Export grants for SMEs: ICEX Next and other schemes

Sources

• The ICEX Next Programme call awards grants to boost the international growth of Spanish SMEs, with specialist advice from expert consultants and a grant covering certain growth costs in third markets (summary of the ICEX resolution of 8 October 2026). (BOE-B-2026-33136, summary of the ICEX resolution of 8 October 2026, ICEX Next Programme call, 2026-11-14)
• 2026 call: eligible applicants are SMEs under Annex I of Regulation (EU) 651/2014 (associations and foundations excluded) with their own product or service and brand, that are not a subsidiary of a foreign company, have turnover above €300,000 (except recently created technology-based companies), have at least one person in charge of the international project and their own website, have not taken part in PIPE or ICEX Next and have no unpaid debts with ICEX. (BOE-B-2026-33136, summary notice of the ICEX Next 2026 call, section one, 2026-11-14)
• In the 2026 call, a technology-based company is recently created if no more than 5 years have passed since its registration, or 7 in biotechnology, energy, industry and other strategic sectors; those that took part in PIPE or ICEX Next between 1997 and 2012 can return if their turnover exceeds €1,500,000. (BOE-B-2026-33136, summary notice of the ICEX Next 2026 call, 2026-11-14)
• 2026 call: maximum amount of €3,600,000 that can be increased by up to €1,800,000; single procedure with no reserve list; applications from the day after the summary notice is published until 30 October 2026 at 14h. (BOE-B-2026-33136, summary notice of the ICEX Next 2026 call, sections four and five, 2026-11-14)
• The rules (regulatory bases) of ICEX Next are Order ICT/1063/2019 of 17 October, amended by Order ECM/727/2024 of 10 July. (BOE-B-2026-33136, summary notice of the ICEX Next 2026 call, section three, 2026-11-14)
• ICEX Next funds the drawing up and launch of the international business strategic plan with a grant of up to €24,000 for market research, travel and international promotion, sales network, technology solutions or marketing costs. (ICEX, ICEX Next programme page, 2026-11-14)
• The ICEX Next beneficiary company can submit internationalisation expense documents from the signing of the accession letter and during the following 24 months, with a grant of up to €24,000. (ICEX, documentation of the ICEX Next 2026 call, 2026-11-14)
• The application to take part in ICEX Next is handled in the programme's private area, after registering to get access credentials. (ICEX, ICEX Next programme page, 2026-11-14)
• An SME is a company with fewer than 250 people and annual turnover not exceeding €50 million or an annual balance sheet not exceeding €43 million (Recommendation 2003/361/EC, art. 2). (Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003, OJ L 124, 20-05-2003, 2026-11-14)
• The total amount of de minimis aid granted by a Member State to a single company cannot exceed €300,000 over any period of 3 years (Regulation (EU) 2023/2831, art. 3.2). (Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 of 13 December 2023 on de minimis aid, 2026-11-14)
• Among others, persons or entities in insolvency proceedings, convicted or penalised with loss of the right to grants, or not up to date with the tax authority, Social Security or grant repayments cannot be grant beneficiaries (Law 38/2003, art. 13.2). (Law 38/2003 of 17 November, General Grants Law, art. 13, 2026-11-14)
• Eligible costs are those that clearly relate to the subsidised activity, are strictly necessary and are incurred within the period set by the rules; their cost cannot exceed market value (Law 38/2003, art. 31.1). (Law 38/2003, General Grants Law, art. 31, 2026-11-14)
• Legal persons and entities without legal personality are required to deal with the authorities electronically; individuals can choose unless expressly required (Law 39/2015, art. 14). (Law 39/2015 of 1 October, on Common Administrative Procedure, art. 14, 2026-11-14)
• To submit applications on behalf of another person you must prove your authority to represent them, for example with a power of attorney granted apud acta at the administration's online portal or registered in the electronic register of powers of attorney (Law 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6). (Law 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6, 2026-11-14)
• ICEX Next offers specialist foreign trade advice through expert consultants approved by ICEX and a grant of up to €24,000 to cover the costs of the company's international growth, with the aim of starting or consolidating that growth. (ICEX, ICEX Next. The programme, 2026-11-14)
• The rules of Order ICT/1063/2019 govern the grants of the “ICEX NEXT Programme for Starting and Consolidating Exports” of ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones. (Summary of the ICEX resolution of 8 October 2026, ICEX Next 2026 call (BOE-B-2026-33136), 2026-11-14)
• 2026 call: applications scoring at or above the minimum that cannot be met within the budget of the single procedure are rejected in the final resolution; as it is a single procedure, there is no reserve list. (Summary of the ICEX resolution of 8 October 2026, ICEX Next 2026 call (BOE-B-2026-33136), 2026-11-14)
• 2026 call: if the company does not reach €300,000 of turnover in the 2025 financial year, the amount at the time of application can be taken into account if it provides documents justifying its sales, such as quarterly VAT returns or invoices, which ICEX assesses at its discretion; you can apply with any percentage of international sales over total turnover. (Summary of the ICEX resolution of 8 October 2026, ICEX Next 2026 call (BOE-B-2026-33136), 2026-11-14)
• 2026 call: the requirements are proved with the information and documents provided when applying, digitally signed by the company's legal representative. (Summary of the ICEX resolution of 8 October 2026, ICEX Next 2026 call (BOE-B-2026-33136), 2026-11-14)
• The figures of a company with partner or linked companies are calculated by adding those of such companies, partner companies in proportion to the shareholding (Recommendation 2003/361/EC, annex, art. 6). (Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC on the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJEU L 124, BOE copy), 2026-11-14)
• The National Grants Database (BDNS) is the national system for publicising grants; the authorities report their calls and awards to it (Law 38/2003, arts. 18 and 20). (Law 38/2003 of 17 November, General Grants Law, arts. 18 and 20, 2026-11-14)
• Aupamos is a private service of Vera Senses S.L., independent of any administration; the official call and its rules (regulatory bases) are the only valid source for the conditions of each grant (stated by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)
• The alerts are free: anyone who signs up with their email, province and profile (self-employed, SME, association or individual) receives by email every open grant that fits their province and profile, with a plain-language summary, the deadline and the link to the official call (stated by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)
• If the grant fits and the client accepts the proposal in writing, Aupamos prepares and submits the application on their behalf under their power of attorney, within the call's deadline, answers any requests to correct the application and follows the file through to the decision and payment (stated by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)
• The Administration that issues the call decides the award under the call's rules and its budget, and no award is ever assured; Aupamos undertakes to check the requirements, prepare and submit the application correctly and on time, answer any requests and follow the file (stated by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)
• Application handling is charged only if the grant is awarded and the client gets paid: 15% + VAT (21%) of the amount awarded up to €20,000 and 10% + VAT (21%) of the part between €20,000 and €100,000; it is invoiced once the amount is paid into the client's account, with no advance payment; the client pays the fee from their own funds and it does not come out of the grant (stated by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)
• The eligibility check is free and is answered within 48 hours on working days from when the complete details are received (stated by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)

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