Grants and regional support for new businesses

Key rules

• Apply first: Most calls only fund costs incurred after you apply, so do not buy or sign before checking the call's rule.
• Payment: Most grants are paid after you prove spending, so you must pre-finance the project.
• Keeping the business: You may have to repay the aid if you stop the activity before the period the call sets.
• Regional calls: Regional calls only apply to projects located in that region.
• Call bases: The call's own bases set the window and conditions and override general rules.

Where to look

Start with the national grants database, BDNS. It lists calls (convocatorias) from state, regional and local bodies. You can filter by body, region, sector and type of applicant. Set up alerts, and search the Spanish words emprendedores, autónomos, startups and creación de empresas.

Then check your region's development agency, your city council and your local chamber of commerce. Regional calls only apply to businesses in that region. For innovation finance, look at the state bodies listed in the resources block below. For self-employment aid, ask the regional employment service. Local business advice points can also tell you what is open now.

Read the call's bases first

Every call has its own bases (the rules). They set the window, the eligible costs, the conditions and the payment terms. Read them before anything else, because they override the general points below.

Timing: the trap that costs most

Calls work in one of two ways:

• Fixed window. Applications are accepted between set dates. Windows run from a few days to a few months. They are published in BDNS and the official bulletin.
• First come, first served. Money is given out in order of application until the budget runs out. Apply early.

Most calls require you to apply before you start the project or investment. Costs paid before you apply, or before an on-site check, are usually not eligible. So do not sign, buy or pay until you know the call's rule. Many self-employment aid schemes work the other way. They cover activity that started within a set period before your application. The bases tell you which applies.

Who qualifies

Each call sets its own conditions. These are common:

• You are an SME or self-employed person registered in Spain, in the self-employed Social Security scheme and the tax census.
• Your business is recent, or you are under an age limit.
• The project is located in the region offering the grant.
• You are up to date with the Tax Agency, Social Security and regional taxes.
• You have no unpaid grant repayment orders and are not insolvent.
• You stay within state aid ceilings. The de minimis ceiling was €300,000 over three years from 2024.
• Your sector is eligible. Some calls exclude agriculture, fishing or finance.
• You meet a minimum investment or job-creation target.

Some calls give priority to young people, women, the long-term unemployed or people in rural areas.

How payment works

Most grants are paid after you prove the spending. You send invoices and proof of payment, so you pay first and wait. Payment can take months after you justify the costs. Plan your cash for that gap.

Some calls allow an advance, often with a bank guarantee. Small self-employment aid is often paid as one lump sum after approval or after proof of registration.

Grants usually cover only a share of eligible costs. You fund the rest from your own money or loans. The share depends on the call and your company size.

Calls often require you to keep the activity running for a set period, commonly two to three years. If you stop early, you may have to repay the aid.

Do it in this order

1. Search BDNS and your regional agency for open calls.
2. Read the bases: window, eligibility, eligible costs.
3. Check you are up to date with taxes and Social Security.
4. Apply before spending, unless the call says otherwise.
5. Keep every invoice and proof of payment.

The timeline below shows the stages, and the questions below answer common doubts.

Timeline and deadlines

• Read the call's bases and find the application window: Before you spend anything on the project

• Apply early for a first-come-first-served call: As soon as it opens, because it closes when the budget runs out

• Start the project or investment: After you apply, as most calls do not cover costs from before the application

• Submit invoices and proof of payment: After the spending, to justify the grant

• Receive payment: Often months after you justify the spending

• Keep the activity running: Often for two to three years after the grant, or you may have to repay it

Where to find current Spanish funding programmes

Where to find current funding programmes

• National grants database (BDNS), run by the Ministry of Finance: Search open calls from state, regional and local bodies. Filter by body, region, sector and type of beneficiary, and subscribe to alerts.

• ENISA, the state lender for young innovative companies: Check its current loan lines for new businesses.

• CDTI, the state agency for innovation funding: Look for current funding for innovation and technology projects.

• ICO, the state official credit institute: Look at its financing lines for businesses and self-employed people.

• CERSA, the reinsurer for mutual guarantee companies: Find out how guarantees can help you get a bank loan.

• Ministry of Industry's PYME portal (ipyme.org): Browse support programmes for small and medium-sized businesses.

• Your regional development agency, such as IVACE (Valencia), ACCIÓ (Catalonia), Andalucía TRADE and Agencia IDEA (Andalucía), SPRI (Basque Country), INFO Murcia or Madrid's regional agency: Check regional calls. They only apply to businesses in that region.

• Regional employment services, local chambers of commerce and your city council: Ask about self-employment aid and local start-up support. Business advice points (PAE/CIRCE) can also point you to open calls.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy equipment before I apply for a grant?

Usually no, because most calls only pay for costs that start after you apply. Costs from before the application, or before an on-site check, are normally not eligible. Some self-employment aid works the other way and covers activity started within a set period before you apply, so read the call's bases first.

How long do I have to keep the business running after getting a grant?

Many calls require you to keep the activity going for a set period, often two to three years. If you stop earlier, you may have to repay the aid. The exact period is in the call's bases.

Will the grant pay my costs up front?

Usually no, because most grants are paid only after you justify the spending with invoices and proof of payment. You pay the project first, and payment can take months after you submit.

Do I need to be up to date with taxes to qualify for a grant?

Yes, most calls require you to be up to date with the tax agency, Social Security and regional taxes. You also usually need to have no unpaid grant repayment orders and to stay within the state aid ceiling, which was €300,000 over three years from 2024.