SEKUENS TO SHORTLY PUBLISH NEW CALL FOR LARGE COMPANIES IN ASTURIAS FOR INVESTMENT GRANTS FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION

The Asturian Science, Business Competitiveness and Innovation Agency (SEKUENS) is expected to publish, in less than a month, the NEW call offering INVESTMENT GRANTS FOR LARGE COMPANIES TO SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION OF TERRITORIES WITHIN THE PRINCIPALITY OF ASTURIAS.

This call represents a great opportunity to finance investment projects by LARGE COMPANIES that are aligned with the ecological transformation of industry, that create and maintain employment, and that help retain population in areas at risk of depopulation.

Below is a summary of the main features of these grants, which are still to be confirmed once the call is published:

BENEFICIARIES

• LARGE COMPANIES.

Although these grants apply across the entire Principality of Asturias, priority will be given to projects carried out in Just Transition Municipalities (MTJ) and/or Municipalities Affected by the Demographic Challenge (MRD).

The included sectors of activity are:

• Industrial sector.
• Industrial services to businesses:
  • Engineering, design, technological consultancy, and technical assistance directly related to industrial activities.
  • Development of the information society, innovation, and new technologies. Includes e-commerce.
  • Logistics platforms.
  • Product testing laboratories.
  • Packaging services and special packaging.
  • Material recovery (separation and sorting). Recycling.
• Exceptionally, in municipalities affected by the demographic challenge (MRD), in addition to the above activities, projects that help attract and retain residents in areas at greatest risk of depopulation may also be supported.
• Projects related to the traditional agricultural and livestock sector, such as projects and initiatives for the use, applications, and development of raw materials and critical materials, including bioproducts.

TYPES OF PROJECT

Initial investment that creates a new economic activity:

• Investment in tangible and intangible assets related to setting up a new establishment, or diversifying the activity of an existing establishment, provided the new activity is not identical or similar to the one previously carried out there.
• Acquisition of assets belonging to an establishment that has closed, or that would have closed had it not been acquired, provided the new activity to be carried out using the acquired assets is not the same as or similar to the one carried out at the establishment before the acquisition.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

• Eligible budget: to be determined in the call.
• Incentive effect: investments must not have started before the application was submitted.
• STEP projects must support the development or manufacturing of key technologies related to: digital technologies, clean and resource-efficient technologies, or biotechnologies.
• Finance at least 25% of the eligible investment using own resources or external financing free of any public support.
• Maintain the subsidized assets for a period of 5 years from the end of the implementation period.
• Creation of at least 5 direct jobs (jobs created during the construction phase are not counted).
• Maintenance of the created employment level, in addition to the existing workforce (based on the average of the previous twelve months), for a minimum of 5 years.
• Declare that the actions planned under the project have a null or insignificant impact on climate and environmental objectives, in accordance with the DNSH principle (“Do No Significant Harm”).
• For construction work investments exceeding 40,000 euros and for supplies and services exceeding 15,000 euros, at least three quotes from three different suppliers must be submitted.

ELIGIBLE COSTS

The following are considered eligible expenses:

• Tangible assets.
  • Land (up to a maximum of 10% of the total investment) and site development.
  • Acquisition of first-use buildings, as well as construction and fitting-out work.
  • Technical installations.
  • Machinery and equipment (max. 8% of the civil works budget plus equipment and installation assets).
• Intangible assets. Patents, licenses, technical know-how, or other intellectual property rights (max. 50% of total eligible investment costs).
• Project engineering and technical direction.

Investments that merely involve a replacement are not considered eligible expenses.

Leasing and renting are not accepted.

TYPE AND INTENSITY OF SUPPORT

This is a non-repayable grant of up to 15%.

Maximum ratio of up to €80,000 in public support per job created.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

The call is expected to open shortly.

If your company has a project that fits this call and you are interested in applying for funding, at IMPULSO we offer a comprehensive support service throughout the entire life of the application, from drafting the proposal to the final justification and payment collection. Thanks to our experience, you can make the most of this great funding opportunity.

Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Phone: 985 26 90 04 / Email: impulso@impulso.es

27/03/2025