The Ports 4.0 Fund is a fantastic opportunity for projects related to the port activity that are committed to innovation.
Ports 4.0 is a clear driver of innovation in the Spanish port-logistics community. Both port authorities and companies of the ecosystem are committed to promoting projects with new technologies, incorporating innovation activities in their strategic plans and setting objectives that increase their competitiveness through technological change and digitization.
These grants are of great interest to the startups accelerated by La Lonja, but also to many other projects that share this status and relationship with the port sector.
It is an excellent opportunity to qualify for non-refundable money, receive free technical support from a leading consultant (KPMG-Insomnia) and receive feedback of great value regarding the maturity of the solution and the innovation proposed by the technicians of Puertos del Estado.
For this reason, last week, the CTO of the Port Authority of Huelva, Manuel Francisco Martínez explained this information to the startups of the acceleration program of La Lonja de la Innovación, a great opportunity to know about the aid of Puertos del Estado.
What is the Ports 4.0 fund?
The Official State Gazette (BOE) published on March 10th, 2022, the second call of the Ports 4.0 funds for its program of Pre-commercial Projects. The deadline for submission is open until June 13th and involves the possibility to apply for aid to innovate in many verticals related to the port activity.
From La Lonja de la Innovación we want to encourage entrepreneurs to participate in this II call whose information is on Ports 4.0 and that see the light from the hand of the Ministry of Transports, Mobility and Urban Agenda.
On this occasion, the program is aimed at startups, spin-offs or entrepreneurs who have innovative products, services or processes that improve operations related to the logistics-port sector. A new example of support to innovation from the hand of Puertos del Estado endowed with an amount of €11,250,00 for the financing of project
In 2020 grants were granted in the amount of 12 million euros, in 2021 it was 6,75 million euros and in March 2020 was 11,25 million euros. These grants were for projects in the ideation phase, as well as precommercial and commercial projects.
Nature of the grants
Once again, these are grants that do not involve a loan, contract or participation in the capital (equity). Some relevant considerations related to the grants are:
- They must have a certain, demonstrable and clearly defined innovative component, at least in terms of scope, content and costs, and there must be no national or international application for the sector
- In this edition, projects in precommercial phase will have a maximum grant amount of 1 million euros and the possibility of accessing to the services of incubation and acceleration through the corporate incubator-accelerator (UTE KPMG-Insomnia which provides free technical assistance).
- This innovative component of the candidatures can be subsidized up to 60% on a non-repayable basis.
–Projects involving an allocation of less than 50,000 euros are not considered.
Areas of support
The areas of support in which solutions can be presented are very broad and include:
- Logistics efficiency in the infrastructural, operational and service delivery areas,
- environmental sustainability and energy,
- safety and protection,
- Digitization of processes and intelligent platforms,
- and any other innovative product, service or process with an impact on the logistics-port sector or on the nautical or fishing port sector.
The call, which is currently open until the next June 13th, is aimed at projects in precommercial phase, with 11.5 millions euros earmarked for, and it is undoubtedly once again a great opportunity for the sector.
We encourage you to participate!