The new Innterconecta STEP call will boost innovation in less developed regions
The Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology and Innovation (CDTI Innovación) has announced that in April 2025 it will launch the Innterconecta STEP call, an ambitious funding program aimed at promoting R&D projects carried out by business consortia with a strong regional focus. The initiative seeks to foster innovation in Spain’s less developed and transitioning regions, strengthening competitiveness and technological progress in key sectors for the future of the country and the European Union.
Innterconecta STEP is designed to encourage collaboration between companies and research centers, driving the development of innovative technological solutions that contribute to the growth of the business ecosystem. The program aims to generate synergies between different entities, accelerating the maturation of emerging technologies and their entry into the market.
Moreover, the program will allow beneficiary companies to enhance their strategic positioning in priority sectors, facilitating access to new business opportunities at both national and international levels.
Geographic scope and key sectors
Pending the official publication of the rules, it is expected that the beneficiary regions of this call will include: the Valencian Community, Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Galicia, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Balearic Islands, La Rioja, the Principality of Asturias, and the Region of Murcia. These regions have been selected due to their need to boost productive transformation through the development of high-tech projects.
Projects funded by Innterconecta STEP must align with one of the following three strategic axes:
- Deep tech and digital technologies: This includes areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, microelectronics, quantum technologies, and advanced connectivity—all essential to the development of the digital economy.
- Clean technologies and resource efficiency: This axis will focus on solutions for net emission reductions, such as carbon capture and storage, as well as energy-efficient systems like heat pumps, contributing to environmental sustainability and the energy transition.
- Biotechnology: This covers the development of essential medicines for the EU, molecular, industrial, and agricultural biotechnology, as well as pharmaceutical products—sectors with high impact on health and food security.
Funding and eligibility conditions
The program will have an estimated budget of €90 million, offering non-repayable grants based on company size:
- Small enterprises: up to 60% of eligible costs.
- Medium enterprises: up to 50%.
- Large enterprises: up to 40%.
Eligible expenses include a wide range of R&D-related costs, such as:
- Salaries for specialized personnel involved in the project.
- Depreciation of equipment used in research.
- Consumables for technological developments.
- Subcontracting and collaborations with other entities to carry out the project.
- Acquisition of technical knowledge, licenses, and necessary patents.
- Project audit costs.
- Indirect costs resulting from the project’s implementation.
Project types and consortia
Projects will span multiple years, starting in 2025 and ending either on December 31, 2027, or June 30, 2028. To participate, consortia of between two and six companies must be formed, with at least two being independent and at least one being an SME. There are no specific requirements for the role of the coordinator, but a consortium agreement is mandatory prior to application.
Each project must have a budget between €1 million and €4 million, with each partner contributing at least €175,000 and no partner exceeding 70% of the total project budget. Additionally, subcontracting Public Research Organizations (OPIs) must account for at least 10% of the total budget.
Eligible costs include personnel, equipment, contract research, technical knowledge and patents, as well as coordination consultancy (limited to €15,000 per year). Audits and general overheads are also eligible. Additional expenses such as travel (up to €5,000 per beneficiary for coordination meetings) and indirect costs (15% of personnel costs) are allowed.
Finally, the Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) certificate is mandatory and may cost up to €3,000, applicable only to the consortium’s representative.
A revitalized program with a strong track record
Innterconecta STEP is the evolution of the former FEDER Innterconecta program, which was suspended in 2018, and is now integrated into the European Union’s Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). This platform, created in 2023, aims to address the economic challenges faced by the European tech industry, such as high inflation, supply chain disruptions, and increasing global competition.
With its new identity and renewed objectives, Innterconecta STEP seeks to consolidate collaboration between companies and Knowledge Generating Centers (CGCs), strengthening the innovation ecosystem and enhancing Spain’s position in strategic sectors. Reactivating this program will revive the positive impact achieved in previous editions of FEDER Innterconecta, which generated direct employment in 42% of participating companies and resulted in 26 patents in key industrial sectors.
A key opportunity for the business sector
Thanks to Innterconecta STEP, Spanish companies will have access to financial resources enabling them to improve their competitiveness and contribute to the development of innovative technologies with high market potential.
The combination of non-repayable grants and support from the European Union makes Innterconecta STEP a key tool for strengthening Spain’s industrial and technological fabric.
CDTI Innovación recommends interested companies start preparing their proposals in advance to maximize their chances of success. Information sessions and specific guidance materials are expected to be published soon to facilitate access to the available funding.
