AI Digital Kit 2026: Real status of grants for SMEs and startups in Spain

On March 17, 2026, the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, María González Veracruz, announced an investment of 40 million euros to facilitate access for startups and SMEs to AI use cases. The action will be channeled through Red.es via agreements with business associations and technology centers, which will develop at least 30 reusable use cases adapted to different economic sectors.

It is fundamental to distinguish this initiative from a grant that the SME applies for directly. The beneficiaries are the collaborating entities that generate the use cases, not the final companies that will adopt them. The program is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the 2021-2027 period and seeks to democratize AI use through service-mode platforms.

This confusion is frequent because the announcement is framed within the Spain Digital 2026 strategy and mentions the success of the Digital Kit as a precedent. However, the funding mechanism is different: here the State finances the creation of solutions, not their direct purchase by the SME.

The Digital Kit program, managed by Red.es, aims to subsidize the adoption of digitalization solutions provided by Digitalization Agents. As of October 2026, all Digital Kit calls are closed. The last call, the V, closed on June 30, 2025, and calls III and IV ended on October 31, 2025.

On January 28, 2026, the BOE published Order TDF/39/2026, which modified the Digital Kit bases by incorporating three new categories with associated AI: Customer Management with AI, Business Intelligence and Analytics with AI, and Process Management with AI. However, this order updated the regulatory framework but did not open a new call for bonus applications.

The official Red.es portal confirms that the Digital Kit project ended in October 2025 and there are no active application deadlines. The bases allow future calls, but no dates, amounts, or beneficiaries have been confirmed for a new edition in 2026.

On September 21, 2026, the Government presented the AI360 Plan, which includes the Artificial Intelligence Bonus for SMEs and self-employed. This measure provides for 600 million euros to transform 25,000 companies through the contracting of AI services that redesign processes, not through mere subscription to licenses.

As of October 14, 2026, this bonus cannot be applied for. The plan establishes a controlled pilot in the first half of 2027 and a general call before the end of 2027. The regulatory bases, the specific amount per company, and the detailed processing procedure are missing.

The dissolution of the Cortes and the call for general elections on November 29, 2026, could affect the implementation schedule. Interested companies should prepare their digital maturity diagnosis and define concrete use cases to be ready when the call is published.

While state grants are closed or pending, some autonomous communities maintain active calls. As of September 22, 2026, only the Basque Country had an open specific call for implementing AI: the SPRI Artificial Intelligence 2026 program, with a non-repayable grant of 60% and a maximum of 100,000 euros per company, with a deadline until November 2, 2026.

In Galicia, the Ticket Innova (procedure IG408K) exhausted its credit on July 15, 2026, and the IA360 line (IG408M) closed its 2026/2027 call on March 17. In Catalonia, AI coupons closed on July 30 with budget exceeded, and the high-impact line ends on September 15.

Madrid, Andalusia, and the Valencian Community do not have open calls on this date. The AI use case programs of Madrid (up to 200,000 euros) and DIGITALIZA-CV (up to 175,000 euros) closed their 2026 call without a confirmed reopening date.

For SMEs that do not fit into closed calls, there are other funding routes. The CDTI offers financing for R&D+i projects, with amounts that can reach 6 million euros, and allows deducting up to 59% of the AI investment through R&D+i tax deductions.

The Spain Grows Fund, deployed through the ICO, is another option to finance innovation projects. In addition, the chambers of commerce of Tortosa and Girona maintain open the Pyme Digital 2026 and Pyme Innova 2026 grants, with a 40% ERDF grant on a maximum eligible cost of 7,490 euros, with deadlines until October 30-31, 2026.

These routes require different preparation: the CDTI requires a well-defined R&D+i project, while chamber of commerce grants are more accessible but with smaller amounts. The choice depends on the size of the company, the maturity of the project, and the ability to prefinance the investment.

Before starting any processing, it is essential to verify the validity of the grant on official portals. For the Digital Kit, consult the Red.es portal and the history of calls. For the AI Bonus, follow the publications of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service and the BOE.

For regional grants, verify in the official bulletins of each community (BOPV, DOG, DOGC, BOCM, BOJA, DOGV) and on the portals of innovation agencies (SPRI, ACCIÓ, IVACE, IAF). Regional calls are annual and their deadlines change every year.

Do not start processing based on press or blog information without verifying the official source. The regulatory bases, eligibility requirements, and deadlines are only valid when published in the BOE or in regional bulletins. Always document the verification date and save screenshots of the official portals.