Routes and incentives for people who want to invest in Maltese startups, or who are considering Malta as a base. Status labels are explained on the Starting in Malta page.
Investing in Maltese startups
- Seed Investment Scheme (6.19 on the Grants & funding page, verified): a 35% income tax credit for qualifying individual investors, up to €250,000 a year per investor and €750,000 per company.
- Investments must be held for three years, after which gains on disposal are exempt.
- Applications go through the Malta Investment Management Company (MIMCOL).
- Confirm current terms with MIMCOL, because a commercial guide mentions a February 2026 amendment we have not checked.
- Public co-investment (13.5 on the Investors page): a ministry press release mentions a €10 million public fund matching private capital up to €500,000 per startup. The operator and application route are not stated, so ask Malta Venture Capital (6.18).
- Advice from founders and advisers on angel and VC rounds (6.20): commercial guides only for now, and we are looking for real investor and founder stories.
- Private equity (6.21): no official source found yet.
If you want to live in Malta
- Malta Permanent Residence Programme (13.3, verified): residence by investment for non-EU nationals, through a Licensed Agent, with a €60,000 administrative fee and €37,000 government contribution plus a property requirement.
- Individual Tax Programme (13.4, needs checking): a new framework from 1 January 2027 replacing the Global Residence Programme, published as Legal Notice 195 of 2026. Read the Rules text before you rely on any figures.
- Startup Residence Programme (1.11): for non-EU founders, not passive investors.
Citizenship
- Citizenship by merit (13.1, verified): discretionary naturalisation for exceptional service or contribution, including entrepreneurship, job creation and philanthropy. It is a proposal-and-approval process with at least eight months of residence, not a purchase.
- Citizenship by investment (13.2): commercial guides say the earlier programme ended in 2025. Ask Community Malta Agency before relying on any route.
Not yet answered
- How an investor's returns and gains are taxed (13.6).
- The operator and rules for the public co-investment fund.
Full detail for each answer is on the Investors and Grants & funding pages. Amounts and rules change, so confirm on the linked official page. See also Open questions and gaps.