CDTI Grants: Funding for Your R&D&I Projects

PID is open to any company with an R&D&I project and a minimum budget of €175,000. The funding combines a grant (up to 33%) and a soft loan (0% interest) covering up to 85% of the cost. The call is permanently open, so you can apply at any time. Neotec, by contrast, is an annual competitive call aimed exclusively at technology-based startups less than 6 years old, with a non-repayable grant of up to €250,000 and no guarantees or collateral required.

The decision time depends on the line. R&D Projects (PID), which have a permanently open call, are usually decided 3 to 6 months after the complete application is filed. Competitive calls such as Neotec or Misiones set their own deadlines, and typically publish decisions 4–8 months after the call closes. During that period CDTI may ask for further documents or clarifications, which Tecnocim handles immediately so the process is not delayed.

Yes, the two are fully compatible. A project funded by CDTI can also benefit from the deductions under article 35 of the Impuesto sobre Sociedades (Spanish corporate income tax): 25–42% for R&D and 12% for technological innovation. The key point is that the deduction base must be adjusted by subtracting the funded share. Winning CDTI funding also makes it easier to obtain the binding technical report (informe motivado), which secures the deduction. Tecnocim manages both benefits together.

CDTI funds the direct costs of the R&D&I project: research staff (usually the largest item, at 50–60%), materials and consumables, technical work subcontracted to research centres or specialist firms, equipment depreciated over the life of the project, and indirect overheads calculated as a percentage of staff costs. Marketing and sales costs are not eligible, and neither are costs that are not directly tied to technical delivery.

It depends on the line. Neotec requires no guarantees or collateral, because it is a non-repayable grant. R&D Projects (PID) include a soft loan component, so they may require security depending on the company's financial rating. Even then the terms are far better than a bank loan: 0% interest, a grace period of up to 3 years and repayment over up to 10 years. Tecnocim advises you on the security required before the application starts.