CDTI Innovación, the innovation agency of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU), has launched its 2026 direct grant call to finance the participation of Spanish entities in R&D projects approved under international calls from the Eurostars-3 program and various co-funded programs of Horizon Europe’s Pillar II, including Water4All, Agroecology, FutureFoodS, and Clean Energy Transition. The initiative, endowed with €11.95 million in direct grants, aims to strengthen the ability of Spanish companies to compete, collaborate, and lead technological initiatives within the European and international innovation ecosystem.
Of the total, over €10 million is allocated to Eurostars-3, while €1.9 million will support projects approved under the international calls of the Water4All, Agroecology, FutureFoodS, and Clean Energy Transition partnerships. The grants are intended for companies conducting R&D projects in Spain that have already been selected in the aforementioned international calls where CDTI acts as the national funding body. This procedure ensures that successful Spanish participants can access the necessary financial support to execute their projects under appropriate conditions, building on internationally competitive processes that have already been evaluated.
Eurostars-3
For Eurostars-3, the call covers projects approved under the ninth international call, known as Cut-off Date 9 (CoD9), which closed on 4 September 2025. It also includes the tenth call, CoD10, with an international closure scheduled for 19 March 2026.
Eurostars-3 is one of the most established instruments for market-oriented international innovation. The program operates under the European Innovative SMEs Association within Horizon Europe and is implemented through a grant agreement between the Eureka Secretariat, the European Innovation Council, and the Executive Agency for SMEs. Thirty-seven countries participate in the Eureka Secretariat, making it one of Europe’s leading platforms for collaborative business projects with strong technological components and commercial exploitation potential.
Horizon Europe Pillar II Co-funded Partnerships
In parallel, the call also covers co-funded partnerships under Horizon Europe’s Pillar II: Water4All (international closure 29 April 2025), Agroecology (9 July 2025), FutureFoodS (9 July 2025), and Clean Energy Transition (12 March 2026).
These partnerships follow a thematic coordination approach focused on major shared challenges and priorities. Managed through dedicated secretariats, they allow the organization of transnational calls in areas critical to Europe’s future. The programs included focus on key areas such as sustainable water management, agroecology, future food systems, and the transition to clean energy.
Public support for Spanish entities in the European ecosystem
CDTI calls for Eurostars-3 and co-funded partnerships are designed to support Spanish companies in international R&D projects in strategically important areas for competitiveness, sustainability, and technological transition. By providing public support to successful Spanish participants, CDTI strengthens their ability to join excellence consortia, access frontier knowledge, share development with international partners, and position themselves in high-value strategic technology segments. This converts international presence into real execution capacity, resulting in tangible innovation, investment, skilled employment, and competitiveness.
Participation in European and multilateral programs is increasingly essential in a context of international innovation networks, complex value chains, and scientific-technological alliances between countries. Such involvement enables companies to scale knowledge, share risks, attract talent, and accelerate the market introduction of high-value solutions.
Application deadlines and conditions
The call has two application periods:
Grants will be awarded as direct subsidies, with a maximum amount based on the actual eligible project costs and budget availability, generally up to 70% of eligible costs. If resources are insufficient, the intensity may be adjusted to a maximum of 60% for small companies, 50% for medium companies, and 40% for large companies. For Eurostars-3 projects, the maximum aid per beneficiary cannot exceed €400,000.
More information
Further details are available on CDTI Innovación’s website:
https://www.cdti.es/ayudas/eurostars-3-2026-cod9
https://www.cdti.es/ayudas/partenariados-pilar-2-sera-2026-1
About CDTI Innovación
The Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI E.P.E.) is the innovation agency of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, promoting technological innovation in companies. Its mission is to ensure that Spanish businesses generate and transform scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable, and inclusive growth. In 2024, CDTI provided more than €2.3 billion in support to Spanish companies and startups under its new strategic plan.
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