Europe research

These grants are intended to promote and improve Spanish participation in European science and technology initiatives, increasing the number of Spanish coordinators participating in projects of the announcements of the Horizon Europe program of the European Union (EU).

Europa Investigación finances the costs of the preparation, coordination and presentation of European proposals for R+D+I projects in transnational collaboration led by Spanish research groups aimed at certain Horizon Europe announcements and also for individual initiatives directed to the European Research Council (ERC). They are grants intended to finance the costs of mobility, training, support and advice in matters of innovation, organization of events, conducting studies and dissemination and other related costs. Personnel expenses, expenses attributable to the execution or development of R+D+I project activities or indirect costs are not financed.

Public research organizations, public and private universities, public and private non-profit health entities and institutions, Technological Centers and Technological Innovation Support Centers at the state level and other public and private centers can participate without profit making whose main activity is R+D+I. The aid of this announcement is in the form of a subsidy.

Europe excellence

The objective of these grants is to promote Spanish participation in the international announcements of the Horizon Europe European Research Council (ERC).

Europe Excellence subsidizes research projects related to the objectives of the European proposals sent and positively evaluated and considered eligible by the ERC but which, for budgetary reasons, have not been finally financed by said body. The following expenses related to the objectives of the project are financed: personnel, small equipment, materials, travel, training, publication and dissemination of results, industrial and intellectual property rights, support and advice on innovation and others.

Public research organizations, public and private non-profit universities, public and private non-profit health entities and institutions, Technological Centers and Centers of Support for Technological Innovation at the state level and other centers can participate public and private non-profit whose main activity is R+D+I.

European project management

This announcement, which was previously called Europe Networks and Managers - Europe Technological Centers, grants to reinforce the internationalization structures of Spanish research organizations in order to improve their participation in the Research and Innovation Framework Program of the European Union (EU).

European Project Management finances the implementation of a strategic internationalization plan whose objective will be the creation or maintenance of a specific structure within the entity itself that promotes participation in Horizon Europe projects and the promotion of collaboration with other national and international entities, mainly.

The intensity of the aid granted will be conditional on the fulfillment of the objectives set out in the concession application and the costs of personnel, mobility, training, computer applications for the management of European projects, organization of events and others are subsidized. related expenses.

Public research organizations, public and private universities, public and private health entities and institutions, Technology Centers and Technological Innovation Support Centers at the state level and other public and private centers can be beneficiaries of this aid. whose main activity is R+D+I.

International collaboration projects

International Collaboration Projects (ICP) support the participation of agents of the Spanish science, technology and innovation system in international initiatives and especially in the European Research Area.

The PCI announcement is supported by previous transnational announcements, as a result of grant agreements signed between the European Commission and the participating countries within the Framework Program for Research and Innovation of the European Union and in consortium agreements signed by the participating partners. Also, in bilateral and multilateral agreements with third countries, such as the United States and Japan.

The detailed procedures of the transnational announcements, including the criteria and the way in which the evaluation is carried out, are described in the texts published on the website of each international initiative. PCI is the instrument of the AEI for the financing of the Spanish proposals selected by the councils of the international initiatives, in accordance with the provisions of articles 22.2 and 28.1 of Law 38/2003, of November 17, General Subsidies and in the third final provision of Royal Decree-Law 23/2020, of June 23.

The beneficiary entities of these grants may be public research organizations, universities, research centers, technology centers, research institutes, and non-profit public and private R+D+I institutions.

Knowledge generation projects

This announcement gives continuity to the previous announcements for “Generation of Knowledge” and “Challenges of society”. The new State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research (PEICTI) 2021-2023, contemplates within the State subprogram for the generation of knowledge two types of projects:

• Non-oriented Research Projects, without previously defined thematic orientation, which are motivated by scientific-technical curiosity and whose primary objective is to advance knowledge regardless of the time horizon and its scope of application.
• Research Projects aimed at solving specific problems and linked to the great challenges of society, which are included in some thematic priorities established in the PEICTI: health, culture, creativity and inclusive society, civil security for society, digital world, industry, space and defense, climate, energy and mobility, food, bioeconomy, natural resources and the environment. Other areas will not be excluded as long as they contribute to achieving the objectives of said Plan.

