Microsoft has joined Connèxia UPC with a project to optimise AI applications and big data management
July 22, 2026
CDTI announces the opening of the INNTERCONECTA STEP 2026 call, with €138 million in grant
August 5, 2026Microsoft has joined Connèxia UPC with a project to optimise AI applications and big data management
July 22, 2026CDTI announces the opening of the INNTERCONECTA STEP 2026 call, with €138 million in grant
August 5, 202603/08/2026
The 2026 call for Business Innovation Grants (R&D&I) includes three funding lines adapted to each stage of innovation: the initial validation of a technology (technological exploration grants), its application in projects close to market (grants for technological innovation), and the development of new products, processes or services involving high technological risk (grants for R&D projects).
Technological exploration grants
This funding line is aimed at business projects in the early stages of innovation that wish to analyse the technical, functional or market feasibility of a new technology before making a significant investment.
Projects may receive a grant covering up to 75% of eligible expenses, with a maximum of €30,000 per project. The maximum implementation period is ten months, and an advance payment of 60% of the grant is envisaged without the need for a guarantee.
Eligible expenditure includes in-house staff, collaborations with technology centres, start-ups, suppliers and other specialised entities, as well as the materials and consumables needed for prototyping and testing.
The call is open until 21 September 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Allocation method: Order of application and fulfilment of requirements.
Grants for technological innovation
The 2026 call is aimed at automotive and mobility companies with an operating establishment in Catalonia that wish to develop applied technological innovation projects that are close to market and involve medium or low technological risk.
Projects must have a minimum budget of €40,000 and may receive a grant covering up to 45% of the accepted eligible expenditure, with a maximum of €90,000 per project.
The 2026 call will open soon.
Allocation method: Competitive procedure / Open applications.
Grants for R&D projects
This funding line will support projects to develop new products, processes or services involving high technological risk. The 2026 call is aimed at all R&D activities of companies which, regardless of their main activity, demonstrate a significant contribution to competitiveness in the chemical sector’s value chain.
Projects may receive grants of up to €250,000, must have a minimum budget of €120,000, and may be developed for a maximum period of 30 months from the date of application. Applications may be submitted individually or in cooperation with other companies or accredited TECNIO agents.
The 2026 call will open soon.
Allocation method: Competitive procedure (technical evaluation).
More information:
Related Projects
- The Control, Data and Artificial Intelligence (CoDAlab) research group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) is taking part in the ATHENS project, which is developing recyclable thermoplastic composite materials with advanced real-time monitoring systems to improve the manufacture, safety and service life of lightweight structures.
- The MICROTECH LAB - Microtechnology for the Industry research subgroup, part of the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Mechanics (CATMech) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), is leading the technical development of a minimally invasive platform to monitor biomarkers and physiological indicators related to stress and emotional wellbeing.
- A research team from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) has participated in the M3LEC project, coordinated by the Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), a joint centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), with the Universidad de Sevilla (US) / Instituto de Microelectrónica de Sevilla (IMSE) also participating. M3LEC aimed to contribute to the characterisation of the Martian atmosphere and meteorology, and to investigate new instrumentation for future planetary exploration missions.
- The Interdisciplinary Group on Building Science and Technology (GICITED) and the Energy, Catalysis, Process and Reaction Engineering (ENCORE) research group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) are participating in the European ArchiSpace project, to develop infrastructure prototypes for human settlements in extraterrestrial environments using materials and conditions analogous to those on the Moon and Mars.
