CDTI Innovación Allocates Up to €70 Million for R&D Projects in Strategic Technologies in the 2026 Cervera Grants for Technology Centres

CDTI Innovación, the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, has launched the 2026 Cervera call for Technology Centres. This initiative aims to bolster the applied research and knowledge transfer capabilities of Spanish technology centres in strategic technologies. With a budget of up to €70 million in competitive grants, the application period is set from June 11 to July 10, 2026.

For the 2026 call, CDTI Innovación has pinpointed seven priority technology areas, organized into two distinct groups. A significant highlight of this initiative is the focus on technologies related to security and defence, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence. This strategic alignment aims to enhance national security and industrial competitiveness by advancing applied research capabilities in critical sectors.

The priority Cervera areas linked to security and defence include:

1. Advanced digital twins for strengthening defence capabilities
2. Quantum sensors applied to defence
3. Enabling technologies for hypersonic flight vehicles
4. Technologies for kinetic electromagnetic systems
5. Metamaterials and advanced nanomaterials for defence and security applications

Additionally, the civil priority Cervera areas encompass:

6. Circular economy

7. Smart transport

In its previous editions (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025), the CDTI Innovation Cervera Centres programme has successfully funded 45 projects involving 62 technology centres, with total grants amounting to €182.4 million. This impressive figure represents 98.6% of the available budget. The approved projects comprise 213 operations, with an average grant of €4.05 million per project and €0.86 million per participant. Notably, Cervera grants have been allocated across 15 of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities, with the Basque Country (24.6% of CDTI funding), the Valencian Community (16.5%), and Galicia (13.3%) leading the way, collectively accounting for 54% of total funding awarded.

Profile of the Grants
Beneficiaries

• Groupings of Technology Centres and/or Technology Innovation Support Centres (CAITs) registered in the Technology Centres Registry.
• Groupings must consist of a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 7 centres.
• The coordinating entity must be a Technology Centre.
• Each centre may apply in up to 3 proposals, although only one may relate to civil technology areas. In total, each centre may act as coordinator in a maximum of two proposals.
• Members must sign an internal agreement regulating the operation of the grouping.

Type of Call

• Competitive call with submission deadlines.

Application Period

Type of Aid

• Grants covering up to 100% of the budget of the strategic programme submitted by the grouping. Receiving the grant also entails accreditation as a “Cervera Centre of Excellence.”

Budget of the Call

• Up to €70 million, distributed between security and defence priority technologies and civil technologies.

Project Characteristics

• Minimum eligible budget per project: €2,000,000.
• Maximum eligible budget per project: €5,000,000.
• Minimum participation per entity: 10% of eligible budget.
• Maximum participation per entity: 35% of eligible budget (the coordinator may reach up to 50%).
• Duration: multiannual, 3 or 4 years, starting on January 1, 2027.
• Strategic programmes may include one or more priority technologies within the same technological area.

Evaluation Criteria

• Strategic R&D objectives and feasibility of the strategic programme (40%).
• Training activities and recruitment of human resources (20%).
• Internationalisation (20%).
• Exploitation and dissemination of results (20%).

Submission of Applications

More information is available at:

CDTI Cervera Grants 2026

CDTI Innovación
The Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation (CDTI E.P.E.) serves as the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Its mission is to promote technological innovation within the business sector, ensuring that Spain’s business ecosystem effectively generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2025, under its Strategic Plan 2024–2027, CDTI provided €2.423 billion in support to Spanish companies and startups.