Bases regulating the granting of aid in the field of Digital Enabling Technologies (DETs)

For projects of industrial research and experimental development in one of the enabling technologies specific to the Information and Communication Technologies sector, which according to the strategic priorities defined in Challenge 7 in Digital Economy, Society and Culture of the Plan are:

• Internet of Things.
• Digital Infrastructures and 5G Networks.
• Fuzzy and cloud computing.
• Massive data and information processing technologies.
• High Performance Computing (HPC).
• Natural language processing.
• Cybersecurity, biometrics and digital identity and industrial cybersecurity.
• Distributed databases (blockchain/DLT).
• Robotics. - Artificial intelligence.
• Virtual reality.
• Micro/nano electronics.

Call for applications on a competitive basis.
Aid is provided in the form of grants, loans or a combination of both.

Who are the beneficiaries of this aid?

The following entities, if they meet certain characteristics:

• Companieswhatever their legal form, including public commercial and corporate companies and sole proprietorships.
• Research bodiesUniversities, technology transfer organisations, public R&D&I centres, technology centres, etc.
• Business groupings or associationsBusiness associations: joint ventures of companies, AIEs, non-profit sectoral business associations, innovative business clusters, etc. 

Eligible projects

• Industrial researchPlanned research or critical investigation aimed at acquiring new knowledge and skills that may be useful in developing new products, processes or services, or in contributing to significant improvements in existing products, processes or services.
• Experimental developmentAcquisition, combination, shaping and use of existing scientific, technological, business and other knowledge and skills for the development of plans and structures or designs for new, modified or improved products, processes or services. 

Excluded Projects

• Fundamental research: It consists of experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to gain new knowledge about the fundamentals of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in mind.
• InnovationApplication of a new and significantly improved method of production or supply, etc.
• Regular or periodic modifications on products, production lines, manufacturing processes, existing services and other ongoing operations, etc.

Eligible expenditure

• Staff costs: researchers, technicians and other auxiliary staff, to the extent that they are dedicated to the project.
• Instruments and inventoriable material: to the extent and for the period that it is used for the project
• Research costs contractual, know-how and patents
• Overheads directly derived from the project
• Other expenditure additional operating costs

Maximum gross aid intensities in the form of grants to beneficiaries

1. Industrial Research Projects
   1. Non-SMEs: Up to 50% of the eligible cost of the project
   2. Medium-sized enterprises: Up to 60% of the eligible cost of the project.
   3. Small enterprises: Up to 70% of the eligible cost of the project
2. Industrial Research Projects
   1. Non-SMEs: Up to 25% of the eligible cost of the project.
   2. Medium-sized enterprises: Up to 35% of the eligible cost of the project.
   3. Small enterprises: Up to 45% of the eligible cost of the project.

Call for applications to be published.

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