Gain expands the science-business program by four million to address STEP projects

The Galician Innovation Agency (Gain) is increasing the budget for the 2026 call of the science-business program by 4,050,000 euros, so that the total amount of aid increases from 3,000,000 to 7,050,000 euros. The decision, adopted in view of the high volume of applications submitted, is published in the Official Gazette of Galicia (DOG) number 216, of November 11, 2026, in the Resolution of November 6, 2026 signed by the director of the organization, Carmen Cotelo Queijo (CVE-DOG reference: on0e9s84-k2x6-koc2-vnv8-38th280sp6b9).

The expanded call originates from the Resolution of March 4, 2026, published in the DOG on March 25, 2026, which establishes the regulatory bases for aid for the implementation of individual research and development projects under a competitive bidding process. This aid is framed within the strategic priorities of the RIS3 Galicia 2021-2027 and is co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the Galician Feder 2021-2027 program.

Article 2 of the regulatory bases allows for the expansion of the call’s credits after the declaration of availability, in accordance with the circumstances provided for in article 30.2 of Decree 11/2009, of January 8, which approves the Regulation of Law 9/2007, of June 13, on subsidies in Galicia.

All increase goes to the STEP line

Gain justifies the expansion based on the high volume of applications received and the existence of available credit coming from surpluses of other calls financed with the same credit and the same project code. The objective is to address a greater number of requests.

The credit increase applies entirely to the STEP projects line since, according to the published text, the vast majority of the projects submitted fall within this line.

• STEP Projects: 6,502,576.63 euros.
• Non-STEP Projects: 547,423.37 euros.
• Total for the call: 7,050,000 euros.

Distribution by annual installments

The budgetary distribution is made against application 07.A2.561A.770.0, project code 2023.00002, and is broken down into three fiscal years:

• STEP Projects: 993,402.93 euros in 2026, 3,226,234.94 euros in 2027 and 2,282,938.76 euros in 2028.
• Non-STEP Projects: 106,597.07 euros in 2026, 279,044.50 euros in 2027 and 161,781.80 euros in 2028.

No new application deadline

The publication of this resolution does not imply the opening of a new deadline for the submission of applications, as specified by the agreement itself. The regulation will enter into force the day following its publication in the DOG, that is, November 12, 2026.

The resolution is part of procedure IN852F, identified as the science-business program, one of the instruments of the Galician Innovation Agency to link the research capacity of centers with business projects within the framework of Galicia’s smart specialization strategy.

The expansion of the budgetary margin for a call that received more applications than initially foreseen, without modifying the competition conditions or the deadlines already closed. For the applicants who were left out of the initial allocation, the increase of four million opens the possibility of obtaining financing within the same STEP line, co-financed with European funds until 2028.

Source: Official Gazette of Galicia, no. 216, November 11, 2026, section III (Other provisions), pp. 56615-56616 (official reference: on0e9s84-k2x6-koc2-vnv8-38th280sp6b9).