is one of the state aid accounting mechanisms, and before applying you must confirm the company has the required de minimis capacity available.

We will explain this topic in detail in a separate Juice Digital Agency guide on LIAA funding terminology.

7. Submit the application to LIAA

Once the project is defined, market research done and documents prepared, the application can be submitted in the LIAA business portal: LIAA innovation voucher support and application.

Before submitting, check once more that the project description, planned activities, budget and chosen support type are consistent with each other.

8. Prepare to present the new product or technology

The process does not end with submitting the application. In LIAA's official process the next step is a presentation of the new product or technology. LIAA then evaluates the application; the official description states a one-month evaluation period.

So before applying, the company should already be able to explain clearly:

• What is the problem?
• What are we developing?
• What is new in this solution?
• Who needs it?
• What will the project result be?
• How will the solution help the company grow?

If the product cannot be explained clearly in a few minutes, the project idea itself may not yet be defined precisely enough.

9. After a positive decision, receive the voucher and sign the contract

If the application is approved, LIAA signs a contract and issues the voucher. This process does not apply to the highly qualified employee support, which has a different payment procedure.

The voucher essentially acts as a guarantee to the provider that LIAA will co-fund that part of the project. The voucher is then handed to the provider, a contract is signed and the required voucher confirmation is submitted. Only after the programme requirements are met does delivery begin.

10. Deliver the project and submit the payment request

Once the work is completed in line with the approved project, a voucher payment request is submitted. LIAA reviews it and, for a voucher, pays its share of the invoice to the provider. The company covers its co-funding share and VAT under the applicable conditions.

For hiring a highly qualified employee the mechanism differs: the company first covers the eligible salary costs, and LIAA then reimburses 45% of the eligible costs.

So when planning a project, look not only at what percentage LIAA funds, but also at when, to whom and how the funding is paid.

Common mistakes when applying for the innovation voucher

The programme conditions imply several points worth checking before you even start the application.

• The project is adapted to the funding only after a solution has been chosen. Start with the problem, the innovation goal and the expected result.
• An ordinary digital service is automatically treated as innovation. A new website, design or software alone does not mean the programme criteria are met.
• The price survey uses non-comparable briefs. If every supplier proposes something different, offers cannot be compared objectively.
• The provider's eligibility is not checked. Specific eligible activities may also set requirements for the contractor.
• Only the funding percentage is considered. VAT, the company's co-funding, eligible costs and the actual payment procedure matter too.

Can the innovation voucher be used for a website or digital product?

This question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. The innovation voucher programme is not meant for website development as a universal business cost category. Its purpose is developing new products and technologies, and eligible activities are specifically defined.

So assess the essence of the project. If a new SaaS product, technological prototype, digital product innovation or another eligible technology is being built, some project activities may potentially meet the conditions.

A wish to simply replace an existing website with a more modern one is not sufficient grounds for an innovation voucher. That is why you should check the specific programme conditions before preparing a project budget or quote.

Can Juice Digital Agency be the project contractor?

It depends on the specific eligible activity and the requirements set for the provider. LIAA sets different provider requirements for different voucher activities, so no agency can automatically claim to be eligible for every innovation voucher project.

Juice Digital Agency can help define the digital project, UX/UI, product structure, design, technical delivery and other work within our competence. Before preparing a specific proposal we can check:

• which eligible activity the project involves;
• what requirements apply to the service provider;
• what scope of work needs defining for the price survey;
• which project deliverables are needed;
• whether Juice Digital Agency's competence and experience match that part of the project.

The funding decision is always made by the programme administrator, not by Juice Digital Agency.

Innovation voucher 2026: the essentials in one place

• Programme status: open
• Support: up to EUR 25,000
• Intensity: 45-100% depending on the support type
• Applications: while funding remains available
• Delivery: up to 12 months, and no later than 30.04.2027
• Application: liaa.business.gov.lv
• Support type: grant

Programme conditions and available funding can change, so always check the current information in LIAA's official source before starting a project: check the current innovation voucher conditions at LIAA.

Still have questions about the LIAA innovation voucher?

If you have a project idea but are unsure whether it could fit the innovation voucher programme, how to define the scope of a digital project or what to prepare for the price survey, get in touch with Juice Digital Agency.

We will help you understand the digital side of the project, define the required work and assess how Juice Digital Agency can take part in delivery under the requirements of the specific programme.

Juice Digital Agency does not decide on funding and does not guarantee project approval. Eligibility and awarding of funding are determined by the relevant programme administrator.

Frequently asked questions