Public grants

Organising entity

BIC Bizkaia Ezkerraldea

Submission deadline

02 al 27 February 2026

Benefit

The total amount of the program is three million three hundred and sixty thousand euros (€3,360,000.00).

Geographical scope

Provincial

Topic

Support and funding

Innovation

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“Innovative Business Creation Programme” 2026

This grant program aims to facilitate the launch of new innovative business projects, new innovative companies, and the dynamization of the entrepreneurship and acceleration ecosystem in Bizkaia.

The grant for this program pursues the following objectives:

To facilitate the creation and development of innovative business projects that contribute diversification, new technologies, and high added value to the business fabric of Bizkaia.
To promote the growth of new innovative companies, fostering the generation of economic activity and employment.
To facilitate access for entrepreneurs to the information, grants, support, and mentoring necessary for the creation and consolidation of their business initiatives.
To encourage intrapreneurship and the development of new business lines within existing companies.
To energize the entrepreneurship ecosystem, promoting collaboration among the different agents of the support, innovation, and knowledge system.
To strengthen the connection between leading companies in Bizkaia and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering the generation of new ideas and projects.
To raise awareness of and promote entrepreneurial culture in the social, economic, academic, and technological spheres.

The implementation of the grant program is structured around five areas of action:

Development of innovative projects.
To facilitate the launch of new innovative business projects that contribute diversification activities and new technologies to the business fabric of Bizkaia, with high added value and growth potential.
To promote intrapreneurship through structured processes that allow companies to expand their capabilities through the creation of new business units, fostering the entrepreneurial talent of the people within the organization.
In the case of new innovative companies, the maximum amount for business premises rental is €13,000.00.

The total budget for this area amounts to one million six hundred and twenty thousand (€1,620,000).
New Innovative Companies.
To promote the creation of new innovative companies in Bizkaia.

- Incorporation and launch expenses: maximum €15,000
- Travel and trade fair attendance expenses: maximum €10,000
- Intellectual or industrial property protection expenses, registrations, certifications, and approvals: maximum €12,000
- Rental expenses for a business premises in Bizkaia: maximum €13,000
- Expenses for hiring a technologist or business developer: the maximum grant percentage shall be 50%, up to a maximum of €20,000.

The total budget for this area amounts to one million (€1,000,000.00).
Dynamization of the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
To facilitate interaction between leading companies in Bizkaia and the Bizkaia Entrepreneurship System through two schemes: the development of a collaborative innovation plan covering up to 80% of eligible expenditure, with a maximum of €20,000, and the development of a startup dynamization program in Bizkaia, covering up to 50% of eligible expenditure, with a maximum of €100,000.

The maximum total amount per company shall be €85,000.

The total budget for this area amounts to two hundred and forty thousand (€240,000).
Acceleration.
To accelerate company growth in terms of economic activity generation through:

a) scaling the existing business into new markets,
b) increasing turnover and employment,
c) enhancing competitiveness.
Up to 80% of external expenses derived from the acceleration project may be subsidized, with a maximum of €20,000.

The total budget for this area amounts to one hundred thousand (€100,000).
Activation of startup acceleration programs in Bizkaia.
To contribute to strengthening and energizing the local entrepreneurial ecosystem by accelerating startups, talent, and international projects that generate a traction effect on the economic fabric and knowledge exchange.

The maximum grant amounts for the following expense items are as follows:
- Accommodation and travel expenses: maximum €3,000.00 per accelerated startup, with a total maximum of €36,000.00.
- Direct internal staff expenses: up to 30% of the grant, with a maximum amount of €45,000.00.
- The maximum amount shall be €150,000 per company.
The total budget for this area amounts to four hundred thousand (€400,000).

Beneficiaries

Eligible applicants for grants under Area 1:

Natural persons from Bizkaia promoting new innovative companies.
New innovative companies in Bizkaia, not registered under the IAE or with a first registration date equal to or later than January 1, 2024.
Existing companies in Bizkaia, with at least 5 jobs as of the deadline for submission of applications, promoting new innovative companies.
Existing companies in Bizkaia, with at least 5 jobs as of the deadline for submission of applications, promoting new business units resulting from innovative intrapreneurship projects.
Scientific‑Technological Agents integrated in the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network, accredited in accordance with Decree 109/2015 or applicable regulations. They must promote new innovative companies and belong to one of the following categories: Basic and Excellence Research Centers, Multifocal Technology Centers, Sectoral Technology Centers, or Cooperative Research Centers (CIC).

Eligible applicants for grants under Area 2:

New innovative companies in Bizkaia, with a first registration date under the IAE equal to or later than January 1, 2024, having at least 2 full‑time equivalent jobs assigned to the Bizkaia production center and carrying out their activity in said territory.
Additionally, they must have their registered office, tax domicile, and a production center in Bizkaia, and be incorporated as a commercial company or cooperative.
All requirements must be met as of the closing date of the application period and maintained until the award and payments.

Eligible applicants for grants under Area 3:

Leading companies with at least 1 full‑time equivalent job assigned to the Bizkaia production center and carrying out their activity in said territory.
Additionally, they must have at least one production center in Bizkaia and be incorporated as a commercial company or cooperative.

Eligible applicants for grants under Area 4:

Companies with a first registration date under the IAE equal to or later than January 1, 2021.

Eligible applicants for grants under Area 5:

Private accelerator companies meeting the following requirements as of the application submission date.
To be incorporated as a commercial company or cooperative.
To hold a tax identification number (NIF) issued by any of the provincial tax administrations or by the State Tax Administration Agency.
To be registered in the Census of Entrepreneurs, Professionals, and Withholding Agents of Bizkaia, or the equivalent census of any other provincial tax administration or the State Tax Administration Agency.

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Requirements