Innovation

The transfer of knowledge is one of the action priorities in the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy. The main objective is to position Spain among the countries with the highest level of innovation, ensuring that the transfer of knowledge has an impact in terms of generating progress.

To do this, it is necessary to promote the transfer of knowledge and to develop two-way links between science and business (especially SMEs) through the mutual understanding of needs and objectives. It is also of the utmost importance to ensure public-private cooperation in the different stages of the value chain: from the initial stages of the development of technologies in which the application of knowledge will be encouraged, until products of interest to society reach the market. National R&D&I needs to prioritise and respond to the challenges of strategic sectors.

The Public Administration has several instruments in place to promote business innovation, such as tax incentives for carrying out research and development and/or technological innovation activities and discounts on social security contributions for research staff.

The main tax instruments include Binding Reports (IMV) and the Innovative SME seal. Binding Reports provide legal certainty in the application of deductions and discounts for Research, Development and/or Technological Innovation (R&D&I). Furthermore, the creation of the Innovative SME seal and its registration seeks to highlight these companies, promote their identification and formulate specific policies.

These instruments are horizontal in nature and of free and general application. They are also aimed at incentivising the private sector's initiative without conditioning the innovative environment the company is targeting.

Progress has been made in recent years in terms of public policies aimed at promoting regional innovation ecosystems towards a new, more participatory and collaborative approach. This shift in science and innovation policies is oriented towards a new model of multilevel governance around shared challenges, with a territory-oriented vision that promotes the efficient use of all regions’ capacities, encourages interregional cooperation and addresses persistent territorial innovation gaps.

The “European Strategic Energy Technology Plan” (SET Plan) is a key instrument for promoting the transition to a climate-neutral energy system, through the development of innovative, low-carbon and cost-competitive technologies. The SET Plan was established in 2007 and, since the creation of the Energy Union in 2015, it has become one of the main instruments of its fifth pillar dedicated to research, innovation and competitiveness. Spain is a member of the Steering Group and the Bureau, the governing bodies of the SET Plan.

The technological change that our society is facing poses enormous challenges for the public sector, not only as an innovation promoter but as a subject of innovation in itself, in a safe and controlled framework.

There are instruments that make it possible to promote and accelerate innovation from the public sector, creating spaces to develop new answers to existing needs. They are known as sandboxes, living labs and testbeds, which provide public institutions and companies with an environment suitable for innovation and experimentation.