22% more aid and services for Catalan companies

The Government of the Generalitat strengthens its instruments to boost companies. During 2023,ACCIÓ, the agency for business competitiveness of the Department of Business and Labor, will allocate 200 million euros in aid, services, and programs to industry and business competitiveness, 22% more than in 2022. This was announced by the Minister of Business and Labor, Roger Torrent i Ramió, and the Secretary of Business and Competitiveness and CEO of ACCIÓ, Albert Castellanos i Maduell, within the framework of the conferences"ACCIÓ 'ON': let's build today the company of tomorrow"that are taking place this March in eight cities in Catalonia. These events, which will have brought together more than 1,000 male and female executives from companies across the country, have served to publicizeACCIÓ's service portfoliofor the productive fabric. The Minister of Business and Labor, Roger Torrent i Ramió, has highlighted that"in an extremely complex environment, from the Government we want to be more than ever by the side of companies and accompany them at a decisive moment where the economy of the coming decades is being shaped". For his part, Secretary Castellanos has assured that "the world has changed a lot and has done so in a dizzying way, also in the business environment. From ACCIÓ we provide companies with tools that help them transform their business model to adapt to the future and position themselves in the most competitive way". In this sense, Castellanos has announced that this year 5 new aid lines are activated with a budget of 13 million euros to promote new technological innovation projects by Catalan companies, international promotion, the opening of subsidiaries abroad, the growth ofstartups deeptechand access to European Horizon Europe funds. Two main types of aid The ACCIÓ grantsfor this year are grouped into two main categories depending on the phase the company is in. The first type are aids that allow the company to begin a process of strategic reflection and definition of a roadmap in different areas (digitalization, sustainability or internationalization...). These are theACCIÓ coupons for business competitiveness, a very consolidated line of aid highly demanded by companies, which offer up to 20,000 euros to contract specialized services and which it is expected that this year more than 700 Catalan SMEs will be able to obtain. The call will open next May. The second type of aid is for a more advanced second phase, in which the company can develop this roadmap ---previously defined--- and implement it with concrete projects. In this case, they can reach 250,000 euros per company and are articulated in different calls that will open between May and October. ACCIÓ offersa free bi-weekly information service where it announces the openings and details of these and other calls.Four Specialized Thematic AreasACCIÓ's aid and services are structured into four areas. First, regarding business strategy, this 2023 highlights the programNew Business OpportunitiesIt is an aid of up to 60,000 euros to carry out or implement a business plan that entails a strategic change. "This aid has allowed us to create a new line ofe-commerceand it has pushed us to take advantage of a new business opportunity that perhaps we would have discarded if we hadn't had this help," says Martina Font, corporate director of Font Packaging Group. Within this scope, theACCIÓ's Next Generation EU Officeto facilitate companies' access to European Union funds, with personalized advice and a tailored alert system.

The increase in aid to promote technological transformation (+65%) and internationalization (+60%) stands out.

A second area is the instruments related to thetechnological transformationand thedisruption, which this year increases its budget by 65%. Lines such as Nuclis d'R+D stand out, with grants of up to 250,000 euros that subsidize research and development projects with a high technological risk. This 2023, this initiative will have a budget of almost 17 million euros, 70% more than last year. In parallel, Catalan SMEs also have the programsProACCIÓ 4.0andProACCIÓ Green, which incentivize the development of technological projects in the fields of digitalization and the fight against climate change. New lines that will allow access to European aid from theHorizon Europe. As for thestartups, a new co-investment fund will be activated with a budget of €2.5M specifically for startupsdeeptech. In addition, this year a consulting service for SMEs in the field of intellectual and industrial property is consolidated. "It is very important that SMEs have this knowledge. When we started the service, we realized that we knew nothing," explains Pere Roset, founder and president of Aumenta Solutions. The third area is that of theboost to internationalizationwhere this year the agency will increase the budget allocation by 60%. For example, Catalan SMEs that are considering starting to export can access theACCIÓ Coupons for Internationalization, direct aid of between 2,500 and 8,000 euros to develop an international promotion plan or hire aexport manager. In addition, companies that aim to increase their commercial presence abroad through digital channels can access aid of up to 6,000 euros to develop websites or portals fore-commercefocused on foreign markets, promote international digital marketing actions or participatemarketplaces, among others. In fact, this year two new lines are activated to facilitate digital and in-person international promotion activities and a program that will promote the opening of new branches of Catalan companies abroad. On the other hand, companies can receive personalized advice and follow-up from the40 Foreign Offices of Trade and Investment of ACCIÓin the world to start or accelerate their international expansion projects. Ricard Lascorz, CEO of Plimon Global, certifies the value of these offices. "It's not just about calling an office: there's a professional who is there 24 hours a day with very deep market knowledge. This fact has allowed us to accelerate our internationalization process," he assures. Finally, the fourth area aims toto foster productive investment in CataloniaThis 2023, ACCIÓ's High Impact aid line will make up to €24M available to companies within the framework of the High Impact line. This is aid of up to 200,000 euros that subsidizes the hiring of qualified personnel, investment in fixed assets, or the acquisition of equipment for R&D centers, among others. ACCIÓ's support is key to incentivizing investment with impact and the landing of foreign multinationals, as illustrated by Gerard Esparducer, general director of ERNI Spain. "ACCIÓ was the cornerstone of ERNI's landing in Catalonia: they advised us on legal issues, to find offices, suppliers, they put us in contact with universities... It was like a tailor-made suit, with a single point of contact that accompanied and listened to us at all times. ACCIÓ's good work reached our headquarters in Switzerland: coming to Catalonia had been a good decision and this brought new investments," he states.