The Department of Business and Knowledge of the Government of Catalonia, through ACCIÓ, an agency for business competitiveness, has announced a new line of direct grants of up to 75,000 euros for Catalan technology startups.
Startup Capital de Acció has a budget of 1.5 million euros, with which it expects to finance about 20 entrepreneurial projects per year, to be eligible, these projects must be found in very early stages, from 3 months to 3 years old and technology must be the basis of the business and its differential factor.ACTION will offer direct grants of between 45,000 and 75,000 euros so that startups can execute their business plan, 80% of the aid will be provided before starting the project and without the need for endorsements. In this way, the funding acquired by startups can be used to purchase materials and equipment, personnel expenses, space rental, contracting services to third parties and legal services, development of communication strategies and licenses for the use of software. Companies will also be able to use this aid to carry out pilot tests and prototypes, as well as to cover the costs associated with applying for patents. Through this new line of grants, ACCIÓ hopes to boost the growth of Catalan startups and contribute to the strengthening of open innovation ecosystems in Catalonia.The call will be open until October 31, 2017 and the evaluation process will be based on competitive competition. It is estimated that concession resolutions will be issued in January 2018.The rules and criteria for selecting Startup Capital Acció will be published next week.
What is ACCIÓ?
ACCIÓ is the Agency for Business Competitiveness of the Government of Catalonia. It specializes in promoting innovation and business internationalization and has a network of 39 offices around the world. This Agency is created to improve strategic support and enhance the competitiveness of the Catalan business fabric. Source: ACTION