In both modalities, the projects may be of two types, depending on the profile of the main researcher who leads the research team, type A projects, led by young researchers; and type B projects, led by established researchers. The duration of the projects may be 2, 3 and 4 years and may be executed as individual or coordinated projects, as regulated in the announcement.

The beneficiary institutions of these grants may be public research organizations, universities, research centers, technology centers, research institutes, and R+D+I institutions.

This announcement will contribute to the development of the national and international leadership capacity of research teams in public and private non-profit entities linked to R+D+I, facilitating their mobility and promoting their participation and success in European and international programs and projects. An inter and multidisciplinary approach can be incorporated, with the participation of research groups with a critical mass capable of generating synergies between different scientific-technical approaches and thus promoting significant advances in scientific knowledge. Projects may have associated grants from the announcement for Predoctoral Hiring for Research Personnel Training.

Ecological and digital transition projects

The announcement for strategic R+D+I projects on the ecological and digital transition is scheduled for 2021. The application and implementation of these grants is compatible with any other Agency aid in which they currently participate research teams. The beneficiary institutions of these grants may be public research bodies, universities, research centers, technology centers, research institutes, and R+D+I institutions, as will be regulated in the announcement. The duration of the projects will be two years. The projects will support transitions by generating scientific knowledge, developing technologies or supporting policies.

The ecological transition applies to productive activities, the protection of natural resources and the quality of life of people and society as a whole. The projects will address aspects such as decarbonisation, energy efficiency, the deployment of renewable energies, the electrification of the economy, the development of energy storage, nature-based solutions, ecological restoration and the improvement of resilience. of all economic sectors, among others.

The digital transition aims to digitize the entire value chain in tractor sectors, taking full advantage of the synergies and opportunities of new technological developments and data management. The projects will focus on aspects such as the urban agenda, education, agriculture, tourism, industry, mobility, modernization of the public administration, cybersecurity or the new economy of care, among others. The digital transition can be an important support to the ecological transition.

This announcement will decisively contribute to generating knowledge on a strategic issue for society, promoting inclusive and sustainable development, the backbone of territorial and social cohesion.

Strategic projects

This announcement was created within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, within the extraordinary plan "Next Generation EU". The application and execution of these grants are compatible with any other Agency grant in which the investigation teams participate. Beneficiary institutions can be very diverse in nature.

The beneficiary institutions of these aids can be public research organizations, universities, companies, health research institutes, other public R+D centers, state-level technology centers, technological innovation support centers, other private R+D centers and sectoral business associations. The financing of these aids is in the form of grants or loans, depending on the type of beneficiary.

Industrial research projects are financed in collaboration between companies and public or private research organizations. Progress will be made in responding to the challenges identified in the thematic priorities defined in each announcement. Inter and multidisciplinary projects will be financed in which scientific cooperation is constitutive and the overlap between disciplines is valued at a methodological, conceptual or theoretical level. Likewise, it is intended to give impetus to advances in the field of application to which the projects are directed, both in the scientific field and in technological development and innovation.

This announcement will decisively contribute to creating shared value between research centers and companies, collaborating in a consortium aimed at providing solutions to society's challenges.

Research networks

The objective of these grants is to create research networks to promote the complementarity of capacities and optimize existing research resources. It is intended to facilitate that participating groups can:

• Execute actions aimed at consolidating and enhancing previous results of R+D+I activities,
• Plan future scientific and technological strategic actions,
• Perform scientific advisory functions,
• Establish forums for the exchange of knowledge and detection of opportunities, as well as
• Promote promotional activities and strategic positioning in international projects and programs and thus contribute to the advancement of Spanish research, mainly in the context of the European Research Area.

The beneficiary institutions of these grants can be public research organizations, public and private universities (with demonstrated capacity and activity in R+D), other public R+D centers, public and private health entities and institutions non-profit, health research institutes, state-level technology centers and state-level technological innovation support centers.

The aid for this action will consist of grants and their application and execution are compatible with any other aid from the Agency in which the research teams participate.

Research networks are aimed at creating:

1. Thematic networks, made up of researchers framed in the same or similar thematic area of knowledge, as well as researchers with common objectives that require a multidisciplinary approach.
2. Strategic networks, made up of Spanish managers or researchers who participate in European research initiatives or who advise, expand or disseminate scientific and technological knowledge among representatives of State bodies.

Public-private collaboration projects

This announcement is a continuation of the announcements previously called “Retos-Collaboration”. These grants are intended to promote public-private collaboration in a knowledge transfer phase close to the production processes and the market. The application and execution of these grants are compatible with any other Agency grant in which the investigation teams participate.

The beneficiary institutions of these grants have a very varied nature, and may be, public research bodies, universities, companies, health research institutes, other public R+D centers, state-level technology centers, technological innovation support centers, other private R+D centers and sectoral business associations. The aid of the announcement is in the form of grants or loans, depending on the type of beneficiary.

Experimental development tasks are financed in collaboration between companies and public or private research organizations. Progress is being made in the incorporation of scientific-technical knowledge and results that allow the validation and precompetitive development of new technologies, products and services, creating the appropriate context that stimulates the generation of a critical mass in R+D+I of an interdisciplinary nature for its application, transfer, search for solutions and generation of results both in the technological and innovation trajectories of companies and in the market. The hiring of doctors in the private sector is encouraged.

This announcement will decisively contribute to creating shared value between research centers and companies, collaborating in a consortium aimed at providing solutions to society's challenges.

Proof of concept

The purpose of these grants is to promote and accelerate the transfer of knowledge and results generated in oriented and non-oriented research projects financed by the AEI, as well as their exploitation as products, goods, applications or benefits for the economy, society, culture, or public policies; promote the culture of transfer and the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of research groups, as well as contribute to the strengthening of knowledge transfer strategies and results of the beneficiary institutions of said projects.

Proposals must demonstrate that there is knowledge or results of research projects that may represent a relevant scientific-technical advance and with the potential to be incorporated into the market or to generate value for society. Proposals must propose an implementation plan that specifies the first stages of valuation of the results and precompetitive development and that facilitate their practical application, such as, among others, the protection of the knowledge generated, the analysis of the technical, commercial or technical feasibility. social, obtaining technological prototypes, developing a pilot scale, testing with end users, defining the business model, or the first stages of creating a company.

The presentation of proposals in different stages of technological maturity (TRL) is contemplated, as long as they are adapted to the finalist nature of the objectives of the announcement. Proposals may be submitted to any of the AEI's thematic areas and sub-areas.

The beneficiary institutions of these grants may be public research bodies, universities, research centers, technology centers, research institutes, and R+D+I institutions, as will be regulated in the announcement. The duration of the projects will be two years.

Technological and innovation platforms

This announcement continues the effort of recent years in support of Technology Platforms, as an essential agent to promote dialogue and public-private collaboration. The platforms, driven by the business fabric, are an important actor in the definition of R+D+I priorities, both sectoral and intersectoral.

The aid is intended for the creation and consolidation of Technological and Innovation Platforms that promote the improvement of technological capacity and the growing competitiveness of the national productive sector, promoting the incorporation of all agents of the chain, carrying out knowledge exchange, planning and dissemination activities that promote collaboration in R+D+I between the public sector and the business sector, and helping to identify the agendas of applied research and experimental development that, responding to sectoral demands, allow tackling the great challenges of society. To meet these objectives, it is also necessary to consider the convergence of technologies and knowledge and promote collaboration between platforms.

This announcement will be published in 2022 and the grants will last two years. Public research bodies, public universities, state-level Technology Centers and State-level Technological Innovation Support Centers, other public and private non-profit R+D+I centers may be beneficiaries of the aid, companies and sectoral business associations, as regulated in the announcement.

