According to the 2025–2026 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Spain Report, only 5% of the funding for entrepreneurial projects launched in Spain in 2025 came from public grants; furthermore, 31% of these projects were started with capital ranging from €9,001 to €30,000. While financial aid is generally modest during the earliest stages of startups, the amounts increase significantly in later phases—especially if the startup scales exponentially.

Currently, there are numerous grants available to support the early stages of startups at both the national and regional levels. In this guide, we’ll analyze the grants available to startups to help you find the ones that might be useful for your situation.

Key takeaways

• Both the national government and the majority of the autonomous communities offer grants for startups ranging from €3,000 to €325,000.
  
• In Spain, eligibility, deadlines, and conditions of startup grants are primarily governed by two sets of regulations: the Startup Law and the General Subsidies Act.
  
• The startup certification issued by Enisa gives startups access to the tax benefits of the Startup Law and is a common requirement for various grants.
  

Key grants for startups in Spain

Both the General State Administration and the various autonomous communities, in collaboration with several public entities, offer grants for startups. Additionally, in most cases, it’s possible to combine several of these grants to cover as much as possible of the expenses and investments your startup requires.

Here’s a summary of the most useful national and regional grants so you can apply for the ones that best suit your needs:

National grants for startups in Spain

Between 2024 and 2025, the number of startups grew by nearly 40%, according to data from the National Forum for Emerging Companies. To continue fostering the success of the startup ecosystem, the Spanish government offers various grants. Here are some of the most attractive ones:

NEOTEC program

This is a program run by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) that promotes the formation of startups whose business activities are based on new technologies. For example, you could benefit from these grants if you decide to open a business in Spain selling digital products based on proprietary technology—such as software created from scratch.

With a total budget of over €20 million, the 2026 NEOTEC call for proposals offered beneficiary startups nonrepayable grants of up to €250,000 (70% of the project’s eligible budget)—an amount that could rise to €325,000 and 85% of the project’s eligible budget if at least one PhD holder is hired as an employee.

Torres Quevedo grants

The State Research Agency offers grants to facilitate the hiring of PhD holders by startups and other companies for a period of three years. In this way, startups have the necessary financial capacity to bring on board talented individuals capable of executing a sound research and development (R&D) plan.

The Torres Quevedo grants pursue a dual objective: to advance the careers of highly qualified technical professionals and to enhance the innovative capacity of emerging companies. To this end, more than €20 million were allocated to grants for startups and other companies in the most recent call for applications. The grant amounts for cofinancing the hiring of technical personnel vary depending on the salary, the professional project, and the type of business entity.

Digital Kit program

This is a digital transformation program for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and self-employed professionals that helps established businesses take the step of digitizing their operations. For example, if you’ve developed proprietary technology that you sell from a physical location, you can use the Digital Kit to create an online store and reach customers across the country.

With the aim of providing as much assistance as possible, Order TDF/39/2026 was published in early 2026, extending the application time frame by removing the deadline for applying for this grant. Therefore, calls for applications will continue until the available budget of €3.067 billion is exhausted.

According to the government’s latest figures, 858,000 grants have been awarded, benefiting companies in 92% of Spain’s municipalities.

Regional grants for startups in Spain

Each autonomous community offers specific support for startups, ranging from grants to incubation or acceleration programs, such as Andalucía Open Future. For this reason, we recommend using the Plataforma PYME search tool for public aid and incentives to find all the grants relevant to your situation. By way of example, we’ve compiled some of the most interesting options:

Andalusia: RETECH grants

The Territorial Networks of Technological Specialization (RETECH) program provides financial support to Andalusian startups less than seven years old through grants ranging from €10,000 to €30,000. To receive this funding for startups in Andalusia, a startup must develop innovative, proprietary solutions.

Aragon: TechFabLab initiative

Through the TechFabLab initiative, the Aragonese Development Institute (IAF) subsidizes a minimum expenditure of €20,000 for startups that dedicate the funding to the development of an innovative project.

Through this public funding, the IAF aims to achieve several objectives: increase the operational efficiency of startups, make them more resilient to challenges, foster employee hiring, and contribute to the expansion of Aragon’s economy.

Principality of Asturias: Start in Asturias program

The Asturian Agency for Science, Business Competitiveness and Innovation (Sekuens) runs the Start in Asturias program, which fosters the creation and launch of startups with projects based on new technologies. To this end, it awards grants of €20,000 to €100,000.

If the startup is newly created and based in the Principality of Asturias, it can use this funding to cover initial expenses, such as purchasing materials, acquiring digital assets, hiring technical staff, and protecting business intellectual property.

Canary Islands: STARS program

The STARS program offers grants to cover all eligible expenses. These public grants, ranging from €25,000 to €120,000, are paid in advance without the need to provide guarantees, such as sureties.

Startups eligible for STARS program grants are those that are newly established or in the process of consolidating and that base part of their operations on disruptive innovation—that is, they develop pioneering products or services that drive significant change in their sector.

