ICEX-Invest in Spain has launched the second call for the Innova Invest programme, an initiative whose purpose is to encourage R&D activities in Spain by companies with at least 50% foreign capital. The aim is to integrate them into the national productive and research fabric and to contribute to improving the competitiveness and productivity of the Spanish economy. This new call provides funding of 5.1 million euros.

Within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, Innova Invest consists of aid in the form of a subsidy of up to 800,000 euros per beneficiary. The minimum amount for all eligible items included in each application will be at least 500,000 euros. The projects must be carried out in Spain over a period of 18 months.

The subsidy will be granted for industrial research and experimental development project expenses, being made up of eligible items that include costs related to staff, instruments and materials, buildings and land, contract research, knowledge and patents acquired, as well as consulting costs allocated exclusively to the project, among other costs.

The subsidy will be determined as a percentage of the eligible items, with percentages varying depending on the size of the company and the type of project. These can range from 70% for industrial research in small companies to 25% for experimental development in large companies.

Access to aid will be given on a competitive basis, according to the criteria for the call. Factors such as the impact on employment, investment in technological resources dedicated to R&D, promotion of collaboration agreements with public and private stakeholders, continuity in carrying out R&D activities and contribution to the green transition and digital transformation will be taken into account.

Interested companies have until 13 March to submit their application. More information at Innova Invest (investinspain.org)

^{This activity is part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, funded by the European Union through the NextGeneration EU Fund}