The Sociedad para el Desarrollo Regional de Cantabria S.A., SODERCAN, part of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Innovation, Transport and Commerce, has launched three new calls for subsidies for exporters, with a total budget of €2.3 million, to incentivise prospecting for new national markets and the development of digital transformation strategies for SMEs in Cantabria.

The three calls were published in the Official Bulletin of Cantabria on Thursday, May 5, and will open for two months. Applications for the subsidies, offered through the Area for New Markets and Internationalisation, can be submitted until July 6 through SODERCAN’s Assistance Management System, for business development costs incurred between November 23 2021 and May 22 2022.

The Minister of Industry, Innovation and president of SODERCAN, Javier López Marcano, noted that with these three lines of subsidies the public company has launched a total of 12 opens calls for a total of €5.4 million, aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and new companies in R&D+i projects, job creation and business cooperation through clusters and export consortiums and prospecting for new markets.

López Marcano explained that business growth depends on diversification and expansion into new markets or international sectors, an essential avenue to enhance the competitiveness of Cantabrian business and industry following the COVID 19 crisis and the impact of the war in Ukraine.

With this aim, SODERCAN offers assistance totalling €900,000 to support business and industry in the region in developing their international commercial strategies, contributing in this way to economic recovery, building client and supplier portfolios, diversification into new international markets and, ultimately, the dynamisation of business and industry in Cantabria.

The subsidy will cover up to 60% of eligible business costs, up to an annual maximum of €30,000 per company.

A further €800,000 have been earmarked to support Cantabrian businesses through promotional and commercial actions in prospecting new national markets and establishing contact for potential clients, partners and other companies, analysing the real possibilities to expand products and/or services into new national markets.

The call includes participation in trade fairs, congresses, business events, specialised forums, commercial trips, costs of off-line marketing and promotion, new quality certifications, product certifications and national commercial brand registrations.

The subsidy will also cover up to 60% of eligible costs, up to an annual maximum of €20,000 per company.

Digitalisation

SODERCAN has also launched a specific program of subsidies, with a total budget of €600,000, to support Cantabrian companies and businesses in developing digital transformation strategies to generate new business opportunities, commercial strategies and business models.

In order to qualify, actions must be oriented towards the digital promotion of products and services of the beneficiary company and their operations located in Cantabria. The actions must also be part of a comprehensive digitalisation plan including the following: website and on-line positioning, e.-commerce, digital marketing, commercial management tools, cybersecurity, specialised training and consulting or specialised external technical support.

The subsidy will cover up to 60% of eligible business costs, up to an annual maximum of €10,000 per company.

See all the open lines of assistance here.