According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), 10,902 companies were created in Spain in July 2025—a year-over-year (YoY) increase of 11.4%. This increase continued an upward trend that had been sustained since April and which is attributed, in part, to the grants available in 2025 for starting a business.

For example, in September 2025, a public company called Enisa—with support from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism—gave grants worth €33 million to 222 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The grants promoted the development of dozens of new projects in strategic and innovative industries.

Currently, numerous grants for entrepreneurship are offered at the region-, nation-, and Europe-wide levels. In this article, we’ll explore some of these grants and explain how to apply for them.

What’s in this article?

• Types of grants for starting a business in Spain
  
• How to apply for grants for starting a business in Spain
  
• Frequently asked questions about grants for starting a business in Spain
  
• How Stripe Payments can help
  

Types of grants for starting a business in Spain

Depending on their nature, grants can be classified according to the two most common initial barriers to starting a business: financial (i.e., lack of capital) and administrative (i.e., bureaucratic complexity). Let’s take a look at each.

• Financial: These are economic grants that reduce the initial investment a business needs. The form of these grants varies greatly: they can range from nonrefundable subsidies, to loans with more favorable conditions than at traditional banks, to tax benefits.

• Administrative: These grants streamline the procedures for creating a company in Spain, for example, by simplifying the steps to incorporate the company or reducing the usual timeframes involved in completing them.

Additionally, grants can be classified by their territorial scope: regional, national, or European.

Regional grants for starting a business in Spain

At the regional level, specific grants are offered that are adapted to the needs of each region. Below, we’ll look at some of the most relevant ones.

Grants for starting a business in Andalusia

Zero Fee (Cuota Cero) is one of the grants offered by the Regional Government of Andalusia for starting a business. In this case, the subsidized expenses are the social security contributions that self-employed workers must pay, the amount of which can be reduced to a flat rate if the self-employed worker meets the stipulated requirements. In general, the grant lasts for 12 months. However, this can be extended to a total of 24 months based on the beneficiary’s situation, such as if the beneficiary has a proven disability of a degree of at least 33% or is a victim of gender violence or terrorism.

Although the requirements vary, this grant program is also available in other autonomous communities, such as Aragón, the Balearic Islands, the Community of Madrid, and Extremadura—although in Extremadura, it’s called Zero Rate (Tarifa Cero).

Grants for starting a business in Aragón

The Government of Aragón offers subsidies for self-employed workers who want to start businesses. The grant is aimed at individuals who are unemployed, who have a proven disability, or who will perform their new professional activity in municipalities with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants.

Applications must be submitted electronically within one month of business registration, although claims can be made and new documents can be provided after the application is processed. In general, the processing time for applications does not exceed three months.

Grants for starting a business in Asturias

The Institute of Economic Development of the Principality of Asturias (IDEPA) offers various grants. One of the most applied for is the Entrepreneur Check (Cheque Emprendedor), which consists of a nonrefundable subsidy to promote the development of innovative business projects.

For its part, the Asturias Department of Science, Industry, and Employment offers other grants that promote projects developed by self-employed workers; its subsidies can reach a maximum amount of €3,432. According to the INE, in July 2025, these grants contributed significantly to the 37.8% YoY increase in companies created in the Principality of Asturias.

Grants for starting a business in the Canary Islands

Entrepreneurship in the Canary Islands (Emprender en Canarias), the entrepreneurship website of the General Directorate of Economic Development and Diversification, provides a list of the grants available in this autonomous community. The Government of the Canary Islands, for example, has its own Zero Fee program for new self-employed workers in the Canary Islands.

In addition, the Canary Islands Department of Tourism and Employment provides grants to promote self-employed entrepreneurship among unemployed people. The 2025 call for applications ended on June 30, and although the 2026 call for applications is already available on the Entrepreneurship in the Canary Islands website, the start date for submitting applications has yet to be defined. In 2025, the Government of the Canary Islands allocated €12.5 million to these grants. According to the INE, in July 2025, these and other grants contributed significantly to the 21.1% YoY increase in companies created in the Canary Islands.

