SODERCAN offers a wide range of subsidies and grants to Cantabrian companies and entrepreneurs through competitive calls to promote and actively contribute to the creation of a socio-economic environment that favours investment in industrial development, innovation, competitiveness and internationalisation for greateremployment and prosperity.

 

These subsidies and financial assistance aim to achieve the objectives of SODERCAN:

  • To cultivate entrepreneurial talent and the creation of new companies.
  • To boost the international profile, economic growth and job creation in Cantabria.
  • To encourage and facilitate the expansion of Cantabrian companies into new national and international markets, supporting internationalisation strategies that give added-value to companies.
  • To foster innovation in company processes, products and services and inter-company cooperation.
  • To support R&D+i projects and drive innovation.

 

 

Business creation and Entrepreneurship

 

  • EMPRECAN PLUS (E+) Program
  • EMPLEA Program
  • Program for the creation and upscaling of new, innovative technology companies
  • Family protocol program for SMEs

 

 

Foment R&D+i

 

  • Sectorial clusters
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector
  • Foment cooperative R&D projects
  • Large scale projects to improve the industrial competitiviness of companies in Cantabria
  • The Circular Economy
  • Program for technical personnel in R&D+i
  • Knowledge Transfer Program: INVESNOVA

 

 

New markets

 

  • +Talent Program: Recruitment of personnel with commercial expertise
  • Commercial and promotional plans
  • Certifications for improved competitiviness and entry into new markets
  • Organisation of trade fairs and congresses in Cantabria
  • Cooperate for growth program
  • Grant for training and work placements for internatoinalisation in ICEX Commercial Offices
  • Clean Energy Transition

 

 

 

Business Creation and Entrepreneurship

 

1

EMPRECAN PLUS (E+) Program

 

The EMPRECAN PLUS Program of subsidies for the creation, growth and consolidation of companies is structured in four essential lines designed to provide a comprehensive response to the needs of new companies (created after July 1, 2022) during their earliest stages:

  • Specialised training. Assistance aimed at stimulating and incentivising continuous training programs in areas currently underserved by traditional learning, with subsidies of up to 2,100€ per company.
  • Registration costs. Assistance to facilitate the process for the entrepreneur to create and register their new company, with subsidies of up to 500€ per company.
  • Start-up costs. Assistance to incentivise the first steps an entrepreneur must take in starting their business, with subsidies of up to 15,000€ per company.
  • Fixed assets. Assistance to incentivise entrepreneurs to undertake investments in assets for their new company, with subsidies of up to 50,000€ per company.

 

 

2

EMPLEA Program

 

The EMPLEA Program offers subsidies to incentivise new companies (created after January 1, 2020) to recruit employees with fixed contracts and to convert temporary contracts into fixed contracts, actively promoting the industrial development of the region, boosting competitiveness and furthering the economic growth of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria, Subsidies of up to 20,000 € are available.

 

 

3

Program for the creation and upscaling of new, innovative technology companies

 

The program is aimed at new, innovative technology and/or digital companies with high growth potential and scalable business models. The goal is to develop a model for the creation and consolidation of start-ups, including consulting services, financing and promotion.

 

Subsidies available of up to 30,000 €.

 

 

4

Family protocol program for SMEs

 

This program is aimed at family companies, providing they are SMEs or independent companies, active in industry or industry-related services sectors and engaged in a process of succession that will ensure their continuity and for which they require technical assistance.

 

Subsidies of up to 50% with a limit of 15.000 €.

 

 

Foment R&D

 

1

Foment sectorial clusters

 

The program to foment sectorial clusters offers subsidies to encourage the professionalisation of companies through the recruitment and stable employment of qualified personnel, and to dynamise and further develop the industrial base of Cantabria through business collaboration and inter-company cooperation, with the support of various actors including technology centres, research institutions and universities.

 

Subsidies available of up to 100,000 € per cluster.

 

 

2

Foment R&D+i in the ICT sector

 

 

The ICT sector in Cantabria is characterised by a large number of small companies operating in an intense environment where it is essential to develop new products and services in order to remain competitive. According to the ONTSI Report on the Digital Economy and Information Society in Autonomous Communities (Ed. 2020) in Cantabria some 3,460 people are employed in 275 companies in the ICT sector.

 

The aim of the program is to incentivise research and development initiatives in companies, furthering the development of products or services that can enhance productivity within the ICT sector.

 

Subsidies available of up to 70% of eligible costs.

 

 

3

Foment cooperative R&D projects

 

The aim of this program is to incentivise research initiatives through joint, cooperative R&D+i projects by companies and research institutions, thus creating the context for a critical mass of interdisciplinary research activity. The goal is to further the creation of new knowledge, promote the development and validation of new technologies, encourage the practical application of new ideas and techniques in companies and contribute to the creation of new products and services.

 

 

Subsidies of up to 70% of eligible costs.

 

 

 

4

Large scale projects to improve the industrial competitiveness of companies in Cantabria

 

The aim of this program is, firstly, to incentivise business innovation by providing support to individual industrial and experimental research projects for the development of new processes, products and/or services that boost competitiveness; and secondly, to promote energy efficiency by supporting projects for the implementation of more efficient production systems leading to reduced energy consumption in industrial processes.