Castile and León: ESA BIC (European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre) grants

Castile and León is home to ESA BIC, an incubator for aerospace startups developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). To benefit from this funding, which can reach up to €60,000, the startup must have been founded no more than five years ago, and the project must demonstrate significant growth potential. Additionally, the company must be based in Castile and León.

Catalonia: Startup Capital grants

Startup Capital is a public grant program that subsidizes up to €100,000 of the costs associated with launching a technology startup.

To qualify for these grants, the startup must have its own proprietary technology. More than 100 Catalan startups have benefited from Startup Capital grants.

Autonomous City of Ceuta: FEDER (European Regional Development Fund) program

Within the framework of the FEDER program for Ceuta, which will remain in effect through 2027, the Governing Council allocates grants for the creation and modernization of innovative business projects, with the requirement that they operate within the autonomous city. In 2025, grants totaling €650,000 were distributed.

These grants benefited not only startups, but also established businesses, which received support to grow, expand, and enter international markets.

Autonomous City of Melilla: iMelilla grants

Through the iMelilla initiative, the Directorate General for Technological Innovation awards grants with maximum amounts that vary depending on the startup’s stage of development; these grants are available to startups that are already based in Melilla or that have plans to set up there soon. Startups that have not yet been launched can receive public funding of up to €6,000, while those already in operation with demonstrable growth potential can obtain up to €57,000.

These grants cover numerous eligible expenses, such as renting office space in Melilla, hiring staff to work on parts of the project, or contracting software-as-a-service (Saas) providers, among others.

Community of Madrid: Line 3 grants

Line 3 of the Community of Madrid’s startup grants targets emerging companies aligned with RIS3 (Research and Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategy), which aims to promote regional growth in key areas such as technological innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, and social and health welfare.

The Community of Madrid aims to minimize the industrial or technological risks associated with the development and consolidation of innovative projects; to this end, it provides this and other regional grants to startups that have been in operation for at least five years.

Valencian Community: Early Stage startup grants

València Innovation Capital is a city council program that periodically issues calls for grant applications. One of the most important grant programs for startups in Valencia is Early Stage, aimed at emerging companies in the early stages of growth.

Early Stage grants, starting at a minimum of €25,000, cover all eligible expenses required for startups with proven potential to grow and establish themselves in their sector—particularly in the high-value-added technology sector. For example, the funds can be used to cover the costs associated with expanding a business beyond Spain.

Galicia: IG408G grants

The Galician Institute for Economic Promotion (IGAPE) offers IG408G grants aimed at Galician startups that have been in operation for less than five years or those that have a place of business in Galicia.

IG408G grants fully cover eligible expenses up to a maximum of €20,000—including assets in which the startup invests, provided that the company retains them for at least two years.

La Rioja: ADER grants

The Economic Development Agency of La Rioja (ADER) awards grants to technology-based startups operating from a facility in La Rioja, as well as grants for young entrepreneurs.

In this way, ADER seeks to achieve its main objective: to attract startups to La Rioja in order to leverage the benefits the region offers, such as its network of mentors for startup founders, the region’s sustainability, and its advancements in digitalization.

Basque Country: Hazten+ program

Hazten+ is a grant program from the Basque Business Development Agency designed to reduce barriers to startup growth. Grants can cover up to 70% of eligible expenses—such as promoting the startup’s products or services or hiring highly talented professionals—up to a maximum of €100,000 per project.

Requirements for obtaining startup certification in Spain

When applying for a startup grant, the requirements—such as the maximum age of the startup—vary depending on the specific grant and call for applications. Although not all grants for startups require the emerging company certification issued by Enisa (a public entity operating under the Ministry of Industry and Tourism), obtaining it does allow a company to prove its status as a startup and access the tax and corporate benefits provided by the Startup Law. To obtain startup certification, your business must meet the following requirements:

• Be established in Spain, whether through a registered office, headquarters, or a permanent establishment within Spanish territory.
  
• Be a newly created company or have been in existence for less than five years. (This threshold extends to seven years for startups in the energy, industrial, or biotechnology sectors, those with proprietary technology developed entirely in Spain, or those operating in emerging sectors.)
  
• Have been formed from scratch or through the restructuring of other companies that also qualify as emerging companies.
  
• Have an innovative and scalable project—that is, one that stands out from the competition and has a high probability of exponential growth.
  
• Not engage in activities that cause significant harm to the environment.
  
• Demonstrate that at least 60% of employees hold an employment contract formalized in Spain.
  
• Not exceed €10 million in annual revenue.
  
• Neither distribute dividends nor be listed on the stock exchange.
  
• Founders or administrators must be current with their payments to the Tax Agency and Social Security. Furthermore, they must not have a relevant criminal record—such as for financial crimes or corruption—or be barred from receiving grants from public entities. Individuals holding 5% or more of the share capital must not have a record of noncompliance with these rules.
  

