National Statistics Institute (INE) data shows that, in March 2026, Catalonia was the autonomous community with the third-largest year-on-year increase in the formation of new companies (49%). Subsidies for starting a business in this region are among the factors that have helped consolidate the upward trend ongoing since May 2025.

Currently, numerous entrepreneurship subsidies are available at the regional, provincial, and national levels. To help you find the ones that might be useful for your circumstances, this guide analyses the grants eligible for starting a venture in Catalonia.

Key takeaways

• In Catalonia, financial support is offered for forming companies, such as the "Tiquet Rural" (Rural Ticket) programme and the "Comercio en marcha" (Business up and running) grants.
  
• The state also offers aid for setting up businesses in Catalonia, such as the flat-rate contribution for self-employed workers and the Digital Kit.
  
• At provincial, regional, and national levels, there is nonfinancial guidance support available, such as the mentoring programme and entrepreneur support centres.
  

Regional grants to start a business in Catalonia

As revealed by the INE, Catalonia was the autonomous community with the second highest number of companies formed in 2025. To sustain this growth and foster entrepreneurship, the Government of Catalonia provides financial support that reduces the initial investment required to launch a business. We have prepared a list with some of the most notable options:

Subsidy to encourage self-employment among young people

People aged between 18 and 29 who wish to start a professional activity as self-employed workers in this region can apply for funding through the initiative promoting youth self-employment. These grants, which can amount to €16,576, come from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). However, the Department of Business and Labour of the Government of Catalonia periodically organises new calls for applications.

In addition to helping young adults launch their businesses, the subsidy is designed to help form them. For this reason, the regulatory terms establish an unusual requirement: younger self-employed workers must maintain the subsidised economic activity uninterrupted for at least 18 months.

Although the aid is accessible across the region, the Government of Catalonia seeks to foster youth entrepreneurship in small localities. It therefore reserves €500,000 for younger entrepreneurs who are tax-resident in municipalities with fewer than 500 inhabitants.

Tiquet Rural programme

In addition, the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food manages the Tiquet Rural programme, which aims to promote the formation of nonagricultural companies in rural areas to foster employment and diversify the economy. In 2025, more than €1.6 million was allocated to the effort.

To obtain the subsidy, it is important to submit a business plan and an official report from a Catalunya Emprèn program advisor certifying the project's viability.

Mentoring programme

This is a form of nonfinancial support that involves assigning a mentor experienced in business project development to guide the entrepreneur during the initial stages of their operation. The subsidised service assists residents across the area who need guidance and motivation, with a dedicated option for young participants called Ready4work.

In both cases, the mentoring sessions are personalised and take place free of charge. The frequency depends on the agreement reached with each mentor, although the organising entity recommends holding meetings every two weeks or once a month for 6 to 12 months.

Provincial grants to start a business in Catalonia

At the provincial level, specific grants are available that align with the needs of each Catalan region. The following are among the most beneficial for entrepreneurs:

Grants to start a business in Barcelona

Activa Autòno+

To reduce expenses for independent professionals starting a business, Barcelona Activa subsidises virtually any documented cost related to the venture, such as hiring administrative services or renting commercial premises. Financial support from Activa Autòno+ can reach €4,000.

Grants to start a business in Girona

Girona Impuls Local

If you plan to carry out your commercial activities – whether selling products or providing services – at a physical location in Girona, you can benefit from the Girona Impuls Local initiative to open your commercial establishment. The grant covers up to €5,000 of the project's initial costs.

Grants to start a business in Lleida

Subsidy scheme L10.6

The Lleida City Council fosters the formation of companies based on the social and solidarity economy (SSE) model by providing funding to individuals interested in establishing a worker cooperative. Furthermore, the scheme assists younger entrepreneurs in general, especially those wishing to conduct their commercial activities in the historic centre of Lleida.

Grants to start a business in Tarragona

Premis Emprèn

If you intend to start a business in Tierras del Ebro, Bajo Panadés, or Campo de Tarragona, you can participate in the Premis Emprèn competition, which awards up to €4,000 to entrepreneurs with innovative, sustainable, and transparent project ideas.

