CDTI Innovation Projects (PID)
Funds Spanish innovation projects through technology development grants and enterprise support.
CDTI E.P.E. (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación) is Spain's national agency for the financing and promotion of technological innovation in enterprises, operating under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. CDTI Innovation Projects (Proyectos de Investigación y Desarrollo, PID) is the flagship instrument through which CDTI provides partially subsidised, long-term loans to Spanish companies undertaking industrial research and experimental development projects with clear technological risk and commercial applicability. The programme is open across all technology sectors on a continuous rolling basis.
Loans under the CDTI Innovation Projects programme range from €250,000 to €15,000,000 per project, targeting TRL 4–8 — projects that have moved beyond basic research and feasibility into applied industrial research, pilot demonstration, and pre-commercial development. The instrument is structured as a partially subsidised loan: the public subsidy element reduces the effective cost of capital relative to market rates, while the loan structure ensures repayment when projects are commercially successful. Eligible applicants are Spanish-registered for-profit companies, including subsidiaries of foreign groups incorporated in Spain; universities and research organisations may participate as sub-contractors. Projects must be conducted primarily on Spanish territory.
CDTI evaluates proposals through a continuous submission model — there is no fixed annual deadline for most tracks — assessed by in-house technical and economic evaluators and, for larger projects, by external expert panels. Selection criteria emphasise technological innovation content, commercial viability, and the applicant company's technical and financial capacity to execute. CDTI also manages access to European programmes including Horizon Europe and Eurostars on behalf of Spanish entities, making it the primary institutional gateway for Spanish SMEs seeking both national and European R&D co-funding.
Partially subsidised long-term loans of €250,000 to €15,000,000 for Spanish companies conducting applied industrial research and experimental development projects at TRL 4–8, across all technology sectors.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility