Innovation invests 182 million in aid to advance science through 2022

Valencia (EP). The Ministry of Innovation’s strategic support plan provides for an investment of $182 million to advance science, research, higher education, innovation and digitization in the Valencian community, Generaliat reported.

This plan, published in the DOGV, is the tool that collects information on the lines of support provided by each of the general directorates of the administration, grouped by strategic lines, in order to facilitate effectiveness and efficiency in management, and a “more transparent process and better service to the citizen”.

In this technical document, a framework for management, planning and control is laid down in which the objectives and effects to be achieved with the application of support, the time required to achieve the objectives, the expected costs and their sources of financing are defined. , and subject it in any way to achieve the objectives of budget stability.

The main novelties of the amendment of the Strategic Support Plan approved by Consell are the modernization of the Special Funds Support Lines and, above all, the inclusion of new support lines financed by the EU’s Next Generation Funds through the Recovery and Resiliency Mechanism (MRR),

With these new stimuli to the economy represented by MRR, Generalitat is promoting high-capacity research and development projects in agri-food, marine sciences or astrophysics, as well as betting on the recruitment of young researchers and technologists through the Investigo Program.

In addition, European funds will also contribute to financing the improvement of connectivity and the deployment of broadband in both industrial cities and residential communities; As well as contributing to reducing the digital divide among the most vulnerable groups through the issuance of digital bonds, according to the same sources.

Thus, 32 million will be allocated to university students to facilitate access to higher education for all with equal opportunities. In addition, the allocation for subsidies in science and research is the largest with a total of 117 million euros. Among them, 55 million were allocated to the R+D+i Assistance Program and 12 to the Plan GenT Program for talented researchers.

The promotion of MRR funds translates into grants to implement large research projects in coordination with other independent societies (so-called complementary R&D&i schemes) in areas such as agri-food (5.2 million), marine sciences (8 million), astrophysics and high energy physics (5.2 million). million) and advanced materials (6.1 million). These plans are co-financed by Generalitat Valenciana with co-financing ratios between 35 and 40%.
MRR funds also support the startup of the Investigo program with an amount of $9.8 million.

innovation

In order to help transform Valencian society into an innovative territory, the plan provides for a total investment of 2.8 million, as well as 420,000 euros to finance projects to promote innovation in the Valencian region of the network of technological institutes.

In addition, the innovative ecosystem is strengthened by the provision of subsidies to the network of technological institutes of the Valencian Community (3.3 million), the signing of agreements with the Valencia Startup Association (€50,000), and with the UJI for Development. From the head of ceramic innovation for the city of Villa Real (€30,000), plus a million for Generalitat’s smart specialization strategy. In total, it is planned to invest 7.8 million euros in the various programs of this General Directorate.

Advancement of the digital society

Similarly, 2 million will be allocated to “Espacio 42”, a training complex in new technologies based on self-learning, operating 24 hours a day with free access, and 1.4 million to a strategic plan to contribute to the transformation of the production canvas.

Finally, with funding from the Recovery Mechanism of the Government of Spain, subsidies were launched to enhance connectivity and infrastructure development in industrial areas and areas of high business concentration in the amount of 6.4 million, as well as 8, 3 million for the improvement of telecommunication facilities in buildings subject to the horizontal ownership system in the amount of 8.3 million euro. These projects have a temporary scope of work in 2022 and 2023. Therefore, the total investment for this public administration is up to $20 million.

In addition, the Strategic Plan for Subsidies provides for the launch of a program to issue digital bonds with approximately 2.5 million and to remove all barriers that generate the digital divide, grants have been awarded with special funds to finance Cátedras Red against Digital Divide at Valencia Universities in the amount of 150,000 euros for 2022, in addition to agreements with organizations such as FVMP and CERMI. The total planned investment is 4.9 million euros for this public administration.