Melilla will pay up to 15,000 euros annually for the Business Nursery 4.0

The Autonomous City of Melilla and the Cameral Institute Foundation for the Creation and Development of Business (INCYDE) have signed the collaboration agreement that structures the operation “Business Incubator 4.0 Melilla - Content Creation,” co-financed at 85% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The agreement was approved by the City’s Governing Council, under number 2026000759 dated September 3, 2026, and registered in the Registry of Agreements under number CON202600233. It is published in the Official Gazette of the Autonomous City of Melilla number 6415, dated September 18, 2026, with reference BOME-A-2026-1046.

The signed text has the status of a Document Establishing the Conditions of the Aid (DECA) and designates the Autonomous City of Melilla as the Beneficiary Body of the operation, with the code VIMENMEL1. The signature, formalized in Melilla on September 3, 2026, corresponds to the Councilor for Economy, Trade, Technological Innovation, Tourism and Development, Miguel Marín Cobos, and the general director of INCYDE, Javier Collado Cortés.

The framework for the aid is the Spain Multi-regional Program ERDF 2021-2027, approved by the European Commission through Decision C(2022)9632, dated December 13, 2022, with reference CCI 2021ES16RFPR001. The operation falls under Priority P1A, aimed at promoting a digital and smart transition, and Specific Objective 1.3, for strengthening the competitiveness of SMEs and job creation. Melilla is classified as a less developed region, with territorial location NUTS3 ES640.

A budget of 2.1 million and three years of execution

The financing plan sets the following figures:

• Total planned budget for the operation: 2,116,553.90 euros.
• Total eligible expenditure: 1,799,070.81 euros.
• Maximum ERDF financing rate: 85%.
• Contribution of non-EU own funds from the City: 317,483.09 euros, equivalent to the remaining 15%.

The execution calendar begins on September 3, 2026, and concludes on September 3, 2029, with a maximum term of 36 months from the granting of the aid. The agreement specifies that no extensions will be permitted for the execution period, effective payment, justification of expenditure, or certification before the INCYDE Foundation, and that any modification must be previously authorized by the foundation in accordance with Circular 2/2025 of the ERDF Managing Authority.

Infrastructure, equipment, and services for SMEs and entrepreneurs

The actions to be developed by the Beneficiary Body include, among others:

• Creation of the nursery infrastructure.
• Basic and technological equipment.
• Actions directly linked to Nursery 4.0: personnel expenses and external professional services.
• Dissemination, advertising, and revitalization expenses.

The agreement identifies micro-SMEs, SMEs, entrepreneurs, and freelancers as the ultimate beneficiaries of the services. The operation commits to achieving the productivity and result indicators RCO01, RCO04, and RCR18, with a target of 34 units each for the 2026-2029 period. Compliance with the DNSH principle and the climate resilience analysis provided on June 8, 2026, is also required, as well as the maintenance of the investment for five years from the final payment.

Up to 15,000 euros annually for the INCYDE Foundation

The addendum to the agreement, published as Annex II of the same article, regulates the reimbursement of the foundation’s management expenses:

• The Autonomous City of Melilla will pay INCYDE a maximum amount of 15,000 euros per year, with the corresponding annual credit reserve.
• The reimbursement period spans from the designation as a Beneficiary Body up to a maximum of 36 months thereafter.
• The INCYDE Foundation will present an invoice and a report of the work for each year, with a minimum annual justification.

Furthermore, a Joint Monitoring Commission is established, composed of one representative from the Beneficiary Body and another from the INCYDE Foundation, responsible for ensuring compliance with the agreement and interpreting its clauses.

The agreement places Melilla within the circuit of European funds for digital entrepreneurship and commits stable municipal financing for three years. For local SMEs, freelancers, and entrepreneurs, the agreement opens the door to infrastructure, technological equipment, and revitalization services backed by the ERDF, although the City assumes the pre-financing of expenses and their reimbursement in case of irregularities.

Source: Official Gazette of the Autonomous City of Melilla, number 6415, of September 18, 2026, Department of Economy, Trade, Technological Innovation, Tourism and Promotion, pp. 4763-4776 (official reference: BOME-A-2026-1046).