Centers of excellence “Severo Ochoa” and units of excellence “María de Maeztu”

The announcement seeks institutional strengthening, and is aimed at centers and units of excellence in the public sector and private non-profit research institutions, whose scientific leadership is proven at an international level, with capacities to contribute decisively to advance on the frontier of knowledge and generate high impact results, as well as to exert a driving effect on the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The purpose of the announcement is twofold. First, the recognition of the best research centers and units, and their accreditation as "Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence" or as "María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence" based on the characteristics and achievements of recent years. Secondly, the financing of the strategic plans drawn up by the centers and the strategic research programs drawn up by the units for a period of four years, with the aim of consolidating their capacities and international scientific leadership. In addition, accredited centers and units will benefit from the inclusion in announcements for grants for the training of doctors from contracts of pre-doctoral researchers who will carry out their training at the center or unit.

The selection of accredited centers and units is carried out through a competitive process based on international standards, with the participation of scientific committees made up of international, independent and renowned experts. Issues such as the organization of the center or unit and its financing, the research results obtained, training and human resources, or international leadership in the reference period are analyzed, as well as the diagnosis, perspectives, objectives and actions of the plan. strategic for the next four years with respect to these and other aspects.

The duration of the accreditation is four or five years, without the possibility of renewal, so that once the accreditation is completed, the centers or units may re-present themselves for a new announcement in competitive competition.

This announcement will decisively contribute to increasing the international visibility of accredited centers and units, as well as the scientific, social and economic impact of the results of their research, thus contributing to the attraction of talent and the leadership of the Spanish research.

Scientific and technical equipment

The announcement for scientific-technical equipment aims to improve the capacities of the Spanish research community and increase its competitiveness. The grants finance the acquisition of state-of-the-art, open-access scientific-technical equipment, managed by joint research services.

The beneficiary entities responsible for these common services must have human resources with full dedication to their management, including the maintenance, updating and management of the equipment, a public access protocol and a system that allows impacting the costs of the services provided to users, both to researchers belonging to the institution where it is located and to external researchers.

The announcement covers costs of acquisition, transportation, essential civil works, as well as other expenses necessary to install and put the equipment into operation.

This announcement will decisively contribute to promoting the provision and use of research services, optimizing costs, and obtaining more reliable data of high technical quality, leading to the execution of multidisciplinary research of excellence and the development of highly competitive R+D activities.

Predoctoral contracts for the training of research staff

The announcement for pre-doctoral grants for the training of research staff promotes the recruitment and mobility of research staff in training, through the completion of their doctoral theses within the framework of the best research projects of groups with solvency scientific and academic belonging to universities, public research organizations and other research centers and, with a singular character, in Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence and María de Maeztu Units of Excellence and in public R+D centers for agricultural and food research dependent on the Autonomous Communities.

The contracts have a duration of four years and during their validity a postdoctoral orientation period (POP) is offered, provided that the thesis is concluded within the established period. The objectives of this period are the exploitation of the results of the doctoral thesis, and the initiation of the postdoctoral training stage with the possibility of participation in national, European or international research projects.

Within the framework of these grants, an additional endowment is included that finances, on the one hand, stays by research staff in training, in R+D centers other than those to which they are attached, both in the predoctoral phase and, where appropriate, in the postdoctoral phase and, on the other hand, the tuition fees derived from the doctoral studies.

Industrial doctorates

This announcement aims to promote the employment of researchers in companies from the beginning of their professional careers, contribute to the employability of these researchers and promote the incorporation of talent into the productive fabric to increase its competitiveness.

The objective of the grants is to train doctors in companies by co-financing the employment contracts of research personnel in training who participate in an industrial research project or experimental development carried out in the company, in the that will frame your doctoral thesis.

Companies legally constituted at the time of filing the application can be beneficiaries. The industrial research or experimental development project can be carried out entirely in the company or in collaboration between the company and another entity, public or private.

The activities that are financed with these grants comprise three concepts: aid for the financing of contracts, aid for carrying out stays in other R+D entities, public or private, including other companies and aid to finance tuition fees for doctoral studies at a Spanish university.

Juan de la Cierva training

The objective of the Juan de la Cierva-training grants is to promote the employment of young doctors, for a period of two years, so that they complete their postdoctoral research training as an intermediate stage between obtaining the PhD and consolidated leadership in Spanish R+D centers, preferably within established research teams and different from those in which they completed their pre-doctoral training.

Applications for participation are submitted by the R+D centers, including the participants for their incorporation into the research teams. The selection is based on a competitive competition process based on the curricular merits of the participants and on the scientific-technical history of the research team in which they want to join, giving special relevance to the merits related to the researcher tutor.

R+D+I technical staff

The announcement aims to increase and improve the benefits and performance of the scientific-technological infrastructures in R+D Centers, in turn providing specialized training to the technical staff hired through the hiring of technical support staff in R+D Centers.

The beneficiaries could be public research organizations, public universities, their university institutes, private universities with demonstrated capacity and activity in R+D+I, entities and public and private non-profit health institutions, linked or agreed with the National Health System, health research institutes, state-level technology centers and state-level technological innovation support centers, other public R+D+I centers, with their own legal personality, private R+D+I centers, non-profit making and with its own legal personality, and the public R+D+I centers for agricultural or food research dependent on the Autonomous Communities, all of which carry out R+D activities and generate scientific or technological knowledge.

Applications for participation are submitted by R+D centers, including technical candidates, who must be in possession of a bachelor's, engineer, architect, graduate degree, graduate, technical engineer, technical architect or higher technician within the framework of the professional training of the educational system.

Juan de la Cierva incorporation

The Juan de la Cierva-incorporation grants aim to promote the hiring of people with a doctorate degree by research organizations or Spanish R+D centers, for a period of three years in order to develop an independent research career in addition to encouraging the retention and attraction of national and international talent to universities and research organizations, as well as strengthening the skills acquired during a first stage of postdoctoral training. These grants co-finance the hiring for a period of three years.

Applications for participation are submitted by the R+D centers, including the participants for their incorporation into the research teams. The selection is based on a competitive competition process based on the curricular merits of the participants and on the scientific-technical history of the research team in which they want to join, giving special relevance to the merits related to the researcher tutor.

Ramón y Cajal

The Ramón y Cajal grants are aimed at promoting the incorporation of national and foreign researchers with a relevant scientific-technical background in Spanish R+D centers through, on the one hand, the granting of grants for their employment and the granting of grants for the creation of permanent jobs for their subsequent incorporation into the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System and, on the other, the granting of grants to cover the initial research expenses associated with their incorporation.

The Ramón y Cajal line of grants is aimed at promoting the incorporation of national and foreign researchers with an outstanding career in Spanish R+D centers through, on the one hand, the granting of grants for their employment and , on the other, the granting of aid for the creation of permanent jobs for their subsequent incorporation into the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The aids for hiring have a duration of five years and are intended to finance the salary and the employer's Social Security contribution of the people hired and are co-financed with resources from the ESF, and may also be co-financed with European funds that are compatible with the ESF, according to its specific regulations. The contracts financed with the aid object of this resolution are incompatible with the validity of any other employment contract by the contracted personnel. Aid for the creation of permanent jobs has a duration of two years.

Torres Quevedo

These grants co-finance for three years, the incorporation of researchers to companies and science and technology parks with accredited R+D+I capabilities. Their objective is to promote the employability of those hired in the business environment and also to strengthen the R+D+I capacities of the private sector.

The aid of the Torres Quevedo announcement is granted to companies and technological centers of state scope, centers of support for technological innovation of state scope, business associations and science and technology parks for the employment of doctors who develop industrial research projects, experimental development or previous feasibility studies.

The aid will necessarily be used to co-finance the salary and the Social Security business fee of the researchers hired and the amount of the same will be determined based on the cost of hiring, the type of project and the type of entity, taking into account that the intensity of the aid may not exceed the values ​​indicated in the announcement.

New scientific-career

The State Plan for Scientific and Technological Research and Innovation 2021-2023 foresees developing the scientific career with the figure tenure track , whose objective is, in accordance with the European Charter for Researchers, that all research staff have a predictable career, as well as the opportunity to develop professionally. A new permanent contract of stable incorporation to the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation is proposed. It is expected, with this figure, to lower the stable incorporation age, which will favor the attraction and retention of talent.

To promote the implementation of this new scientific career, the Recovery, Transition and Resilience Plan has provided grants that will accompany the signing of a permanent employment contract in the form of an additional endowment for research.

This procedure will allow stable access of the best scientific and research staff to public agents of the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation.