Bring your business project to life and validate a prototype that will help you reach the market more successfully by accessing workspaces, laboratories, and a cutting-edge pre-industrial pilot plant in Spain.
The Scientific and Technological Research Center of Extremadura (CICYTEX) and FUNDECYT-PCTEX, under the Ministry of Education, Science and Vocational Training, have launched a new call aimed at selecting 10 business projects and initiatives to join the incubation and acceleration program at the High Technology Incubator in Bioeconomy and Circular Economy (IAT), located in Mérida.
The application period for projects is open until August 30, 2024, and the purpose of the IAT is to promote business projects aimed at generating new high value-added products or processes, obtained from the region’s natural resources and from waste, by-products, and co-products of the agri-food industry.
These projects must use chemical and/or biotechnological techniques for the extraction, purification, bioactivation, and synthesis of biocompounds with high market potential and applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical industries, as well as in emerging new industries.
The call covers everything from project development with scientific-technical advice and support to market launch actions, offering selected companies access to laboratories, scientific-technical equipment, a pre-industrial pilot plant, and advanced services available at the IAT.
The target audience includes self-employed individuals or SMEs with a newly created business project in an early stage that requires support to validate its technological, commercial, and financial viability. Established SMEs with potential in the agri-industrial sector may also apply, provided they have a project to develop or apply technologies related to Bioeconomy and Circular Economy and need support to carry it out and strengthen their innovation management capabilities. Projects developed by multiple companies will also be accepted, as long as a main beneficiary is designated to act as the liaison with the IAT and a signed collaboration agreement is included in the application.
The call includes two different modalities: “individual space” and “shared space”, both including the incubation and acceleration phase. The first focuses on the initial phase, while the second covers the entire process up to market launch, including actions such as organizational and production system design, market analysis and strategy, financial planning, and, depending on the project’s characteristics, training and advice on topics such as intellectual property protection, R&D planning, and funding.
An information session will be held on July 16 in Mérida, at the Incubator’s headquarters located in the El Prado Industrial Park, on the premises of the Cork, Wood, and Charcoal Institute, also affiliated with CICYTEX. The goal of this session is to explain the call’s guidelines, answer questions, and showcase the facilities and services offered.
Applications must be submitted through the electronic form available on the IAT website, where more information about the call can also be found.
