Would you consider boosting your pre-commercial Ports 4.0 project in the most competitive business environment?
If yes and your focus area is Gran Canaria, just keep reading.
Since the first Ports 4.0 call of Puertos del Estado, Gran Canaria has been a favourite place to perform tests of concept and validation of innovative solutions to improve efficiency, safety, energy transition and digitisation.
After the success of local companies in the first call, and the high interest and volume of applications in the second call, which closed a few months ago (Ideas and Commercial projects), Puertos del Estado is launching the Second Call for Pre-commercial Projects (TRL3-6), open until June 13th. In addition to advisory support, the Ports 4.0 Tradetech Fund provides grants of up to 60% of the innovation-related eligible costs (maximum aid of EUR1.000.000 per project). Total budget for this specific call amounts EUR11.25 mio.
On top of the national funding, Gran Canaria launches a complementary ‘Support Program’ to help companies that are committed to running their proof of concept and project validation on the island and/or working with locally based companies.
The Ports 4.0 Support Program, of a national nature, has been created to promote innovative pre-commercial projects in the marine-port field and for the development of disruptive solutions aimed at benefiting the logistics-port community. As an addition and a mechanism for improving the quality of applications and thus its eligibility, Gran Canaria and its port community are firmly embarked on a strategy to attract leaders and companies with disruptive projects that want to collaborate with industry agents from the Canary Islands. To meet this end, SPEGC (Economic Promotion Agency of Gran Canaria), the Port Authority of Las Palmas Port Authority and the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster, all of them members of ‘Best in Gran Canaria’, are jointly launching a tailor-made program that combines individualized training and mentoring for nearly two months, plus dedicated support in the search for industrial partners in the Port of Las Palmas and possible facilitating agents of the port environment of Gran Canaria.
Why Gran Canaria?
There are several reasons why Gran Canaria is the ideal base to execute your idea/project:
- Headquarters of the Ports 4.0 Incubator: Gran Canaria is the Canary Islands’ base for the Ports4.0 Tradetech Fund. All the other 13 bases are located in mainland Spain.
- It is home to the National High Technology Incubator in Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence applied to the marine-maritime environment, which includes specialized programs and mentoring.
- Locational advantages: The Port of Las Palmas is an EU port located in the heart of Atlantic traffics, right at the gateway to West Africa and immersed in the zone of expansion of offshore energies. Thanks to its climate, activity throughout the year is guaranteed without restrictions on tests/operations.
- Size and scope of the port: Welcome to an updated service centre covering all types of maritime cargoes and activity (transhipment hub, fuel supply, repairs, supplies…). No other port in West Africa covers as many services as Las Palmas.
- A varied infrastructure with a thriving port community: A central port facility with global reach (Port of Las Palmas), a multi-cargo port oriented to bulk and offshore cargoes (Arinaga), a liquid bulk port (Salinetas) and eleven other smaller port facilities; an offshore research centre (PLOCAN), including shipyards, workshops, suppliers and large port terminals with global reach that are ready to enter into partnership agreements.
- Tax advantages: Up to 75% deduction on R&D expenses (as opposed to 45% in mainland Spain) and reimbursement available. 4% corporate tax rate for companies operating under the Canary Islands Special Zone regime.
- Other sources of support are available to help you during the project cycle, including financing.
When you choose Gran Canaria (Port of Las Palmas), you choose not only a consolidated maritime centre but also a leading environment for the development and operation of innovative solutions for the port and maritime industries.