More and more startups are emerging with force in Spain, which is why today at Intelectium we wanted to dedicate this article to summarize the main existing lines of funding.
Currently, entrepreneurs have numerous public grants of various characteristics depending on the type of project being planned. With these grants, companies can gain momentum and take off, but before applying for them, it is essential to know if you meet the minimum requirements.
Enisa, participatory loans
Financing to accompany and maximize private investment rounds
Participatory loans from Enisa are one of the main and first sources of funding that innovative startups and SMEs turn to in order to accelerate their growth and/or undertake their innovation plans. To be able to request a Enisa the company must be an SME, small and medium-sized enterprise, or a startup domiciled in Spain with an innovative project seeking funding.
Enisa has three lines of funding:
- Young entrepreneurs: from 25,000 euros to 75,000 euros, for startups led by entrepreneurs under 41 years of age.
- Entrepreneurs: 25,000 euros to 300,000 euros for startups or newly created companies that are no more than 24 months old. Unlike the Enisa Young Entrepreneurs line, Enisa Entrepreneurs has no age limit.
- Growth: 25,000 euros up to 1,500,000 euros. For startups or SMEs that are in the growth phase. This line has no age restrictions on the part of the entrepreneurs or the length of time on the part of the company to request it.
Learn more about Enisa.
Horizon 2020 European Funding Program
The objective of Horizon 2020 is to finance research and technological development and innovation (R+D+i) activities. Horizon 2020 or also called Horizon 2020, is the largest research and innovation program in the European Union. Beneficiaries can be any type of entity from the member States of the European Union, although it also includes the participation of organizations from other countries. Among the most famous lines of funding in the Horizon 2020 Program, there is SME Instrument o Phase II SME Instrument and Fast Track to Innovation (FTI).
Learn more about Horizon 2020
Neotec Program
Grant for technology-based startups
This is a call for newly established and technology-based startups. The Center for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI), is the body that issues these grants and seeks to support the creation and consolidation of Spanish technological startups through non-refundable grants of up to 250,000 euros. The beneficiaries are small companies with less than 3 years and more than 6 months of existence, with a minimum written capital of €20,000 and that can demonstrate their innovative nature. The purpose of the investment is to finance the creation phase of a technology-based company, for this reason the company must have a clear R&D plan with a high technological level.
Learn more about Neotec.
More CDTI funding programs
El CDTI o Center for Industrial Technological Development is the instrument of the General State Administration that manages, subsidizes and internationalizes business R&D projects.
What is the purpose of the CDTI? ç
The objective of the CDTI is to contribute to the improvement of the technological level of technology companies through the following functions:
- Promotion and management of Spanish collaboration in international technological cooperation programs.
- Support for the creation and consolidation of technology-based companies.
- Approval of public aid for innovation through grants or partially reimbursable grants to R&D projects developed by companies and technical-economic assessment.
- Promotion of the international transfer of business technology and support services for technological R&D.
There are different CDTI funding programs.
- Cien Program: It is a strategic project of National Business Research Consortiums. This program supports R&D projects developed in collaboration by business groups and aimed at planned research in very strategic areas with a potential for international projection.
- Research and Development Program (PID): subsidizes applied business programs. The objective of the PID is the creation and significant improvement of a process, service or product, comprising experimental development and industrial research activities.
- Innovation Hotline Program: It is a financial instrument that aims to show support for technological projects.
- Feder Program - Connect: Its purpose is to promote cooperation at the regional level, carry out projects oriented to the needs of the regions and generate innovative capacities that promote greater territorial cohesion.
- Invest Program: It is a new co-investment initiative with private investors specialized in innovative companies. Its objective is to promote the creation of a specialized ecosystem that not only covers funding in the different phases of the life cycle of companies, but also offers support for their management needs, knowledge of technology and access to international leaders.
- Cervera Program: This aid is partially refundable and covers up to 85% of the total budget. The CDTI Cervera Program funds R&D projects for startups and SMEs in collaboration with technology centers. The collaboration of the Technology Center within the project must be, at least, 10%.
- Eurostars Program: This aid aims to support SMEs with market-oriented R&D activities. It currently has the participation of 25 member states of Eureka and the EC.
Learn more about CDTI.
ICO Loans
Los ICO loans are a line of funding that helps freelancers, companies or organizations to promote businesses through funding.
There are different types of ICO loans:
- ICO Companies and entrepreneurs
- International ICO/ICO Exporters
- ICO Guaranty/ICO Commercial Credit
Learn more about ICO Loans
Red.es Aids
Red.es is a Spanish public business entity that offers aid to both public and private entities aimed at promoting the digitalization of public services, the economy and the Spanish society through ICTs.
There are different Red.es funding programs:
- Accelerate SMEs: To support the digital transformation of SMEs, freelancers and entrepreneurs from all over Spain.
- Digital transformation in SMEs: To promote digital transformation and increase the competitiveness of SMEs and the self-employed.
- Digital professionals: To facilitate employment and promote the transformation of companies.
- Internationalization: To promote the global projection of companies that have emerged in the field of the Digital Economy.
- Cloud Computing: To promote the adoption and expansion of cloud computing technology as a strategic factor for the digitalization of the country's industrial fabric.
- Tourism: To support the digitalization and transformation of a key sector for our country's economy.
- Video games: To promote entrepreneurship and the consolidation of companies in the digital content sector, in particular the video game.
More information about Red.es
Currently, and due to the crisis caused by the Coronavirus, Spanish startups and SMEs can access the Covid line for direct aid to self-employed workers and companies. The line is aimed at helping those companies and self-employed workers that have experienced a 30% reduction in their sales due to the measures implemented by the Government to curb the pandemic. In this case, the Autonomous Communities themselves are responsible for making the corresponding calls for the allocation of direct aid to the recipients.
More information about the Covid line for direct aid to self-employed workers and companies
EIC Accelerator
The EIC Accelerator, formerly known as SME Instrument, will announce different types of grants during the period (2021-2027) focused on promoting the development of high-impact innovations, capable of creating new markets or significantly transforming existing ones. The beneficiaries of the grants will have access to non-refundable grants of up to 2.5 million euros, with an optional investment component in the form of equity. The EIC Accelerator has two different types of calls:
- Open Calls: For any type of project aimed at the development of science, technology or application of any of the above.
- Challenge-Specific Calls: For projects with specific objectives within priority sectors such as the European Green Deal and strategic digital and health technologies.
More information about EIC Accelerator
Collaboration Challenges Program
The objective of the Program is to support companies with a strong dedication to R+D+i to carry out experimental development projects in cooperation with research organizations or universities, in order to promote the development of new technologies, the business application of new ideas and techniques, and contribute to the creation of new products and services. The Program finances projects, which must have a minimum budget of €500,000 and a duration of between 2 and 4 years, through loans of up to 95% for companies beneficiaries and through reimbursable grants or advances for research organizations and universities participating in the consortium. Projects must address any of the following challenges:
- Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing.
- Food quality and sustainability.
- Safe, efficient and clean energy.
- Sustainable and intelligent transport.
- Climate change and resource efficiency.
- Social changes and innovations.
- Digital economy and society.
- Security, protection and defense.
More information about Collaboration Challenges
If you found the post on the main lines of public funding for startups in Spain and are you interested in learning more about the ecosystem, do not hesitate to visit our website to find out more information. You can also contact us through the following Form and we will evaluate the fit of your project free of charge.