"Comercio en marcha" grants

To encourage the opening of businesses in the Tarragona neighbourhoods of Ponent and Eixample, grants of up to €6,000 are being offered to cover the costs of renting or purchasing commercial premises. While most brick-and-mortar establishments, such as clothing stores, are eligible for the subsidies, the eligibility criteria exclude certain sectors, including wholesalers, gambling and betting operators, hospitality or food service establishments, and souvenir shops.

National grants to start a Business in Catalonia

In addition to regional and provincial aid, Catalan entrepreneurs can also apply for grants offered for setting up a Business in Spain by the Spanish Government. Below are some of the most notable state options:

Flat rate for self-employed workers

The flat rate is a bonus that reduces the self-employment contribution paid by independent professionals to Social Security. The government incentive, which benefitted 12.6% of self-employed workers in April 2026, applies to new registrants who meet the requirements, such as having no debt to the Spanish Tax Agency or Social Security, and not working for another independent professional who is a close family member.

In 2023, the flat rate was increased from €60 to €80, which will remain in effect until the end of 2025. Starting in 2026, the fee rises to €88.64: the €80 approved in 2023 plus the 0.9% Intergenerational Equity Mechanism applied to the person’s contribution base (€960.60 while the Individual is under the flat-rate scheme—specifically, the minimum base for bracket 1 at the time the flat-rate increase was approved).

Lump-sum payment of unemployment benefits

This measure allows a newly self-employed person to receive, in advance, the unemployment benefit they have not yet collected, provided it is used for one of the following purposes:

• Starting a professional activity as a self-employed worker
  
• Contributing the share capital of a newly formed Company or of a Company that was registered in the Commercial Registry no more than 12 months earlier
  

According to data from the State Public Employment Service (SEPE), 49,596 people received lump-sum unemployment benefits in 2024.

Digital Kit

This program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and self-employed workers helps them digitize or launch an online Business. For example, if you sell products at a brick-and-mortar store, you can use the Digital Kit to create an online store and expand your Business beyond Spain.

Following the initial calls for applications, which concluded in 2024, Order TDF/39/2026 was announced in January 2026, extending the application period for this funding with no deadline announced to date. Therefore, calls for applications will continue until the remaining budget of €3.067 billion is exhausted. The latest government report states that 108,000 Catalan beneficiaries have received Digital Kit grants totaling €477 million.

NEOTEC

The NEOTEC program, created by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI), promotes the formation of new technology-based companies. For instance, you can benefit from these subsidies if you decide to open a Business to sell online services or digital products in Spain.

Furthermore, the program offers a grant scheme for women entrepreneurs, with Catalonia receiving the most subsidies during its first run in 2022.

Enisa equity loans

This public entity—which operates under the Ministry of Industry and Tourism—offers financing for entrepreneurial projects to fund the creation of startups and SMEs, with no age requirements. The minimum amount for Enisa loans is €25,000; still, approval is conditional on the Company’s equity being at least as large as the amount requested.

In 2025, Enisa awarded €86.2 million to 514 companies, with Catalonia benefiting particularly: it was the largest recipient of funding among the autonomous communities.

Entrepreneur Service Points (PAEs)

PAEs are information centers that, while not providing direct financial support, offer comprehensive guidance by helping entrepreneurs navigate numerous bureaucratic procedures; for instance, they can significantly simplify the process of setting up a limited liability Company (SL). Of the more than 4,500 PAEs in Spain, 952 are located in Catalonia.

Women Entrepreneurs’ Program

The Ministry of Equality program, co-funded by the European Social Fund, provides microloans without guarantees of up to €30,000 for female entrepreneurs. Chamber of Commerce data indicate that the initiative enabled the formation of 1,100 women-led companies in 2025.

How Stripe powers the launch of your business project

The grants available for forming a company in Catalonia lowers the initial investment required, but long-term success also depends on having a reliable technology base tailored to your needs.

If your project is a digital business, subsidies can cover a significant portion of the initial costs and accelerate the launch. To simplify sales management and payment collection, Stripe Payments offers a comprehensive, integrated solution that lets you accept payments via Bizum, credit and debit cards, SEPA transfers, digital wallets, and other local payment methods.

FAQs about grants to start a Business in Catalonia