If your company is looking to strengthen its R&D capacity and bring in highly qualified talent, the Torres Quevedo Grants could be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
This programme, one of the most attractive funding calls for innovative companies in Spain, is designed to promote the hiring of doctoral researchers in companies, technology centres and science parks across the country.
Thanks to the Torres Quevedo grants, your organisation can drive strategic projects, accelerate innovation and strengthen its competitive advantage in the market.
| Key Points | Summary |
| What they are | Grants to hire doctoral researchers for R&D projects in companies. |
| Funding | Up to 70% of salary depending on company size and project type. |
| Duration | Mandatory 3-year contracts. |
| Eligible costs | Salary + Social Security contributions of the researcher (up to €56,000/year). |
| Who can apply | Companies, spin-offs, technology centres, associations and science parks. |
| Candidate requirements | Must hold a doctorate and must not have had a recent employment relationship with the company. |
| 2025 Deadline | 27 November to 18 December 2025 (14:00h). |
| Essential documentation | R&D project, CVA, doctoral degree and basic company documentation. |
What are the Torres Quevedo contract grants?
The Torres Quevedo Grants are state subsidies managed by the State Research Agency (AEI). Their aim is to promote the hiring of doctoral researchers for high-impact R&D projects in the private sector through long-term employment contracts.
The purpose of the Torres Quevedo programme is to advance the professional careers of research staff, stimulate demand in the private sector for personnel sufficiently qualified to undertake R&D plans and projects, and support the consolidation of recently created technology companies.
The Torres Quevedo Grants have become one of the most effective ways for startups and established companies to attract highly qualified profiles without bearing the full cost of the contract.
As a result, each Torres Quevedo call generates significant interest among organisations looking to strengthen their technological capabilities.
What benefits does it offer your company?
Applying for the Torres Quevedo grants means accessing strategic advantages at both an economic and talent development level:
Funding of up to 70% of salary
Small companies can fund up to 70% of the hired researcher’s salary cost.
Medium and large companies can also obtain highly attractive percentages — 60% for medium-sized companies and 50% for large companies, technology centres, associations and science parks.
This financial support is one of the reasons the Torres Quevedo grants are so competitive and valued.
3-year duration
Subsidised contracts must have a minimum duration of three years, guaranteeing stability for both the researcher and the company. This continuity facilitates long-term R&D project planning.
Compatibility with other grants
The Torres Quevedo programme is compatible with other subsidies, provided the same expenditure is not funded twice.
This allows many companies to combine Torres Quevedo grants with other national and European innovation programmes to maximise the project’s impact.
Key requirements to access the Torres Quevedo grants
To be eligible for the 2025 Torres Quevedo grants, both the company and the candidate must meet a series of requirements established by the AEI:
- Hiring a doctoral researcher: the candidate must hold a doctorate at the time of application and must participate in R&D activities within the company.
- Projects aligned with the R&D strategy: projects must be aligned with the company’s strategic objectives in terms of innovation and development.
- No prior employment relationship: the candidate must not have had a recent employment relationship with the applying company.
How does the Torres Quevedo grant work?
The Torres Quevedo grant is a competitive subsidy lasting 3 years, aimed at partially funding the hiring of doctoral researchers in companies and entities linked to R&D.
The final amount awarded will depend on the cost of the contract, the type of project submitted and the type of applying entity.
Maximum aid intensity by project and entity type
The subsidisable intensity varies depending on the type of project (industrial research, feasibility studies or experimental development) and the size of the company or entity.
Industrial research projects and feasibility studies:
- 70% for small companies
- 60% for medium-sized companies
- 50% for large companies, technology centres, associations and science parks
Experimental development projects:
- 45% for small companies
- 35% for medium-sized companies
- 25% for large companies, centres, associations and science parks
Eligible costs
The Torres Quevedo grants cover, exclusively, costs related to the hiring of the doctoral researcher:
- Gross annual remuneration ≥ €29,070
- Employer’s Social Security contributions
- Up to a maximum of €56,000 funded per year per grant
No other project-related costs are considered eligible, so the grant is exclusively focused on bringing in research talent.
