Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a very complex socioeconomic situation. What's more, we are talking about a context that affects the entire planet. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, rising interest rates, international conflicts... An explosive mix that threatens and is already harming thousands of companies. Spain is not immune to these consequences, nor is its industrial fabric, which is mainly made up of small and medium-sized enterprises. For this reason, governments are trying to provide support in the form of subsidies. But do you know what aid for SMEs you can apply for this year?
The role of SMEs in Spain
Spain is a country open to all kinds of organizations. However, it is true that our business fabric is made up mostly of small and medium-sized companies. According to EU criteria, most organizations that carry out economic activities in our country meet two of the three requirements to be classified as SMEs:
- A workforce of fewer than 250 employees.
- A turnover of less than 40 million euros.
- Total assets not exceeding €27 million.
With this reference and according to data collected and provided by the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Tourism, there are 2,924,303 SMEs in Spain (data from March 2022). This figure represents 99% of all organizations in Spain and contributes 62% of the national GDP, according to a study conducted by El País.
So, as you can see, small and medium-sized enterprises, which are already key in many countries, have an even greater impact in Spain. Therefore, protecting and promoting them becomes a priority for public administrations.
But how? Through aid for SMEs launched by different governments. From the EU itself to local councils, via the national government, subsidies are granted for various actions and measures. Funding in exchange for implementing certain measures and policies within each company.
Grants and aid for SMEs in 2022
Given the delicate socioeconomic situation we find ourselves in, as we said, many companies need these subsidies for SMEs. In fact, they are already turning to some of them. The EU's Next Generation Funds, the popular Digital Kit which we will discuss later, and other aid for SMEs from the Spanish government are real lifelines that many companies are clinging to.
In order to provide information of interest to executives and financial managers of any company, below we list some of the subsidies for SMEs that can be applied for in 2022. Or ways to obtain financing for business projects:
- The aid for business creation from Chambers of Commerce.
- The ICO loans (Official Credit Institute).
- The lines of financing without collateral for entrepreneurship startups and innovation, such as loans Enisa.
- The CESCE aid for internationalized SMEs.
- The European Recovery Fund grants.
- The deferrals in the payment of VAT and taxes by the government, as well as the refinancing of loans for SMEs.
- Opting for capitalization of unemployment benefits to start a business.
- The bonuses for hiring, which also include additional aid for hiring young people and those with profiles that are difficult to access in the labor market. These types of subsidies range from 2,000 to 5,000 euros, depending on the region.
- The sectoral aid programs of each autonomous region to boost competitiveness in retail, tourism, crafts, or agriculture.
- Subsidies from autonomous communities for the the creation of social economy enterprises, such as cooperatives and worker-owned companies.
- The grants for female self-employment, which are managed by women's institutes and the PAEM (Business Support Program for Women) and offer grants of between €6,000 and €12,000.
- The aid and rural development programs with which you can obtain non-repayable investments of up to 40 or 50% to start businesses in rural areas.
With regard to this aid for SMEs, you should be aware that the amounts and type of subsidy will vary depending on the territory where you are resident for tax purposes. The reason for this is that, as you have seen, the distribution of aid is a power transferred to the autonomous communities.
Therefore, you should check the aid available to SMEs in your autonomous community, as well as any subsidies that may be offered by your local council. In any case, we offer you this page from the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Tourism which publishes aid and incentives for all types of companies.
The importance and benefits of the Digital Kit for SMEs
And if we're talking about any assistance for businesses , the most popular and well-known one in recent months comes to mind: the Digital Kit program for SMEs. In our case, this is even more relevant, since easyap is a digitalization agent. In other words, we are a company that offers technological solutions for the digital transformation of companies.
However, although the Digital Kit for SMEs has been and continues to be a hot topic, not everyone knows exactly what it consists of or what benefits it offers. That's why easyap explains it to you with four quick and basic questions and answers.
What is the Digital Kit?
The so-called Digital Kit is a public aid program for SMEs with the aim of promoting the digitization of companies and the self-employed. It has a budget of more than €3 billion from the EU's Next Generation Funds and is part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, within the Spain Digital 2025 Agenda.
How does it benefit SMEs?
The program benefits companies in two ways: economically and digitally. Any company that implements digital solutions and programs for process and/or customer management will be eligible for financial aid of between €500 and €12,000. A good example of an action subsidized with a digitalization agent is to install an electronic invoicing system like the one we developed at easyap.
Who can join this proposal?
The government, which sets the basic criteria for the allocation of Digital Kit grants, has established the following requirements for eligibility:
- Being SME or self-employed.
- Comply with the provisions set forth in General Subsidies Act.
- Not be in crisis or bankruptcy proceedings and have complied with relevant tax obligations , as well as with Social Security.
- Not having a pending recovery order from the European Commission for illegal aid that is incompatible with the common market.
- Register as a company with the AEAT (State Tax Administration Agency) or in the equivalent census of the corresponding Regional Tax Administration.
- Do not exceed the aid limit, which is currently set at 200,000 euros.
- Having completed the Digital Maturity Level assessment in accordance with the diagnostic test.
The test mentioned in the last point will assign a score to each company that will define how digitized it is. Based on this assessment or diagnosis, you can undertake various digitization actions and, consequently, apply for different amounts of aid or subsidies. To take the test, simply access the platform Acelera Pyme platform.
How do I get the voucher?
To enjoy the bonus, you will need to follow these steps:
- Register on the AceleraPyme platform and take the self-diagnostic test.
- Based on the result, check out the digitization actions you can take and choose the ones you want.
- Request assistance at the electronic headquarters of Red.es by filling out the form provided there.
At easyap, we are digitalization agents, which means we can help you with every step of the process. We are able to efficiently carry out several of the actions included in the Digital Kit. So don't hesitate any longer and contact us. Whether you need to know more about the aid available to SMEs and companies or are looking to implement any action to take advantage of the Digital Kit, at easyap we will be happy to help you.