Grants for starting a business in Cantabria

The Society for Regional Development of Cantabria (SODERCAN) has the Emprecan Plus program to help entrepreneurs start businesses based on their ideas. This program covers the costs of creating a company and provides the investment needed to purchase the necessary assets to begin the professional activity.

Furthermore, since 2022, the Cantabria Department of Industry, Employment, Innovation, and Trade has had the INDUSTRIA 4.0 grant program, through which it subsidizes up to 75% of the expenses related to the creation of new companies.

Grants for starting a business in Castile and León

The Regional Government of Castile and León offers nonrefundable grants of up to €112,500 for the development of new businesses in subsidized industries, which include restaurants, consultancies, repair shops, and most retail businesses.

The aim of these subsidies, intended for self-employed workers and SMEs, is to finance company creation projects in Castile and León. The percentage of the initial investment that can be subsidized by an individual grant is determined based on the business and its features. For instance:

• New companies in general: 35%.
  
• New companies that meet all or part of the following assessment criteria: 40% or 45%.
  
  • They are located in small municipalities.
    
  • They hire people with disabilities even though they are not required to do so.
    
  • They hire more people with disabilities than required by regulations.
    
  • More than 30% of the staff are women.
    
• New companies located in areas affected by forest fires: 75%.
  

Grants for starting a business in Castile-La Mancha

In Castile-La Mancha, the Forward Entrepreneurship (Emprende Adelante) program provides advice to people in this region who want to undertake professional projects. These grants don’t just encourage the creation of companies; they also contribute to achieving the goals set by the autonomous community, such as increasing the number of self-employed women.

Additionally, the Talent Attraction (Captación del Talento) program, with a total credit of €75,000 in 2025, grants subsidies to women who start economic activities as self-employed workers in Castile-La Mancha.

Grants for starting a business in Catalonia

In Catalonia, people between the ages of 18 and 29 who want to start professional activities as self-employed workers can take advantage of subsidies from a program intended to promote self-employment among young people. These grants, which can amount to €16,576 per applicant, are included within the framework of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), although it is the Department of Business and Labor of the Government of Catalonia that periodically organizes new calls for applications.

In addition, the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food manages the Rural Ticket (Ticket Rural) program, which aims to promote the creation of nonagricultural companies in rural areas. In 2025, more than €1.6 million was allocated to these grants.

Grants for starting a business in Ceuta

Within the framework of the FEDER program for Ceuta, which will be active until 2027, the Governing Council allocates grants for the creation and modernization of innovative business projects, with the requirement that they operate in the autonomous city.

In 2025, subsidies in a total amount of €650,000 were granted to companies based in the Autonomous City of Ceuta. These grants benefited not only startups, but also established businesses, helping them grow, expand, and internationalize.

Grants for starting a business in the Valencian Community

Create Commerce (Crea Comercio) is a grant program designed to encourage the development of commercial establishments, such as hospitality businesses or clothing stores, in the Valencian Community. Its subsidies are also intended for existing companies that want to create ecommerce platforms and start selling online in Spain.

Furthermore, the Valencia Department of Innovation, Industry, Trade, and Tourism grants EMPYME subsidies to entrepreneurs starting economic activities. In 2025, the organization allocated almost €2.5 million to these subsidies.

Grants for starting a business in Extremadura

The Regional Government of Extremadura offers grants to financially support unemployed people who decide to register as self-employed. The subsidies range between €6,000 and €15,920.

Additionally, the Extremadura Department of Agriculture, Livestock, and Sustainable Development grants subsidies to entrepreneurs who create companies outside the agricultural sector in rural areas. The organization has allocated €500,000 to these grants for 2026.

