The competitive grants of the Next Generation funds, linked to the RETECH program (Territorial Networks of Technological Specialization), will soon be opened, where Catalonia is looking for initiatives that respond to 2 projects: Territorial Network of AI Hubs and Smart Digital Health.

Due to the nature of the cluster, we focus on reporting on the first of the projects, which offers subsidies for AI projects

The objective is the creation of a network for generating business talent dedicated to the field of artificial intelligence, through training and new educational programs and itineraries to develop products, services and tools offered by artificial intelligence.

The call will allocate 16.6M to Catalonia and includes 5 lines of aid:

Line 1: Projects to promote transfer and innovation in the field of AI

💁🏻‍♀️ Beneficiaries:
Public and private companies, research and knowledge dissemination organizations and groups formed by two or more of the aforementioned.

💶 Amount:
Subsidizable up to 75% of the total budget of the project or activity, with a maximum of €500,000 per project of groups of entities and €200,000 per project of a single entity.

*See the details on the eligible intensity in the presentation attached at the end of this article

Line 2: Initiatives to promote scientific research and talent management and accelerate the development of AI-based solutions

💁🏻‍♀️ Beneficiaries
Research and knowledge dissemination organizations, and groups formed by two or more of the aforementioned.

💶 Amount | Maximum subsidy:
- Research projects: €150,000/project.
- International networks or platforms of scientific excellence in AI: €300,000/initiative.
- Programs to promote the creation of emerging technology-based companies: €300,000/initiative.
- Programs to generate, retain and attract talent in AI: €100,000/initiative.

➡️ Subsidizable up to 75% of the total budget of the project or activity

Line 3: Activities to boost the ecosystem of entities that develop and integrate, implement or offer technological solutions in the field of AI

💁🏻‍♀️ Beneficiaries
Business associations, chambers of commerce, public law corporations, research and knowledge dissemination organizations, and groups formed by two or more of the aforementioned.

💶 Amount | Maximum subsidy:
- Digital Innovation Competitions to address territorial challenges through AI solutions: €300,000/competition.
- Organization of AI events: €200,000/event.
- Organization of activities within the framework of the main AI congresses, fairs and forums: €50,000/proposal.
- Organization of business delegations and entities to meet the main local and international players in the sector: €100,000/proposal.
- Organization of networking days: €50,000/day.
- Organization of programs for the detection and support of calls and funding opportunities for AI companies: €150,000/program.

➡️ Subsidized up to 75% of the activity budget

Line 4: Training and technical training activities in the application of ethical principles in the use and implementation of AI systems.

💁🏻‍♀️ Beneficiaries
Business associations, public law corporations, chambers of commerce, research and knowledge dissemination organizations, and groups formed by two or more of the aforementioned.

💶 Amount
Maximum subsidy of €300,000/activity

➡️ Subsidized up to 75% of the activity budget

Line 5: Proof of concept on an AI data space demonstration center.
Priority sectors of the use cases: Industry, Health and Mobility

💁🏻‍♀️ Beneficiaries
Public and private companies, and groups formed by two or more of the aforementioned

💶 Amount | Maximum subsidy:
Maximum subsidy of €400,000/use case

*See the nuances on the eligible intensity in the presentation attached at the end of this article

🚨 Relevant information applicable to all lines of aid:

🔹 The call is not yet open, it is expected to open in the coming weeks
🔹 The activities subject to these subsidies must be carried out between August 3, 2022 and a maximum period of one year from the date of publication of the call, provided that the resolution of the call does not establish a shorter period.
🔹 You must have a work center in Catalonia or personal and material resources that operate or generate economic activity in Catalonia.
🔹 These subsidies are incompatible with the receipt of other European funds that finance the same project costs; double funding cannot be incurred.

Through this link you can discover all the details of the call