The new call for Strategic R&D Projects designed to finance large-scale flagship initiatives and a high level of disruption in specific industrial areas is opened, promoted by the CDTI E.P.E. and the DIC MOST of China, aimed at financing projects in 4 priority sectors: Renewable Energy, Health, Manufacturing Technologies and Sustainable Mobility.

Main features:

• Ambitious projects oriented to the market, for civil purposes and development or substantial improvement of new products, processes or innovative services with high technological impact, exceptional novelty and strong commercial potential.
• Fixed duration of 2 years, starting compulsorily in January 2028 and ending no later than December 31, 2029.
• Minimum consortium formed by a Spanish company and an independent Chinese entity.
• Research institutes, universities or companies registered in mainland China with independent legal status and competent R&D capacity can participate on the part of the People’s Republic of China.
• As far as Spain is concerned, at least one company (preferably two) must participate, being eligible SMEs and small mid-caps with fewer than 499 employees, or those with development management in the Canary Islands regardless of their size. Research bodies (universities, IPOs, innovation and technology centres) can be subcontracted into the budget through external collaboration or as members of the self-financing consortium.
• Each Spanish applicant will be able to register and submit a maximum of one (1) proposal to this call.
• Balanced budget (no partner or country can exceed 70% of the global budget, ensuring that the participation of the entities of each country remains within the margin of 30-70%).
• Minimum eligible budget of the Spanish part equal to or greater than 800,000 euros.
• Requirement to submit a Consortium Agreement and a Bilateral Co-operation Form (Application Form) signed and sealed in English by all co-applicants.

Key deadlines:

• Opening: October 30, 2026.
• Common International Phase: Limit in China (MOST) on November 30, 2026 (16:00 local time CST); limit in Spain (CDTI) on January 15, 2027 (14:00 CET).
• Notification of eligibility: January 29, 2027.
• National Phase (Spain): Presentation of complete projects until February 26, 2027.
• Seal Concession (Label): September of 2027.

Funding:
Up to a maximum of 4 projects can be financed in total, selecting the best proposal for each of the 4 priority thematic areas (with the possibility of reallocation if an area is not covered).
System of non-exchange of funds (each agency finances participants from their country):

• Spain: CDTI E.P.E. It will provide funding by reserving a specific allocation of EUR 3 million from the call for competitive grants INNOGLOBAL FEDER 2027. Companies in regions eligible for ERDF funds will be able to obtain a subsidy of up to 80% of their eligible costs depending on their size and type of activity (industrial research or experimental development).
• China: The DIC MOST will grant a public grant of up to RMB 6 million per project (within a global fund of RMB 24 million) managed through the National Key R&D Program for International Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

Procedure for submitting proposals:

First Stage - Common International Phase

• In China, joint R&D&I proposals must be submitted to the DIC MOST within 30 days of the official launch, the deadline for submission being applicable to Chinese PI (principal investigators) on November 30, 2026 (16:00 CST). Proposals submitted unilaterally will not be accepted. In China, participants must submit a formal application with the funding proposal and other required documents (complete proposals) to the DIC MOST in Chinese.
• En España, los participantes deberán presentar una solicitud formal de proyecto internacional de I+D (CHINEKA+) a través de la página web de CDTI E.P.E. (https://sede.cdti.gob.es/) within the time limit applicable to Spanish applicants, 15 January 2027 (14:00 CET). Proposals submitted unilaterally will not be considered.

For the international application phase, participants must submit in the CDTI and in MOST, the corresponding applications accompanied by the following mandatory international documentation (in English), common to all partners: “Application form” and consortium agreement sealed and signed by all partners. In addition, the additional documentation that determines each funding agency and is contained in the text of the call must be included.

Once the eligibility of the proposal has been verified by the CDTI, eligible Spanish companies will receive a notification to submit the application for national funding for their proposal through the electronic platform. There will therefore be a request for individual national funding for each of the Spanish companies in the consortium.

Second Stage - National Level
Eligible proposals must individually submit the request for funding in Spanish required by the CDTI within the deadlines indicated by CDTI through the private area of the corporate electronic headquarters.

Evaluation of proposals:
Each national body, the CDTI in Spain and MOST in China, will carry out the peer evaluation independently of the proposals received, based on crucial criteria (financial capacity and formal agreement) and basic evaluation criteria (partnership, project structure, technological progress and innovation, market and competitive advantages), following the same methodology.
Once the evaluation process is finished and after receiving the recommendations of the respective panels, the DIC MOST and the CDTI E.P.E. They will jointly reach a mutual understanding on the final resolution indicating the projects selected for funding within the framework of the present call.

More information:

Consult contact points in the text of the call.

CDTI
Department of Foreign Technological Action
Tfno. : +34 91 581 56 07
E-mail: china@cdti.es
http://www.cdti.es/

China (DIC MOST)
Division of European Affairs, MOST
Joint Call Manager
Phone: 86-10-58881357
E-mail: sophie1117@126.com
Website: https://service.most.gov.cn/