The CDTI Innovation launches the call for Science and Innovation Missions 2026 with 60 million in grants

The Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI), the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, has just launched the 2026 call for Science and Innovation Missions, an action whose objective is to support large strategic pre-competitive research projects focused on promoting relevant research that proposes solutions to transversal and strategic challenges of the Spanish economy, improving the technological and knowledge base of companies and promoting public-private cooperation in R+D+I. This call for grants is endowed in 2026 with 60 million euros, of which at least 20 million will be allocated to the mission-challenge "Towards a more efficient and resilient aeronautical sector" and 5 million to the mission "Women's health in the framework of a bio-health research oriented to pathologies with greater impact on women".

In its five previous editions, the Science and Innovation Missions program of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities has financed, through the CDTI, 168 projects with a grant of 467 million euros and a total mobilized budget of 695 million euros, with the participation of 688 companies (of which 450 are SMEs) and more than 140 knowledge-generating centers.

Missions - challenge for the call for proposals 2026

For the call of 2026, and following the co-design and participation process on which the program is based, the CDTI has identified seven missions aligned with the main country-challenges included in the Strategic Plan 2024-2027:

1. Development of a stable, flexible and resilient energy system with strong and reliable networks
2. Towards a more efficient, sustainable and resilient aviation sector
3. New scientific capabilities against multi-resistant microorganisms and other future challenges
4. New capabilities to advance strategic autonomy in security and defense
5. Women's health: bio-health research that reduces gender inequalities in this area
6. Food sovereignty in Spain: a sector oriented to efficiency, quality, sustainability and food security
7. Affordable, sustainable and quickly supplied housing through industrialized and digitized construction

The selection of these missions has been carried out through a process of dialogue and co-design with public and private agents of the System of Science, Technology and Innovation, coordinated and directed by the CDTI in three sessions oriented to the definition and improvement of the call, with a wide attendance of more than 360 attendees with representatives of technological platforms and business associations. As a novelty compared to previous editions, the participants were invited to assess and prioritize the mission proposals, which has provided the selection process with a particularly solid participatory basis. The process has also incorporated the industrial and socio-economic priorities and challenges identified by the various ministries.

Profile of the grants

Beneficiaries

• Groups of companies validly constituted and with tax domicile in Spain or, in the case of having tax domicile in the EU, have an establishment or branch located in Spanish territory
• Each group must consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of six companies and at least two of them must be autonomous from each other.
• At least one company with the status of SME must participate in the group

Activities subject to the aid

• R&D projects in cooperation led by companies, which pursue relevant research that proposes solutions to transversal and strategic challenges of Spanish society
• The proposals must be framed in one of the missions of this call, so that the objectives established in these proposals contribute to solving the socio-economic challenges referred to by the missions
• The percentage of research activities in the eligible budget should be at least 40%.
• The projects must have the relevant participation of research bodies from the qualitative point of view
• Likewise, less than 15% of the total eligible budget must be outsourced to research agencies

Place of development

• The activities subject to this aid must be carried out in Spanish territory

Typology of aid

• Subvention
• The grant to be granted per beneficiary entity will not be less than 40% of the eligible budget

Budget

• Minimum per action: 3,500,000 euros
• Maximum per performance: 10,000,000 euros
• Minimum eligible per beneficiary: 175,000 euros

Eligible costs

• Personal
• Instrumental and materials
• Subcontracting:
  • up to 50% of the eligible budget overall
  • up to 70% for clinical/preclinical trials in the field of health)
• General expenses
• Travel
• Others, as described in the announcement

More information available at: https://www.cdti.es/ayudas/misiones-ciencia-e-innovacion-2026
 

CDTI Innovation

The Center for Technological Development and Innovation, CDTI E.P.E. It is the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, whose objective is the promotion of technological innovation in the business environment. The mission of the CDTI is to ensure that the Spanish business fabric generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2025, within the framework of the Strategic Plan 2024-2027, the CDTI provided more than 2 billion euros of support to Spanish companies and startups.

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