Poland: Dig.IT grant and robotisation relief for machine monitoring and MES
Dig.IT is the Polish grant that names MES outright. Its second call is planned for the turn of Q3/Q4 2026, so applications are being prepared now.
What the programme is
Dig.IT – Transformacja cyfrowa polskich MŚP (Digital transformation of Polish SMEs) is a grant run by ARP, the Industrial Development Agency, and co-financed by FENG (Fundusze Europejskie dla Nowoczesnej Gospodarki, European Funds for a Modern Economy). It funds the digital transformation of production companies: software and IT solutions, machinery and training, according to ARP. The total envelope is PLN 140 million (about €32.2m) for about 400 firms, which is roughly PLN 350,000 per firm on average.
The pilot call ran from 3 to 21 November 2025. It drew 146 applications, and 51 were assessed positively, about one in three. ARP says the second call is planned "at the turn of Q3/Q4" 2026 and that the schedule and rules of the next call are still being agreed.
Who qualifies
- Small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing or production services.
- At least five closed fiscal years.
- Net sales profitability of at least 4% (consultant summary, mdotacje.pl).
- SME status is tested at group level. A plant owned by a large group is usually out.
Check the last two points before anything else. A firm that fails the profitability threshold in the reference year cannot fix it in the application.
What share and what size
| Parameter | Value | Source level |
|---|---|---|
| Grant per project | PLN 150,000–850,000 (€34.5k–195.3k) | Consultant summary |
| Maximum intensity | 50% of eligible costs | Consultant summary |
| Hardware, equipment and training | Together at most 40% of eligible costs | Consultant summary |
| Total envelope | PLN 140m (€32.2m) for about 400 firms | ARP |
| Pilot result | 146 applications, 51 positively assessed | ARP |
Sources: digit.arp.pl, arp.pl, mdotacje.pl (Apr 2026, updated 21 Sep 2026).
Two numbers follow from the table. At 50%, the smallest grant (PLN 150,000) needs at least PLN 300,000 of eligible costs. The largest grant (PLN 850,000) needs at least PLN 1.7 million.
Which monitoring, MES and IIoT costs are eligible
ARP lists software and IT solutions, machinery and training. The consultant summary is more specific: ERP, WMS, MES, AI and analytics, cloud and cybersecurity. MES is named explicitly, which makes Dig.IT the clearest fit in the region for a production-data project. Machine-monitoring software, connection hardware and integration work sit in those categories. The 40% cap on hardware, equipment and training means the project must be software- and process-led. A project built around sensors and terminals with a thin software layer will breach the cap.
Open questions to settle against the call documents: whether subscription (SaaS) fees count beyond the project end date, whether VAT is eligible for your firm, and how costs incurred before the application are treated.
2026 call status and what to watch
- Dig.IT second call: planned for the turn of Q3/Q4 2026 (ARP). The rules may change from the pilot. Watch digit.arp.pl for the regulations (regulamin).
- Ulga na robotyzację (robotisation tax relief, CIT/PIT): an extra 50% deduction of qualifying costs for production companies of any size. Qualifying costs include robots, peripherals, software and intangibles, and training. It applies to 2022–2026. A bill to make it permanent and raise the deduction to 100% reached the Sejm in March 2026; its outcome is uncertain. Plan on the relief ending with 2026 unless the law changes.
- Regional programmes (FEP 2021–27): several voivodeships run SME digitalisation measures, for example Małopolska's 1.11 Rozwój MŚP w obszarze cyfryzacji i przemysłu 4.0. Terms differ by region and were not verified one by one.
- Ścieżka SMART (FENG 1.1): built for implementing R&D results. In 2026 digitalisation is no longer a standalone module and supporting costs are capped at 15%, so it is a poor fit for a monitoring project on its own. The PARP implementation call closed on 11 June 2026.
The robotisation relief is built around industrial robots. Monitoring software on non-robotic machines may not qualify on its own, and costs covered by a grant may not be deductible again. Ask a tax adviser before counting on both. The arithmetic is simple: extra deduction = 50% × qualifying cost; tax saved = extra deduction × your tax rate. At a 19% CIT rate, PLN 200,000 of qualifying cost gives a PLN 100,000 extra deduction and PLN 19,000 less tax.
