“Better Industry” Strategic Axis of the Euskadi 2030 Industry Plan Drives €505 Million in Industrial R&D Investment Through HAZITEK in 2026
The “Better Industry” strategic axis of the Euskadi 2030 Industry Plan, developed by the Department of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability of the Basque Government, has enabled the HAZITEK programme, managed by SPRI, to mobilise €505 million in industrial R&D projects in 2026, a 92% increase compared to two years ago.
The programme itself has increased its budget to €169 million, part of which contributes to the goal of transforming and diversifying SMEs in the Basque Country.
Following the resolution this week of the first 2026 call for proposals under the HAZITEK programme, a total of 695 industrial R&D projects have already been supported. A new call, endowed with an additional €26 million, is expected to be launched shortly, bringing the programme to a historic €169 million in public funding for business R&D support.
This first call received a total of 1,050 applications, with a combined submitted budget exceeding €783 million, representing a 41% increase compared to two years ago. This confirms strong demand and the commitment of the industrial ecosystem to R&D.
New Transformational Line and Strengthened Impact
The main novelty of this edition is the introduction of Transformational Projects, a new funding line aimed at high-impact collaborative initiatives identified as a strategic instrument of the Euskadi 2030 Industry Plan. These projects mobilise public-private investment, generate skilled employment and competitiveness, and strengthen the country’s industrial and technological capabilities.
This new line has supported three projects with a total of €61.5 million in mobilised R&D investment.
These projects involve 24 companies and are designed to build strategic industrial capabilities and accelerate the transformation of the productive ecosystem in key sectors such as Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace, and Renewable Fuels.
This line will include a second call for proposals, scheduled for June–July, with an additional €26 million.
Consolidation of Strategic Projects
The strategic projects line, with a budget of €70 million—43% higher compared to the 2024 baseline year (a year without budget increases)—remains the most technologically intensive and fastest-growing investment area, with a strong focus on strategic sectors.
It has supported 187 Basque companies across 38 projects out of 53 applications received (+23%), mobilising €198.3 million in R&D investment (+64%).
The 38 supported projects focus on the development of advanced technological solutions for the strategic HAZI sectors of the Industry Plan—future-oriented sectors characterised by high technological intensity, strong scientific and technological capabilities, and high growth potential in global markets over the coming decades. These include Digital Solutions, Aerospace, Renewable Fuels, and Biosanitary technologies.
They also cover the IRABAZI sectors, which are current industrial drivers due to their high contribution to Gross Value Added and employment in the Basque Country, high-quality jobs, and medium-to-high technological intensity. These include Sustainable Mobility, Automotive Components, Advanced Manufacturing, and Energy.
The Basque Government’s Minister of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi, highlighted that: “In this time of uncertainty, the Basque Country has chosen to accelerate innovation, as these figures demonstrate. We must run faster than our competitors, and innovation makes us better and faster. This level of investment in innovation allows our industry to differentiate its products and services, making them more resilient to external shocks, as we have seen with Trump’s tariffs.”
Broad Base of Competitive Projects
The competitive projects line remains the main access instrument to R&D for industry, with more than 1,000 participating companies and 755 supported companies.
Through this line, 994 applications were received, of which 654 projects were supported (+5%). The submitted budget increased significantly to €367.5 million (+36%), reflecting the industrial sector’s strong commitment to R&D. Finally, the programme allocated €47 million to this line (+12%), mobilising €175 million in business R&D (+22%).
Competitive projects, mainly focused on experimental development, advance the creation of new products and processes in the IRABAZI and HAZI strategic sectors. By number of supported projects, the leading sectors include Advanced Manufacturing, Biosanitary, Energy, and Digital Solutions, with additional participation from other industries with strong market leadership potential such as Construction and Environment.
In this line, SMEs play a significant role, representing 71% of beneficiary companies and receiving 54% of total funding.
Jauregi concluded: “All this activity reflects the strong commitment of Basque industry to R&D as a driver of competitive development, increasing its technological level and making our industry a Better Industry.”
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