Competitive Grant Funds for Creative Industries in Costa Rica
The problem isn't a lack of funds. It's lack of information. This guide exists to close that gap — for game studios, digital creators, and creative entrepreneurs in Costa Rica.
More than 50% of entrepreneurs and small businesses in Costa Rica are unaware of the funds available to finance their projects. Costa Rica's Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade (MEIC) identified 88 financial products across 50 different entities — public banks, cooperatives, universities, foundations, and ministries. Most of that money never reaches the people who need it most, simply because no one explained that it exists.
This guide is for game studios, independent developers, digital creators, and creative-industry entrepreneurs in Costa Rica. It's based on the mapping of repayable and non-repayable funds published by MEIC in 2026, supplemented with sources from the Ministry of Culture and Youth, MICITT (the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications), Procomer, and the Costa Rican Film Center.
T3AMPO Studio knows this ecosystem from the inside. MIX IT! was funded by AUGE-UCR and SBD — and became the first video game to win the Fauno Fund from the Film Center. What follows is what we learned — and what we want the whole industry to know.
By the numbers: 88 financial products mapped by MEIC in 2026 · 50 public and private entities with available funds · 23 non-repayable funds (seed capital) · 55% of credit lines carry interest rates below 10%.
First things first — what type of fund do you actually need?
Before applying to any fund, you need to understand the fundamental difference between the two types of financing available. Choosing the wrong type isn't just a strategic mistake — it can compromise your studio's financial sustainability.
Repayable Funds (74% of the ecosystem). These are loans. You receive them, use them, and pay them back with interest over a set term. They're the right option for projects with projected cash flow — when you can demonstrate the project will generate enough revenue to cover the loan. Examples: PROPYME loans, FODEMIPYME, credit lines from BNCR, BCR, Coopeande.
Non-Repayable Funds (26% of the ecosystem — the most valuable). Seed capital that doesn't need to be paid back. These are competitive grants — you apply, meet requirements, and get selected. They're the most valuable option for early-stage studios because they don't create debt. The trade-off is meeting the project's stated objectives. Examples: AUGE-UCR, SBD, the Fauno Fund, MICITT funds, Ministry of Culture funds.
For a game studio in the development or validation stage, non-repayable funds are the absolute priority. They don't create debt, they validate the project institutionally, and they open doors to later financing. Credit comes afterward — once you already have the traction to justify it.
The funds that matter most to the creative industry
Entrepreneurship & Incubation
AUGE-UCR (University of Costa Rica · AUGE Accelerator) — Non-repayable. The UCR's incubation and acceleration program. It offers non-repayable financing in two stages: incubation (idea and product validation) and acceleration (scaling). MIX IT! received $12,000 in incubation funding and $20,000 in acceleration funding through this program. It's the most accessible entry point for creative ventures connected to UCR. Up to $20,000 in acceleration funding · periodic application windows · requires a UCR affiliation.
SBD — Development Banking System (Government of Costa Rica · public financial sector) — Repayable and non-repayable. SBD channels financing through multiple public financial entities. It has both credit lines and non-repayable seed capital for entrepreneurs. For creative industries, the key is presenting the project as a productive venture with measurable economic impact — exactly how T3AMPO presented MIX IT!. Multiple lines and amounts · requires SIEC-MEIC registration · several executing banks.
PROPYME — MICITT (Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications) — Non-repayable. Non-repayable funds for innovation and technological development. Explicitly includes creative-economy projects under the Costa Rica Creative and Cultural Strategy 2030 framework. Covers technical validation, product development, and scaling. For games with a technological or educational component — such as simulations, VR/AR tools, or edu-casual platforms — this is a highly relevant option. Includes the creative economy · application window opened January 2026 · requires MEIC entrepreneur registration.
Culture & Audiovisual
Fauno Fund — Film Center (Costa Rican Film Center) — Non-repayable. The Film Center's production fund. Historically oriented toward film and audiovisual work, MIX IT! Revolutions became, in 2025, the first video game to receive it — formally opening the category to interactive projects with a strong narrative and cultural component. If your game has ambitions as a cultural artifact, this is the ecosystem's most important bet. First winning game: MIX IT! 2025 · category now open to video games · annual call for applications.
MCJ Competitive Funds (Ministry of Culture and Youth) — Non-repayable. The Ministry of Culture and Youth administers multiple competitive funds for cultural projects. Includes funds for literary arts (₡1M–₡4M per project), performing arts, music, and community cultural-impact projects. For game studios, the key is framing the project within the ministry's cultural language — identity, heritage, community, access to culture. Games that tell Costa Rican stories have a natural advantage here. ₡1M–₡4M per project · literary arts window open through August 2026 · multiple categories.