 

The projects apply for support must be aimed at the design, planning, development and/or improvement of industrial processes or industry-related services, in line with the following lines of assistance:

  1. Line I: R&D action plan.
  2. Line II: Energy efficiency action plan.

 

Subsidy of 25% of eligible costs.

 

 

5

Foment the circular economy

 

The specific objectives of this line of assistance is to promote individual R&D projects aimed at developing solutions to reduce waste and improve efficiency in the use of natural resources, thus contributing to the transition to a new productive model, moving from a linear economic model to a circular or regenerative model which extends the life and value of resources and products while reducing the use of raw materials and energy.

 

Subsidies of up to 70%, to a maximum of 50,000 €

 

 

6

Program for Technical Personnel in R&D

 

The aim of this program is to encourage the contracting of personnel specialised in the development of industrial R&D projects, the preliminary tasks related to project viability, the launch and consolidation of new industrial research initiatives, the conduct of experimental research projects for the development of new or improved processes, products and services and/or the management of R&D+i projects.

 

Subsidies of up to 70%, to a maximum of 25,000 €.

 

 

7

Knowledge Transfer Program: INVESNOVA

 

The aim of this program is to incentivise cooperation between research and technology centres and institutions and the private sector in order to encourage technology transfer between these entities. The goal is to match research initiatives to the demands of industry by channelling the specific needs of companies in the field of technology. With this program also has the following objectives in terms of technology and knowledge transfer:

 

  • To boost the capacity to identify potential products and services created by applied research and technology institutions and centres within the region and to foment the exchange and connection between R&D and company needs.
  • To promote the results of R&D and their exploitation.
  • To enhance all activities related to industrial and intellectual property.
  • To promote the creation of new technological companies building on the knowledge available in Cantabria.
  • To promote the recruitment of highly qualified personnel.
  • To develop protocols, methodologies and tools to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the relation between technological development and the market.
  • To promote initiatives to activate the commercialisation of technologies developed in Cantabria.

 

Subsidies of up to 60% of eligible costs to a maximum of 100,000 €

 

 

NEW MARKETS AND INTERNATIONALISATION

1

+Talento Program. Recruitment of personnel with commercial expertise

 

The aim of this program is to encourage the hiring, with fixed contracts, of highly qualified technical personnel by Cantabrian companies specifically for their commercial activities to carry out the functions related to commercial development both nationally and internationally. The goal is for companies to boost the professionalism of their commercial operations, provide employment opportunities for skilled professionals and facilitate the return of talent to the region.

 

Subsidies of up to 70% to a maximum of 25,000 € and up to 80% for returning talent.

 

 

2

Commercial and promotional plans

 

The aim is to support the commercial and promotional actions of companies registered in Cantabria, favouring international expansion and promoting both nationally and internationally the products and services developed in Cantabria. The program provides assistance to companies in prospecting new markets and establishing contacts with potential clients, suppliers, partners, importers, distributors and other companies outside of Cantabria.

 

Subsidies of up to 70%, to a maximum of 50,000 €.

 

 

3

Certifications for improved competitiveness and entry into new markets

 

The aim of this program is to boost the competitiveness of Cantabrian companies and facilitate their entry into new markets by implementing effective business management systems and acquiring the corresponding national and international certifications.

 

Subsidies of up to 60%, to a maximum of 15,000 €.

 

 

4

Organisation of trade fairs and congresses in Cantabria

 

This line of subsidies is aimed at supporting the organisation of trade fairs, congresses, conventions, sectorial meetings and other business events. These can serve to facilitate the connection between the supply and demand for products and services and for the exchange of commercial and technological knowledge among participants.

 

Subsidies of up to 60%, to a maximum of 50,000 €.

 

 

5

Cooperate for Growth program

 

The aim of this program is to establish the regulatory framework for subsidies provided to support the creation of cooperative entities and joint initiatives for commercial expansion into markets outside of Cantabria undertaken by existing business entities and associations acting on behalf of their members. The goal is to gain a shared competitive advantage by harnessing operational synergies.

 

 

6

Grants for training and work placements for internationalisation in ICEX Commercial Offices.

 

The goal of this initiative is to provide grants for theoretical training and practical work placements through competitive calls in the area of internationalisation. The aim is to provide young people with the skills and expertise in international trade and commerce, thus contributing to the internationalisation of Cantabrian companies.

 

Training corresponding to Phase I, basic theoretical training, does not include financial assistance. Practical training programs corresponding to Phase II, work placements abroad, include financial assistance depending on the destination (ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 euros annually depending on the country and city of destination). The annual destinations available will be published in the corresponding call.

 

 

7

Clean Energy Transition Program

 

SODERCAN is part of the CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION PARTNERSHIP (CETP) a multilateral and strategic association of national and regional R&D+i programs in EU Member States and associated countries. The aim is to make a substantial contribution to the implementation of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan).

 

To support these projects a transnational call is published. Regional calls only take place if there are projects by Cantabrian entities approved within the transnational call.