Andalucía TRADE-Agencia Pública Empresarial para la Transformación y el Desarrollo Económico is finalizing the steps to offer financial instruments to companies operating in Andalucía in order to continue supporting their development. The Agency has been appointed as the financial agent of the Andalusian Public Fund for Business Financing and Economic Development, «the final necessary step for the Andalusian public agency to launch these new financial instruments to continue complementing its system of business incentives and financing, which, up to now, consists of three lines of direct investment incentives valued at 244 million euros» as explained by the Minister of Economy, Finance and European Funds and President of TRADE, Carolina España.
This Public Fund is the instrument of the Junta de Andalucía that allows it to carry out reimbursable financing operations with the aim of contributing to economic growth, job creation and maintenance, innovation, rural development, environmental protection, promotion of renewable energies and energy efficiency, and sustainable urban development in Andalucía, all through the use of assets and guarantees, both in the form of grants and market conditions.
Specifically, this designation will allow Andalucía TRADE to launch its venture capital funds to the market, whose management will be structured through a tender for private managers who must make their own capital contributions to the available capital of each fund. This support to companies is reimbursable, meaning that companies must repay the received capital.
«With this, the agency takes another step in its role as the business gateway of the Andalusian government for providing services and support to the business fabric,» points out Carolina España, who recalls that, in terms of business financing, TRADE launched its first direct aid lines in July, which in the first 10 months has allowed to incentivize 216 business projects with 56.15 million euros that commit an investment of 118.26 million euros.
It is worth noting that these lines have represented a substantial improvement compared to the previous incentive programs, as the average incentive (259,954 euros) almost quadruples the average incentive of the last valid order (71,082.7 euros) and the average intensity (47.48%) is 10 points higher than the average of the previous order (37.77%).
The new incentive programs, with a budget of 244 million euros, aim to support projects for the growth and improvement of companies’ competitiveness, the establishment of small businesses, and the implementation of industrial research and experimental development projects. These are the first measures of the system of incentives and business financing that will soon include new lines, such as the support for the internationalization of Andalusian companies, whose goal is to encourage actions of Andalusian SMEs abroad.
Support for the internationalization of Andalusian SMEs
The aid program for the internationalization of Andalusian SMEs, which will be available in the coming weeks, will have a budget of 11.27 million euros, and will support the individual participation of Andalusian SMEs in international fairs and events (stand space and decoration expenses, travel expenses, accommodation and subsistence) and international prospecting trips (travel expenses, accommodation and subsistence).
It is part of the new internationalization support model designed by TRADE, with a budget until 2027 of 63.45 million euros, whose goal is to increase the number of Andalusian companies in the process of internationalization; improve the international positioning of Andalusian companies that are already active in this process, to become regular exporters; and increase Andalusian investment abroad and foreign investment in Andalucía, through a clear and defined strategy, aligning resources and objectives.
Starting in 2026, competitive calls for support for competitive business R&D&I will be added to this line, different from the current ones where applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. In total, TRADE will make available to companies 412 million euros in direct incentives until 2027.
In addition to incentives and future reimbursable funds, TRADE maintains a wide range of services for business R&D&I, the development of internationalization projects, and the attraction of investments that position it as one of the most comprehensive business development agencies in the national scope.
