Espaitec has brought together entities, research staff and innovative companies from the province with the aim of promoting participation in calls for public aid for innovative projects
Espaitec has organized a new event this Wednesday with the aim of publicizing the R&D&I grants 2026 in Castellón to the research community and the business ecosystem. Representatives from the following participated in the session: Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i); the Industrial Technology Development Center (CDTI); The State Research Agency (AEI), the Valencian Institute of Finance (IVF), PortCastello; and the Finnova Foundation, entities responsible for managing different lines of financing in the field of R&D&I.
The vice-rector for Innovation, Transfer and Scientific Dissemination of the Universitat Jaume I, david cabedo, and the director of Espaitec, Juan Antonio BertolinThey inaugurated the event. Cabedo emphasized the opportunity the event offers to interact directly with the technical staff of the institutions that manage the various calls for proposals focused on innovation and to learn firsthand about the new features and specificities that have been introduced or are planned to be introduced in their publication.
For his part, Bertolín indicated that “For innovative startups and SMEs, public funding is not just a source of financial resources. Above all, it is a validation mechanism, a lever to reduce technological risk, accelerate development, attract talent, collaborate with the scientific community, and, in many cases, make the leap to new markets. However, we also know that the system is complex, fragmented, and demanding from a technical and administrative standpoint.” He also added that “Espaitec’s role is to act as a connecting node between university and business, between knowledge and the market, and between funding opportunities and real-world projects in the region.”
PortCastello
The head of the Planning, European Policies and Innovation Department at PortCastelló, María José Rubio, Presented the Entrepreneurship Promotion Plan for Innovation in the Port Sector (Ports 4.0)Specifically, the new call for proposals for Business Ideas and Projects, with a budget of €6.750.000. This initiative aims to attract, support, and facilitate innovation in the logistics and port sector by promoting disruptive technologies and improving processes, products, and services in this field.
Download the PortCastelló 2026 presentation
IVACE+i
The head of the Knowledge and Talent Promotion Service at IVACE+i Innovation, Jorge Teschendorff, has outlined the various initiatives and lines of support in competitive bidding aimed at strengthening and developing the Valencian innovation system, among which the following stand out: the valorization of research results and their transfer to companies; the promotion of talent; the promotion of innovative public procurement; strategic cooperation projects; and the consolidation of the business value chain.
Download the IVACE+i 2026 presentation
State Research Agency
The Deputy Head of the Scientific-Technical Thematic Programs Subdivision of the AEI, Estefânia Freitas, It has presented the Public-Private Collaboration projects, which finance experimental development between companies and research organizations to promote new technologies; along with the aid for contracts for the training of Industrial PhDs, whose purpose is to finance the employment of research personnel in training, in companies and other entities, for the completion of their doctoral theses, and also to promote the carrying out of industrial research or experimental development projects in companies and other entities, in which a doctoral thesis is framed.
Download the AEI 2026 presentation
CDTI
For her part, the technician from the Department of Institutional Promotion and Territorial Cooperation of the CDTI, Maria Jose Tomas, has presented neotech, which offers grants of up to €325.000 for the creation and consolidation of technology-based companies; Innvierte, a venture capital investment program for innovative companies with high growth potential; and EurostarsThis program is aimed at SMEs developing R&D projects in international consortia, with funding of up to 70% and a limit of €400.000 per company. Additionally, the Cervera program finances projects in strategic R&D areas, with coverage of up to 90% and partially repayable grants, while Pre-Commercial Public Procurement supports the development of innovative technologies through public contracts.
Download the CDTI 2026 presentation
Valencian Institute of Finance
Next, the head of the Originations Department of the IVF, Immaculate Conceptiona, has outlined the lines of participatory loans and subordinated loans, which are intended for companies that develop innovative projects in development and expansion phases, seeking to consolidate themselves in the markets, and grant loans of between 300.000 and one million euros, also in terms of up to ten years and with up to three years of grace.
Download the IVF 2026 presentation
Finnova Foundation
Finally, the director of European Funds at the Finnova Foundation, Juan Viesca, has presented the European Union's funding and support programs for start-ups and spin-offs focused on innovation, digitalization, and the environment (LIFE program), and channeled through the Next Generation EU fundsThese initiatives aim to contribute to repairing the economic and social damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, kick-starting the European recovery, and preserving and creating jobs. To this end, the European Commission proposed a major European recovery plan based on leveraging the full potential of the European Union's budget.
Download the FINNOVA 2026 presentation
B2B meetings
To close the session, the director of Espaitec, Juan Antonio Bertolín, spoke, highlighting "If this conference demonstrates anything, it's that there is a comprehensive public funding roadmap for innovation, from the initial stages of ideation and technological development, through collaboration with the scientific community, to funding for business growth and scaling, at the regional, national, and European levels. The combined presence of instruments such as those from IVACE+i, IVF, CDTI, the State Research Agency, and Ports 4.0, along with European funding, allows us to affirm that the challenge is no longer the lack of tools, but rather the ability of companies to combine them strategically and transform them into real impact."
Once the presentations were over, the research staff from the UJI and companies linked to Espaitec have carried out some B2B meetings with some of the participating entities, in order to resolve any doubts or concerns regarding the grants and calls for proposals.
This event has been supported by Ministry of Education, Culture, Universities and Employment.
