SODERCAN supports six circular economy R&D projects with more than €176,000

The Society for the Development of Cantabria (SODERCAN), part of the Regional Ministry of Industry, Employment, Innovation and Trade, has supported six circular economy R&D projects with grants totaling €176,570 in the 2025 call for proposals.

These projects, promoted by Siali Technologies, Global Special Steel Products, SOINCON (Soluciones Industriales de Conectividad), Sitelec, CITICAN (Cantabria Industrial Research and Technology Center Foundation), and Manufacturas Deportivas Santander, represent a combined investment of €659,000.

Objectives

This call aims to reduce waste generation through reuse, the search for new applications within the production chain, and reductions in energy consumption, among other measures. All of these initiatives are designed to improve resource efficiency and promote a sustainable growth model.

This funding line responds to the importance of boosting R&D in industry to optimize production processes and contribute to the creation of knowledge and the development of technologies that facilitate the transition from a linear production model to a regenerative model that extends the value and usefulness of resources and products while limiting the use of raw materials and energy.

Of the six supported projects, one is focused on research and the remaining five on experimental development. Evaluation criteria include the scientific and technical quality of the project, its innovation potential and market deployment prospects, and the environmental impact of the proposed solution.

Projects and promoting companies

The projects approved under this competitive call are:

Siali Technologies: Artificial Intelligence applied to the Water Cycle (Zolara).
Global Special Steel Products: Valorisation of wire drawing soap waste as an alternative fuel in energy-intensive industries (VALJACOM).
SOINCON: Circular Industrial Planning: AI application to reduce scrap, downtime and overconsumption.
Sitelec: Research on a modular mobile and circular dismantling system for photovoltaic solar modules (REMOD CANT).
CITICAN: Study of the shelf life of semi-preserved anchovies and development of technologies to extend it in the canning industry.
Manufacturas Deportivas Santander: Research associated with technical wood valorisation strategies (WOODREV).

Circular economy

The call establishes that projects eligible for support must contribute to waste prevention or reduction, generate new applications for materials or waste, promote energy efficiency, extend the lifespan of materials and/or products, or develop new technologies or processes aimed at waste valorisation.

Projects must involve industrial research or experimental development, be individual initiatives, and align with the regional strategy for waste prevention and reuse.

Funding conditions

The call sets a minimum eligible budget of €30,000, with a maximum grant of €50,000 per project, limited to one project per company, and an implementation period of between six and twelve months from the project’s start.

The aid intensity may reach:

Up to 50% of eligible costs for industrial research projects
Up to 25% of eligible costs for experimental development projects

These levels may increase to a maximum of 70% and 45%, respectively, depending on company size:

+10% for medium-sized enterprises
+20% for small enterprises

As a result:

Small companies may receive up to 70% for industrial research and 45% for experimental development.
Medium-sized companies may receive up to 60% and 35%, respectively.
Large companies may receive up to 50% and 25%, respectively.