Euro CineLab 2026 (Film Center · European collaboration) — Free scholarship + prize. Workshop for emerging filmmakers with a free participation scholarship and a €1,000 prize for the best short film, with a screening at the European Film Festival. Relevant for studios with projects at the boundary between video games and interactive cinema, or for narrative-direction teams working on complementary audiovisual projects. €1,000 prize · free participation scholarship · emerging filmmakers.
Export & International Markets
Procomer — Internationalization Funds (Costa Rica's Foreign Trade Promotion Agency) — Repayable and non-repayable. Procomer has funds and programs aimed at exporting Costa Rican services and products. For game studios classified as exporters of IP and creative services — like T3AMPO and JGG LOG since 2025 — this includes support for participation in international trade shows (GDC, Gamescom), trade missions, and exporter certification. Support for trade-show participation · exporter classification · international trade missions.
LuxAid Challenge Fund — MEIC (MEIC · Luxembourg cooperation) — Non-repayable. Non-repayable co-financing of between €50,000 and €120,000 for innovative Costa Rican companies that already generate revenue. Currently focused on agritech and fintech, but worth monitoring for future calls — the fund is part of a broader creative-economy and innovation program. €50,000–€120,000 · requires existing revenue · monitor upcoming calls.
Accessible Credit for Small Businesses
FODEMIPYME — Banco Popular (Special Fund for the Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) — Repayable, backed by guarantee. Credit for small businesses backed 100% by FODEMIPYME, with no co-signer required, at accessible rates. Up to ₡50 million. For studios that already have an established operation and need capital for production, equipment, or team expansion. Requires registration with MEIC's SIEC system. Up to ₡50 million · no co-signer required · requires SIEC-MEIC registration.
How to apply — the steps nobody explains to you
Register with MEIC's SIEC system. Costa Rica's Business Information System (SIEC), run by MEIC, is the first requirement for accessing most public funds. It's free, done online, and without it you're excluded from most application windows. If you haven't done this yet, it's step one.
Define your project's profile clearly. Is it a tech venture? A cultural project? An exportable product? An educational tool? The same game can qualify for completely different funds depending on how you frame it. MIX IT! was an educational venture for AUGE/SBD and a cultural artifact for the Film Center. Both are true. Use the language of each call for applications.
Prepare your base documentation. Most competitive funds require: a business or project plan, a detailed budget, team information and CVs, evidence of validation (users, downloads, reviews, awards), and legal incorporation documents. Have this ready before the application window opens — deadlines tend to be short.
Monitor application calendars. Competitive funds open and close — they aren't always available. AUGE-UCR and MICITT have periodic calls. The Ministry of Culture has annual calls by category. The Film Center calls annually. Follow the official channels of MEIC, the Ministry of Culture, MICITT, and Procomer so you don't miss the windows.
Seek support — don't apply alone. AUGE-UCR, the TECs (technical universities), and some private accelerators offer free support in preparing applications. Use it. A well-prepared application with advising has a significantly higher success rate than one submitted without support. The industry network — ASODEV, events like EXPOVIT, the gamedev breakfast — is a direct resource for connecting with people who've already done it before.
The T3AMPO model — how a financing chain is built
MIX IT! wasn't funded by a single source. It was built through a strategic chain: AUGE-UCR for incubation ($12,000) → validation in schools and educational platforms → SBD for acceleration ($20,000) → expansion of the game's world, art, and music → Fauno Fund from the Film Center (2025–2027) → production of MIX IT! Revolutions with an international team.
Each stage used the right fund for the right moment. Incubation isn't financed with credit. Scale isn't built with seed capital alone. Cultural production isn't justified solely by startup metrics. Knowing which fund corresponds to which stage is the difference between a financial strategy and a random application.
Costa Rica's financing ecosystem exists and works. What's missing — and what this article aims to be — is the map.
"The problem isn't a lack of funds. It's lack of information."
Costa Rica has 88 financial products available for entrepreneurs and small businesses. It has competitive funds from the Ministry of Culture. It has a Film Center that now recognizes video games as fundable cultural artifacts. It has university incubation and acceleration programs. It has Procomer for internationalization. It has SBD for scaling.
What the creative industry lacks isn't money. It's information, network, and support to turn a project into a winning application. T3AMPO Studio built its path by navigating this ecosystem — and we believe the entire industry deserves the same access to the map.
This guide was prepared with information available as of June 2026. Amounts, requirements, and application dates may change. Always verify directly with the corresponding institution before applying. Sources: MEIC Funds Mapping 2026, Ministry of Culture and Youth, MICITT, Procomer, Costa Rican Film Center, CulturaCR.net.
