KOSGEB Website Grant 2026: Which Digital Costs Fit Which Programme?

'Is there a KOSGEB website grant?' is one of the questions we hear most often from SME owners in Türkiye. KOSGEB is the country's state agency for small and medium-sized businesses, and the answer may disappoint at first, but being clear about it makes your life easier: KOSGEB does not offer a standalone programme that says 'build a site and we will pay for it'. Instead, it supports projects that grow your efficiency, production or market reach, and a website, software or e-commerce platform can be one line item within such a project.

In this article we go through your costs one by one: which programme each one can be linked to, who can apply, which documents to request from your service provider and where businesses most often go wrong. We also include example scenarios from furniture and manufacturing companies. If you are a foreign company with a registered business in Türkiye, or you are weighing up a Türkiye-based agency, this will help you understand how the local support system treats digital spending.

Is there a dedicated KOSGEB website grant?

No, but that does not mean the cost cannot be supported. KOSGEB works on a project basis. You set a goal (for example, digitalising order processes, increasing production capacity or starting a new business) and gather the costs needed to reach it, such as machinery, software, consultancy and staff, in a project file. A website or software only makes sense in that file if it is directly connected to the goal.

In practice, think of it this way: 'I want to refresh my corporate website' is not a project on its own. 'I want to take orders from my dealers through a portal instead of phone calls and WhatsApp, and match them with stock and production planning' is a need that can become a digital transformation project. Preparing an application without making this distinction increases the risk of rejection.

Which cost can fit into which support?

The table below summarises which programmes the most common digital costs can be linked to. It is not a definitive matching list; the assessment is made according to the programme's implementation rules and by the KOSGEB expert.

KOSGEB digital transformation support

This is the most natural home for software costs. Software used for production tracking, inventory management, order and quote processes or customer relationship management can be assessed here. The key is to show that the software is not decoration but a tool that changes how the business works. That is why, in custom business software projects, the needs analysis document becomes the backbone of the application.

Capacity Development Support Programme

Used for larger projects, usually involving production capacity, efficiency or new market goals. Alongside a machinery investment, production planning software that works with those machines or a dealer ordering system can be added to the project.

Entrepreneurship support

For newly established businesses, covering items such as set-up costs, machinery and equipment, and operating expenses. A new business's first website can be assessed within this framework if it is defined in the business plan. Do not overlook prerequisites such as the applied entrepreneurship training requirement.

Ministry of Trade e-export support

This is run by the Turkish Ministry of Trade, not KOSGEB. For companies that sell, or plan to sell, abroad, items such as marketplace membership, market reports and digital promotion activities may be covered. E-export promotion support is the leading option for advertising spend targeted at foreign markets. Follow the Ministry of Trade announcements for current conditions. If the topic is new to you, it helps to first read how cross-border e-commerce works.

Who can apply?

The basic requirement for KOSGEB support is being a business that meets the Turkish SME definition and being registered in the KOSGEB database. On top of that, conditions vary by programme:

• Registration in the KOSGEB database and an up-to-date SME declaration
• Eligibility of your sector and activity code (NACE) for the programme; some programmes only cover manufacturing
• No outstanding tax or social security (SGK) debt, or debt that has been restructured
• Completion of obligations from any support received earlier
• For entrepreneurship support, an applied entrepreneurship training certificate

For the Ministry of Trade's e-export support, conditions such as membership of an exporters' association and company status are usually required. If you operate as a sole trader, check in advance which support you can access.

Eligible and ineligible costs

Although it varies by programme, a general framework is possible. The lists below are not definitive; they are meant as guidance.

Costs that can usually be supported:

• Software developed specifically for the project, plus installation services
• Software licences (those tied to the project period)
• Hardware connected to the project
• Consultancy and training services
• Digital promotion aimed at foreign markets (under the Ministry of Trade)

Costs that are usually not supported:

• Spending made before application approval
• Services bought from your partners, first-degree relatives or related companies
• VAT and similar taxes
• Cash payments and undocumented costs
• General promotion and domestic advertising that cannot be linked to the project's purpose
• Routine operating costs such as domain names and hosting (may vary by programme)

Application steps and timeline

Some KOSGEB programmes are open all year, while others accept applications only during specific call periods. The general flow looks like this:

1. Preparation: Register in the KOSGEB database via e-Devlet (Türkiye's government services portal) and update your SME declaration.
2. Needs analysis: Write down which process you want to digitalise and why. Clarify the technical scope with your service provider.
3. Collecting quotes: Base the budget on real quotes. Made-up figures in the project file cause problems.
4. Project file and application: Apply through KOSGEB e-services. Some programmes require a presentation to a review board.
5. Approval and contract: Start spending only after the project has been approved.
6. Implementation and payment request: Request the support payment with invoices, payment records and delivery reports.
7. Monitoring: Submit the reports required during the post-project monitoring period on time.

