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 greater
employment 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.

 

 

Creation of Companies and Entrepreneurship

 

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

 

Foment R&D+i

 

• Automotive sector
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector
• INVESNOVA: Technology transfer
• The Circular Economy
• Foment the development of sectorial clusters
• R&D+i specialists program

 

New markets

 

• Growth in national markets
• Exporting and internationalisation: Export Cantabria Program
• Digitalization and new markets
• Foment Inter-company cooperation and the creation of commercial consortia
• Contracting of commercial specialists: Program +Talent 

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Creation of Companies and Entrepreneurship

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1

EMPRECAN PLUS (E+) Program

 

The EMPRECAN PLUS program for business creation, growth and consolidation is structured into
four general lines designed to provide comprehensive solutions to the needs of recently created companies during
the initial stages:

• Specialised training. Assistance aimed at stimulating and incentivising continuous training
  programs in areas underserved in traditional learning.
• Registration costs. Assistance to facilitate the process for the entrepreneur to create and
  register their new company.
• Start-up costs. Assistance to incentivise the first steps an entrepreneur must take in
  starting their business.
• Fixed assets. Assistance to incentivise entrepreneurs to undertake investment programs in
  assets for the new company.

 

 

2

EMPLEA Program

 

The EMPLEA Program offers subsidies to incentivise new companies to recruit employees with
permanent contracts and to convert temporary contracts into permanent contracts, actively
promoting the industrial development of the region, boosting competitiveness and furthering the economic growth
of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria.

 

 

3

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

 

This program is aimed specifically to support and encourage technological innovation and entrepreneurship based
on the characteristics of the sector, such as differentiation, scalability, high added-value and highly-skilled
employment.

 

The program for the creation and upscaling of new, innovative technology companies is focussed
on innovative technology/digital companies with a 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 recognition.

 

Foment R&D+i

 

1

Foment Sectorial Clusters Program

 

The Foment Sectorial Clusters Program offers subsidies to encourage the professionalisation of
companies through the recruitment and stable employment of qualified personnel, actions to mitigate the impact
of the COVID public health emergency, 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, universities, etc.

 

2.- R&D+i for greater competitiveness

 

2.1

Automotive Sector

 

Industry currently accounts for approximately 20% of the GDP of Cantabria, higher than the national average, of
which some 26% corresponds to the automotive sector. The importance of this sector to the region economy is
evident and currently faces a number of challenges including the development of electric vehicles. Thus, it is
essential to establish programs to incentivise and promote the execution of R&D+i projects to help navigate
the transitions taking place in the sector.

 

The R&D+i Assistance Program for the automotive sector is designed to encourage the
undertaking of industrial and experimental R&D+i projects within the automotive industry that can facilitate
the development of new propulsion systems and meet the challenges posed by emerging technologies.

 

 

2.2

 Information and Communications Technology
(ICT) Sector

 

The ICT sector in Cantabria is characterised by small companies intensely engaged in developing new products and
services to remain competitive. According to the 2019 Report on the Information Society, Telecommunications and
the ICT Sector and Contents of Autonomous Communities (Informe sobre la Sociedad de la Información y las
Telecomunicaciones y el Sector TIC y los Contenidos por Comunidades Autónomas), the ICT sector in
Cantabria consists of 230 companies employing 2,212 people.

We are witnessing the continuous expansion of the digital economy, e-commerce and growing digitalisation with the
incorporation of digital technologies on the part of companies, citizens and public administrations. With the
creation of an industrial digitalisation hub, ICT companies within Cantabria can make an essential contribution
to the digitalisation of the industrial sector of the region. Given this context, public programs and
instruments are essential to supporting the ICT sector.

The R&D+i Assistance Program for the ICT sector offers subsidies to incentivise R&D+i
projects in the ICT sector and encourage companies to undertake industrial and experimental research for the
development of new products and/or services that can boost productivity within the new context following the
public health emergency.

 

 

2.3

INVESNOVA

 

One of the shortcomings of the R&D+i system in Cantabria is the lack of technology transfer from the sources
of knowledge and innovation (universities, technology centres and research institutes) to companies in need of
this knowledge. Thus, one of the areas for improvement identified by all studies and analyses of the current
system, is the transfer of knowledge between the public system of R&D+i and companies.

