Navarra is strengthening its commitment to R&D&I with the launch of three calls for proposals for business innovation, totaling 2.5 million euros

The Department of Higher Education, Innovation, and Digital Transformation of the Government of Navarra, through its R&D&I service, has strengthened its commitment to innovation in businesses with the launch of three calls for proposals totaling 2.55 million euros.

Specifically, these include grants for hiring industrial doctoral students, with a budget of 1.6 million euros; grants for hiring research and technical staff, funded with 750,000 euros; and SINAI vouchers for knowledge transfer, with 200,000 euros allocated.

These three calls for proposals were presented to interested companies and stakeholders at an event held at the facilities of the public entity European Business and Innovation Center of Navarra (CEIN), where technical staff from the Government of Navarra explained the eligibility requirements for receiving the grants, the activities eligible for funding, and the deadlines for submitting applications, in addition to answering questions raised by the 35 representatives of companies and stakeholders who attended the event.

The event was opened by Juan Luis García, the Regional Minister for Universities, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, who emphasized that the goal of these grants is to “help turn ideas into real projects, strong partnerships, and positive outcomes.”

“All of this is part of a broader strategy: to establish Navarre as a leading region in innovation and technological development, not only in Spain but also in Europe, by bringing science, technology, and innovation closer to the business community, especially in a context where collaboration is essential,” he emphasized.

The grants, in detail

The largest grant program, which funds the hiring of industrial doctoral candidates, has a long history: since 2016, it has enabled the hiring of 140 individuals, thereby strengthening the development of a robust talent pool aligned with the needs of businesses.

This grant funds the hiring of a trainee researcher to carry out a research project that will form the basis of their doctoral thesis. The project must be of interest to the hiring entity and must align with one of the priorities of the Navarra Smart Specialization Strategy (S4). The maximum eligible funding for hiring is up to 1,900 euros per person per month, to which academic, mobility, and dissemination expenses may be added for a period of up to 4 years.

As for the grants for hiring research and technology staff—which, since their inception in 2014, have facilitated the hiring of more than 500 people for R&D&I work—their purpose is to hire individuals to participate in R&D projects, innovation activities, or support tasks related to R&D&I.

In this case, the maximum amount is 16,000 euros per year of employment, which may be increased by an additional 1,000 euros for companies with fewer than 50 employees that have an equality plan or that employ a certain percentage of workers with disabilities.

Finally, the SINAI grants, which are more focused on innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises, aim to promote the transfer of knowledge and technology generated in research centers, technology centers, universities, and the IRIS Digital Innovation Hub’s experimental laboratory to the business community.

Eligible activities include technology watch, feasibility studies for R&D&I projects, innovation support services, and technology consulting, among others. The maximum grant amount will be 60% of the project’s costs (excluding VAT), with a cap of 10,000 euros for SMEs; or 70% of the project’s costs (excluding VAT), with a limit of 16,000 euros for Business Innovation Units (UIE) accredited by the Navarre R&D&I System (SINAI).