Grants for starting a business in Galicia

The Galician Institute for Economic Promotion has historically offered grants for the promotion of self-employment aimed at people in a situation of unemployment. The 2025 call for applications stated that the grant amounts increased in some circumstances, such as for:

• Young people under 30
  
• People older than 52
  
• Women who participated in industries where they were underrepresented
  
• Long-term unemployed people, people with disabilities, and people at risk of social exclusion
  
• Businesses that would be set up in rural areas
  

Grants for starting a business in the Balearic Islands

The Balearic Islands Agricultural and Fisheries Guarantee Fund (FOGAIBA) offers annual grants to young farmers to create companies. Until 2027, each beneficiary will receive approximately €30,000 to begin their activity.

Meanwhile, the nonprofit financial institution ISBA grants guarantees to entrepreneurs in other industries. The objective of these guarantees is to facilitate access to the financing needed to start a business. A preliminary study is required to confirm the viability of each project.

Grants for starting a business in La Rioja

In La Rioja, there is a subsidy available for the creation of new technology-based companies, which can cover 75% of eligible expenses, including the following:

• Hiring of personnel
  
• Purchasing of assets needed to perform the economic activity of the new project
  
• Other overhead and operating expenses that, at most, can add up to 15% of the personnel hiring expenses
  

In order to access this grant, the status of “technology-based company” must be accredited through an evaluation carried out by an external expert. Furthermore, as established in the terms of the 2025 call for bids, the eligible expenditure cannot be below €20,000 or exceed €1 million.

Grants for starting a business in Madrid

In the Community of Madrid, various grants are offered, including those for workers who register as self-employed. For example, 80% of the expenses incurred by an unemployed person when registering as a self-employed worker and starting a business project can be subsidized, provided that proof of the eligible expenses is presented.

In addition, the Madrid Department of Environment, Agriculture, and Interior offers financial grants to young farmers to create a company in the agricultural industry. In 2025, the organization allocated €900,000 to these subsidies.

Grants for starting a business in Melilla

The Melilla Department of Economy, Commerce, Technological Innovation, Tourism, and Development offers grants for the creation, expansion, and diversification of SMEs in Melilla. The goal is to generate employment and self-employment, especially among those under 35 years of age. In the 2025 call for applications, the total credit of this grant program was €800,000.

Grants for starting a business in Murcia

The grants available in the Region of Murcia are intended mainly for new self-employed workers. Murcia’s grant program is one of the most standardized in the country, with a single amount of €2,920 for the start of an economic activity, which is available to all applicants who meet the requirements.

Other subsidies provide a much larger capital injection, such as those from the Murcia Department of Business, Employment, and Social Economy. In 2024, each beneficiary could obtain a maximum of €80,000 to create a company with technological potential. According to the INE, in July 2025, this type of grant contributed significantly to the 41.3% YoY increase in companies created in the Region of Murcia.

Grants for starting a business in Navarre

The Government of Navarre offers grants for investing in entrepreneurship in the Pyrenees with the goal of promoting innovation, job creation, and economic activity in the less densely populated areas of the foral community. For its part, the Navarre Institute for Agrifood Technology and Infrastructure (INTIA) offers grants for the creation of companies for nonagricultural activities in rural areas. If an entrepreneur intends to start a business in the services industry in the Foral Community of Navarre, the subsidy can be as high as €40,000.

Grants for starting a business in the Basque Country

Through the Business Innovation Center (BIC), the Basque Government supports and mentors entrepreneurs who want to transform their innovative ideas into businesses based in the Basque Country. It also facilitates access to the financing needed to start up their projects.

Furthermore, the Department of Tourism, Trade, and Consumer Affairs has the MerkaEkin program, which subsidizes the opening of sales businesses. In 2025, more than €1 million was allocated to these grants.

National grants for starting a business in Spain

Apart from regional subsidies, entrepreneurs also have access to national government grants to help them start businesses in Spain. Here are some of the most useful ones:

• The Digital Kit: This is a digital transformation program for SMEs and self-employed workers. It helps companies that are already active to set up online businesses. For example, if you sell products in a physical store, you can use the Digital Kit to create an online store and offer those same items to customers throughout the country—and even abroad, if you decide to expand your business across borders.