 

The Technology Transfer Program (INVESNOVA) aims to encourage stable public-private cooperation
in research and development by supporting joint R&D+i projects between companies, technology centres and
research institutions in Cantabria. The goal of the program is to foster a culture of cooperation in
technological research and development within the science-technology-business community of the region and
mobilise greater participation of companies in industrial and experimental research projects.

 

 

2.4

The Circular Economy

 

As part of the Waste Management Plan of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria 2017-2023, SODERCAN believes it is
essential to encourage environmental research to promote the efficient use of resources and the transition
towards a new business and production models. Economic development must satisfy present needs without
jeopardising the capacities of future generations, ensuring a balance between economic growth, environmental
responsibility and public welfare.

 

SODERCAN has established the Circular Economy Program to provide subsidies and assistance for
industrial and experimental research projects aimed at reducing waste and improving the efficient use of the
material resources of the region.

 

 

2.5

R&D+i Specialists Program

 

SODERCAN believes it is essential to further the incorporation of specialised R&D+i specialists in regional
industries, as their skills are a key asset for economic growth and competitiveness. The high proportion of STEM
graduates from Spanish universities is one of the strengths of Spain in both developing and adopting new
technologies. Nevertheless, the incorporation of skilled technical personnel into regional industries remains an
important challenge.

 

Thus, the goal of the R&D+i Specialists Program is to provide subsidies to support the
hiring and stable employment of qualified technical personnel in Cantabrian companies as well as the conversion
of temporary contracts into permanent contracts for personnel engaged in industrial R&D+i projects, the
preliminary work related to analysing the viability of projects, the opening of new lines of industrial research
and/or experimental research oriented towards the development of new or improved products, processes and/or
services.

 

New markets

 

1

Growth in national markets

 

For many companies, particularly SMEs, entering new markets involves significant changes in the way they operate
in many areas of the organisation, overcoming a number of new obstacles and taking on a series of risks for
which they may not be fully prepared. These challenges have only intensified with the COVID crisis. Through the
Growth in national markets program, SODERCAN offers support to companies in accessing new
national markets, providing financial assistance for the costs involved in product certifications, the search
for new clients, participating in trade fairs, etc.

 

 

2

Exporting and internationalisation: Export Cantabria
Program

 

SODERCAN will initiate a new round of subsidies and financial support to help Cantabrian companies access or
re-enter new international markets and search for new clients and suppliers. Internationalisation is fundamental
to boosting the competitiveness of our economy, ensuing the survival of regional industries and promoting growth
by offering a greater range of products and/or services and expanding organisations into international markets.
Assistance is offered to help cover the costs of undertaking new commercial projects, participation in
international trade fairs, market studies, international travel, etc.

 

 

3

Digitalisation and new markets

 

SODERCAN will initiate a new call specifically to promote the digitalisation process of companies and businesses
in promoting sales and entering new markets. The Digitise Program aims to help companies boost
their presence and visibility online, e-commerce, digital marketing and positioning of products and/or services
in the market, etc.

The program will also encompass the costs of cybersecurity, an essential aspect of the digital economy given the
risks to which companies, organisations and public institutions throughout the world are now exposed. It is
essential that companies are prepared to deal with cyberattacks, protecting their databases and national and
international sales processes.

 

 

4

Foment inter-company cooperation for joint commercial
actions

 

One of the objectives of the Government of Cantabria is to support and promote the strategic cooperation and
voluntary alliances of companies in the region to gain competitive advantage through joint actions that
facilitate the entry of their products and/or services into new national and international markets. This
objective is particularly important in the wake of the COVID crisis as companies attempt to enter or re-enter
markets. Inter-company cooperation can be a very valuable tool allowing companies to join forces and share
costs.

SODERCAN has established the Cooperate to Grow program to encourage inter-company cooperation,
creating Grouped Business Units or consortia to channel assistance in enhancing professionalism and dynamism for
the national and international expansion of regional companies.

 

 

5

Contracting Commercial Specialists

 

In these challenging times when the leading priority is to boost employment, SODERCAN offers assistance to
incentivise companies to contract skilled professionals to support their national and international expansion
strategies. The aim of the program is twofold: to enhance the professionalism and specialisation of companies
while also providing employment opportunities for skilled professionals, attracting talent to the region and
recovering jobs lost due to the COVID crisis.

With these aims, SODERCAN has established Program +Talent offering subsidies to support
Cantabrian companies in hiring of skilled technical personnel and the conversion of temporary contracts into
permanent contracts for personnel involved in developing commercial strategies and expansion into new markets.