Worked example: 30 machines, Dig.IT at 50%
An illustration, not a quote. Assumptions: a 180-person plastics and metal parts SME, 30 machines connected, a monitoring and MES layer integrated with the existing ERP, operator terminals at each cell, and training for three shifts. "Project budget" is a generic figure; no vendor price is implied. Costs are net of VAT.
| Cost line | PLN | EUR | Counts toward the 40% cap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitoring and MES software (licences or subscription inside the project period) | 450,000 | 103,400 | No |
| Implementation, ERP integration, configuration | 250,000 | 57,400 | No |
| Hardware: machine connectors, gateways, operator terminals | 240,000 | 55,100 | Yes |
| Training | 60,000 | 13,800 | Yes |
| Eligible project budget | 1,000,000 | 229,700 | Capped lines: 300,000 = 30% (limit 40%) |
| Grant at 50% | 500,000 | 114,900 | Within PLN 150k–850k |
| Own contribution | 500,000 | 114,900 | Plus VAT and any pre-financing |
Intensity and 40% cap per consultant summary (mdotacje.pl). EUR at 4.3530 PLN/EUR (ECB, 21 Sep 2026), rounded.
If the hardware estimate grows to PLN 400,000, the capped lines reach 46% and the budget must be rebalanced. Plan cash for the full project until the payment terms (advance or reimbursement) are known.
Indicators an evaluator will look for
| Indicator | Baseline method | Example target logic |
|---|---|---|
| Good output per planned hour | Automatic counts over 4–8 weeks before the project | Increase set from the measured loss structure |
| Unplanned downtime hours per month | Machine state signal with reason codes | Reduction on the top three stop reasons |
| Scrap rate | Reject booking at the station | Reduction on the lines in scope |
| Energy per good unit | Sub-meter per line ÷ good output | Reduction in idle consumption |
| Share of machines with automatic data capture | Count today (often 0) | 30 of 30 at project end |
The last indicator is easy to prove and easy to forget. Digital-transformation calls often score the change in digital maturity itself, not only the operational effect.
Where applications get weak
- The project reads as a software purchase, not a change in how the plant is run. Describe the decisions the data will drive: shift meetings, maintenance priorities, planning.
- Indicators have targets but no measurement method. State source, period and definitions.
- Hardware and training exceed the 40% cap after the final quotes arrive.
- The baseline comes from a different source than the final report will use.
- Only one vendor quote, with no scope per machine. Evaluators compare cost to scope.
Programme picker, co-financing calculator with cost caps, and the baseline/target indicator table evaluators look for. Excel, no macros.
Disclosure: this site is published by TEEPTRAK SAS, which sells production-monitoring software. The same project can be delivered by Polish vendors, an integrator or an MES supplier.
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- Grant KPI & Budget Pack
Questions
- Is MES eligible under Dig.IT?
- Yes, per the consultant summary of the programme, which lists ERP, WMS, MES, AI and analytics, cloud and cybersecurity. ARP itself lists software and IT solutions, machinery and training. Confirm against the second-call regulations when published.
- When is the next Dig.IT call?
- ARP plans the second call for the turn of Q3/Q4 2026 and says the schedule and rules are still being agreed. As of 22 September 2026 no date is published.
- Can I combine Dig.IT with the robotisation tax relief?
- Do not assume so for the same costs. Costs funded by a grant may not be deductible again. Ask a tax adviser. The relief applies to 2022–2026 and an extension is still before the Sejm.
- Is a large plant eligible?
- Not for Dig.IT, which is for SMEs. The robotisation relief applies to production companies of any size.
Sources
- ARP — Dig.IT programme page
- ARP — Granty na cyfryzację
- mDotacje — Dig.IT 2026 summary (consultant, updated 21 Sep 2026)
- Euro-Funding — ulga na robotyzację po 2026 r. (11 Mar 2026)
- PARP — Ścieżka SMART implementation call (29 Apr 2026)
- Sense Consulting — Małopolska FEP 1.11 SME digitalisation (consultant)
- ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates (21 Sep 2026)
- Eurostat lc_lci_lev, hourly labour cost, manufacturing (2023–2025)
- PwC Studio — changes to the FENG schedule for 2026 (23 Dec 2025)
Published by TEEPTRAK SAS, which makes production-monitoring and OEE software, with an office in Bucharest (TEEPTRAK SRL). Figures are sourced on each page. Funding rules change: check the official call documents before you budget.