• Flat rate for self-employed workers: This is a bonus that reduces the amount of the self-employed contribution that self-employed workers pay to Social Security. This government grant for starting a business is only applicable to new self-employed workers who meet the requirements, such as not working for another self-employed worker who is a close family member and not having any debt to the Tax Agency or Social Security. On January 1, 2023, the reduced contribution increased from €60 to €80 through December 31, 2025. Starting in 2026, the reduced contribution amount will be set annually in the General National Budget.

• Capitalization of unemployment benefits: This is a measure that allows you to receive the remaining amount of your unemployment benefits in advance, provided that this single payment is used for one of the following purposes:

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

• NEOTEC: This is a program offered by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) that promotes the creation of companies with professional activities based on new technologies. For example, you can benefit from these subsidies if you decide to open a business to sell online services or digital products in Spain.

• Entrepreneurship Service Points (PAEs): These physical and online information centers do not provide financial assistance, but they offer necessary support for starting businesses, assisting entrepreneurs with many of the procedures necessary to create limited liability companies (SLs) in Spain.

• Women Entrepreneurs’ Program: This program from the Ministry of Equality provides grants in the form of microloans without guarantees of up to €30,000 intended for female entrepreneurs. These subsidies, like many of those offered regionally, are cofunded by the European Social Fund.

European grants for starting a business in Spain

The European Union (EU) has a microfinance instrument that is part of the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) program. Through this initiative, participating financial institutions grant microloans of up to €25,000 to entrepreneurs for the creation of small businesses.

How to apply for grants for starting a business in Spain

The steps to follow to apply for a grant vary depending on numerous factors, including the type of subsidy and the agency that grants it. However, there are steps that are necessary in all application processes, and keeping them in mind will help you complete the procedures more easily.

• Find a grant
  In order to find a grant that will be helpful for your particular business case, it’s advisable that you use the public grants and incentives search tool on the SME Platform, an initiative from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. The results include grants for starting a business, both national and regional.

• Check the deadline
  Once you have identified a grant that is of interest to you, check that the application deadline has not passed. If you use the search tool mentioned above, you can save yourself this step simply by activating the “Only grants within deadline” filter.

• Meet the requirements
  Each grant has its own requirements that you must meet, such as not exceeding a certain age, having a project that can be considered innovative or technology-based, or being up-to-date with payments to government agencies. Read the terms of the call for grant applications to determine whether you meet the requirements to apply.

• Gather the necessary documentation
  It is important to have all the necessary documentation on hand before submitting your application, in order to expedite the process. Among the documents you will need are those that prove your identity and your administrative or economic status, as well as those that justify the viability of the project, such as your business plan and investment budget.

• Submit the application
  Lastly, submit the application to the agency that manages the grant. In many cases, applications can be submitted online with your digital certificate, electronic National Identity Document (eDNI), or Cl@ve (i.e., your digital ID).

FAQs about grants for starting a business in Spain

Can anyone benefit from the grants for starting a business in Spain?

Each agency can apply its own criteria when establishing its grant programs, so some are less restrictive than others. The Enisa grants, for example, do not have age requirements. However, other subsidies are aimed at a specific type of entrepreneur, such as grants meant for young people starting businesses, which are generally not granted to people over 30 years of age. Similarly, there are grants for starting a business that are aimed at people with disabilities, which can only be received by Spaniards with proven disabilities to a degree of at least 33%.

Can foreigners apply for grants for starting a business in Spain?

Yes, foreigners who want to open a business in Spain can apply for grants to help them, provided that they legally reside in the country or have an initial temporary residence and self-employed work permit. In both cases, foreign applicants must meet the requirements of each call for applications, just like Spanish citizens.

How Stripe Payments can help

If you receive one of these grants, it will be easier for you to start a business in Spain, whether it’s a physical store or an online store. If you choose to create an ecommerce business taking advantage of subsidies such as the Digital Kit, it is key to implement a good payments system.

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