Regulation of grants for startups in Spain

The Law on the Promotion of the Emerging Company Ecosystem (also known as the Startup Law) and the General Subsidies Act are the two main pieces of legislation governing startup grants in Spain. We’ve prepared a summary of the key measures:

Relaxing the requirements for bank guarantees

Some forms of public funding require the provision of guarantees, such as bank sureties, which can sometimes be overly demanding. The Startup Law allows for a reduction in these guarantees, provided the beneficiary startup agrees to a proportional reduction in the grant amount.

For example, to obtain a financial grant of €50,000, the granting body requires the company to provide a bank guarantee covering 50% of the amount (€25,000); however, the company manages to provide only 20% of the required guarantee (€5,000). In this case, the grant will be reduced by the same proportion: the company will receive €10,000 instead of the initial €50,000.

To qualify for a reduction in guarantee requirements, the startup must have no outstanding debts with the public administration from the last five fiscal years and must not have been subject to proceedings for the repayment of previous grants.

Publication of calls for applications

The Startup Law ensures that up-to-date information on grants for startups in Spain is published at Entrepreneur Service Points (PAEs) and the National Entrepreneurship Office (ONE Platform).

Compliance with supplier payment deadlines

In accordance with the General Subsidies Act, if startup grants exceed €30,000, the startup must demonstrate compliance with supplier payment deadlines in Spain.

Repayment in the event of noncompliance with conditions

The General Subsidies Act stipulates that the beneficiary startup must repay the grant if it fails to comply with the conditions of the funding—such as failing to meet project objectives or failing to properly substantiate expenses.

Common mistakes when applying for and leveraging grants for startups in Spain

Due to a lack of experience, guidance, or advice, startup founders often make certain mistakes. Let’s look at the most common ones so you can avoid them:

Starting the application too late

Applying for public funding for a startup requires submitting a large volume of documents, which can sometimes make it extremely challenging to deliver everything on time.

As noted in the 2025–2026 GEM Spain Report, experts rate government policies aimed at reducing bureaucratic red tape at just 3.8 out of 10. For this reason, it’s advisable to begin the application process as soon as the call for applications is published.

Submitting the application without being current on payments

It’s common for startup founders, whether due to a lack of knowledge or simple oversight, to fail to file quarterly value-added tax (VAT) returns or to fall behind on certain self-employment tax payments in Spain, such as the monthly Social Security contribution. As established in Article 13 of the General Subsidies Act, anyone who’s not up to date with their tax or Social Security obligations cannot qualify as a beneficiary.

It’s important to note that a granted and active deferral of these taxes can serve as proof of being up to date with payments; therefore, it’s advisable to request a tax-compliance certificate before submitting your application.

Not having a business plan

Grant-awarding bodies typically require a business plan demonstrating that the startup is viable and scalable. When developing a compelling business plan, it’s advisable to conduct market research to determine demand and analyze the competition in order to devise a competitive pricing strategy.

In some instances, it’s necessary to develop a revenue plan that outlines the strategies to turn the market opportunity you’ve identified into a source of profit.

Failing to check notifications

It’s important to check the notifications you receive from the public administration in order to handle them within the legally established time frame. As stipulated by Law 39/2015, if you do not access an electronic notification within 10 calendar days, it’s deemed rejected.

Additionally, if an entity requests that you modify your application (for example, to attach startup certification issued by Enisa), the statutory deadline is 10 business days. If you fail to comply with this requirement, you can be deemed to have withdrawn your application by express resolution.

It’s important to note that some calls for applications set different deadlines for making modifications, attaching additional documentation, or responding to requests from the organizing body, so it’s advisable to review the specific guidelines.

Failure to properly substantiate expenses

Once a grant has been given, the grant beneficiary must substantiate the startup’s expenses. In this process, the beneficiary might commit certain common errors, such as submitting simplified invoices instead of full invoices, or submitting price quotes instead of pro forma invoices (in cases where the latter are accepted).

According to the Institute for Grant Management, incorrect substantiation of expenses is a leading cause of the loss of financial aid that has already been awarded.

Applying for grants to cover ineligible expenses

Another common mistake is claiming expenses that are unrelated to the startup’s launch or development. Most financial aid covers expenses that are strictly necessary for business operations, provided they do not exceed market value. Furthermore, it’s mandatory to demonstrate that the financial contribution is allocated to items specified in the call for applications.

One of the ineligible expenses that startups often claim is VAT, which cannot be covered by grants if the business offsets or recovers it (for example, through the VAT refund mechanism).

Similarly, Article 31.8 of the General Subsidies Act explicitly excludes direct taxes (such as personal income tax) from eligible expenses.

Applying for new grants while a mandatory repayment of another grant is outstanding

It’s common for startup founders to obtain funding from multiple grants. In some cases, it might be necessary to repay a grant if requirements or deadlines are not met—for example, if the startup fails to achieve growth targets within the stipulated time frame.

In such a situation, a new grant cannot be obtained until the previous one has been repaid: under Article 13.2(g) of the General Subsidies Act, no party can benefit from a grant if it has not repaid another grant subject to mandatory reimbursement.

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FAQs about grants for startups in Spain