On timing, the biggest trap is rushing. Evaluation can take weeks, sometimes months. Making an e-commerce site that must launch before peak season dependent on support can put both the site and the support at risk. Plan your timeline accordingly.

Documents to request from your service provider for quotes and invoices

Most problems in supported projects come from missing or inconsistent documents. Ask your agency or software company for the following:

• Detailed quote: Itemised scope of work, modules, timeline and amount. One-line quotes such as 'Website: X TL' are not enough.
• Technical specification or scope document: A document describing which functions the software will perform.
• Tax registration certificate and certificate of activity: Records showing that the company provides software or IT services.
• Invoice: Line descriptions that match the quote exactly, issued after the project approval date.
• Delivery and acceptance report: A signed document showing the software has been installed and works.
• Licence or usage rights document: For custom software, who holds the source code and usage rights. We cover this in detail in our article on source code ownership.

Always make payments by bank transfer from your business account. Payments by credit card or from a third party's account can cause problems.

Example scenarios for furniture and manufacturing companies

In Bursa, and especially in conversations with furniture manufacturers in İnegöl, one of Türkiye's main furniture production hubs, we see similar needs again and again. The scenarios below are fictional and do not guarantee any support; they are only meant to show how to think about it.

Scenario 1: A furniture manufacturer collecting dealer orders

A manufacturer selling to dozens of dealers across Türkiye takes orders by phone and message, then enters them into Excel. Wrong product codes, lost orders and unclear stock levels cause constant trouble. Here, a project combining a B2B dealer portal with production planning and stock modules has a strong justification under digital transformation. A corporate website refresh can be added as a secondary item, but the heart of the project should be the ordering process.

Scenario 2: A sofa manufacturer wanting to expand abroad

For a company aiming to sell into European and Gulf markets, a multilingual e-commerce site, foreign marketplace memberships and ad campaigns targeting specific countries are on the agenda. In this case, the Ministry of Trade's e-export support is the main route. Planning the site's infrastructure and the promotion plan together makes documentation easier later. Working with a team experienced in digital sales for the furniture sector saves time at this point.

Scenario 3: A contract metalworking workshop

Preparing quotes takes days, and nobody knows which job is at which stage. Alongside an investment in a new CNC machine, quoting and job tracking software can be part of a Capacity Development or digital transformation project. How the machine and the software will raise efficiency together must be explained in concrete terms.

Common mistakes

• Spending first, applying later: Invoices issued before approval are generally not accepted. This is the most common mistake.
• Reducing the project to a website: 'A new site' is a weak justification on its own. Explain which business process the site will change.
• Buying services from a relative or partner company: Services from related parties are not supported.
• Mismatches between quote and invoice: If item names and amounts do not match, payment is delayed or rejected.
• Presenting a ready-made template as custom software: The delivered product may be inspected during an audit. Describe what you are buying accurately.
• Inflating the budget because of the support: Whatever the support rate, you pay the rest. Modules you do not need become a burden.
• Forgetting monitoring obligations: The process does not end when the project does; failing to submit the required reports can cause problems later.

Support is a bonus for a good project; it will not rescue a bad one. Clarify the need first, then look for the right programme.

Questions to ask yourself before applying

If a project has started to take shape in your mind while reading, begin by answering three questions: Which process is costing you time or money today? What changes if that process is digitalised? Can you measure that change? If the answers are clear, half of your project file is already done.

At Fietto Creative, we do not submit applications for supported projects; KOSGEB experts and consultancy firms handle that. What we can do is prepare the technical scope, the detailed quote and the delivery documents with the clarity the programme expects. If you would like to see where your current site stands or talk about your software needs, get in touch with us.

Frequently asked questions