The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration has announced the results of the Red IA and Red IA Salud grant programs, which will mobilize €180 million for 372 projects related to artificial intelligence in the business and healthcare sectors. Minister Óscar López made the announcement during the 40th AMETIC Digital Economy and Telecommunications Meeting, held in Santander.
These grants, managed by Red.es, aim to accelerate the integration of AI into value chains and production processes, with a particular focus on SMEs. According to official data, 70% of the selected projects are from small and medium-sized enterprises , reflecting the goal of democratizing access to this technology.
A $180 million injection for enterprise AI
The AI ​​Network call for proposals has €130 million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to finance 300 business projects, selected from over a thousand applications. The initiatives range from intelligent assistants and digital twins to advanced robotics, computer vision, cybersecurity, and predictive systems. Individual grants range from €400.000 to €5 million.
The minister emphasized that "just as no one starts a business today without Wi-Fi, no one will be able to compete tomorrow without AI," and stressed that productivity only improves when technology is democratized. In this regard, public-private collaboration and the Recovery Plan are key to consolidating the country's digital progress.
AI Health Network: AI is also coming to healthcare
The second call for proposals, the AI ​​Health Network, allocates €50 million to 72 projects that apply AI at all stages of the healthcare process: prediction, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. It also includes clinical, biomedical, and pharmacological research, as well as solutions for emergency response.
These projects aim to improve the efficiency of the healthcare system and free up time for professionals to focus on patient care. AI is emerging as a key tool for the healthcare of the future , and Spain wants to be at the forefront.
Spain leads the way in AI adoption
During his presentation, Óscar López reviewed the milestones that place Spain in a prominent position. Spain was the first European country to create an AI Supervisory Agency (AESIA) , and it ranks fifth in Europe in private investment in AI startups, sixth in the world in the adoption of generative AI, and seventh in the progress of this technology, according to Stanford University.
Furthermore, the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, launched in 2020 and reinforced in 2024, has mobilized over €1.500 billion to boost research, training, and the development of open models such as ALIA. The minister also announced the intention to regulate data centers through a Royal Decree to guarantee their sustainability and digital sovereignty.
Regional aid: Murcia and Extremadura
The grants are distributed across all the autonomous communities. In the Region of Murcia, 13 projects will receive €6,5 million , while Extremadura will receive €7,16 million for nine initiatives (six from the AI ​​Network and three from the AI ​​Health Network). These funds will allow local companies to develop AI solutions tailored to their needs.
The minister insisted that "Spain has a solid AI foundation to continue building an unbeatable digital economy " and advocated for a humanistic AI that modernizes public services and increases private competitiveness.
With this funding, the Government is reinforcing its commitment to digitalization and laying the groundwork for artificial intelligence to become a tool at the service of individuals and businesses. Investment in specific projects, training, and appropriate regulation will be crucial for Spain to fully realize the potential of this technology.