Budget allocation
The 2025 Torres Quevedo call has a total budget of €20.1 million, reinforcing the programme’s strategic importance in fostering innovation and technological development in the private sector.
Who can benefit from the Torres Quevedo grant?
The grant is aimed at companies of any size wishing to hire doctoral researchers for industrial research, experimental development or feasibility study projects.
The following entities may be beneficiaries of the Torres Quevedo grants:
- Companies of any size, especially those with technology-based activities.
- Spin-off companies originating from universities, research centres or public entities.
- JEIs (Joint Enterprise Initiatives) joint company initiatives for collaborative R&D.
- Technology centres focused on applied research and experimental development.
- Technology Innovation Support Centres (CAIT), which facilitate knowledge transfer to the business sector.
- Business associations that drive R&D projects for their members.
- Science and technology parks, which act as collaborative environments between innovative companies and knowledge agents.
This diversity of eligible entities makes the Torres Quevedo grants particularly attractive for any organisation looking to bring in research talent and advance high-value technology projects.
Application deadline for the Torres Quevedo grants
Applications for this Torres Quevedo call must be submitted electronically from 27 November to 18 December 2025 at 14:00 hours (mainland Spain time).
The application must be submitted with the electronic signature of the person holding legal representation of the entity.
Documentation required to apply for the Torres Quevedo grant
To submit an application, the entity must provide a series of mandatory documents to verify its legal, financial and administrative status. These include:
- Certificate of registration in the business associations registry, where the applicant is a business association.
- Business plan, mandatory only for recently created entities (2023 or later), prepared using the official template available on the AEI website.
- Express authorisation of representation, when the entity delegates the preparation or management of the application to a third party, using the official AEI form.
- Closed and audited annual accounts for the 2023 and 2024 financial years, for entities not required to file their accounts with the Mercantile Registry or that have not yet done so.
Required documentation for each proposed candidate
In addition, for each doctoral researcher proposed for hiring through the Torres Quevedo grants, the following documentation must be provided:
- Detailed R&D activity project, describing the work the candidate will carry out during the three years of the contract.
- Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae (CVA), following the format recognised by the AEI.
- Copy of the doctoral degree certificate or academic certification confirming that the candidate holds a doctorate at the time of application.
- Document certifying a disability of 33% or more, only where the candidate is applying through the reserved quota for this condition.
Application evaluation criteria
Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- Scientific and technical track record of the candidate.
- Quality, feasibility and scientific-technological relevance of the proposed activity.
How can The Startup CFO help you?
At The Startup CFO we have experience managing public grants for startups like yours. We can help you prepare the application, manage the documentation and ensure the application process runs without a hitch.
We are a strategic partner for companies looking to bring in research talent and make the most of the Torres Quevedo grants, facilitating access to resources that drive their technological development and market consolidation.
📩 Contact us and maximise your chances of success: info@tscfo.com
FAQs — Frequently asked questions about the Torres Quevedo programme
What is the purpose of the Torres Quevedo grants?
The Torres Quevedo grants aim to drive R&D projects through the hiring of doctoral researchers, fostering their professional development, increasing the availability of highly qualified talent in the private sector and supporting the consolidation of emerging technology companies.
Who can be a beneficiary entity?
Companies (including spin-offs and JEIs), technology centres, technology innovation support centres, business associations and science and technology parks may apply and be beneficiaries of the grants.
What costs can be funded through the Torres Quevedo grants?
The Torres Quevedo grants are awarded in the form of a subsidy and fund exclusively the personnel costs arising from the hiring of doctoral researchers. This includes the researcher’s gross annual remuneration plus the employer’s Social Security contributions associated with their contract.
Can people from non-EU countries be hired?
Yes, the call does not establish any nationality requirements for the contracted personnel.
What is an industrial research project?
An industrial research project is one that seeks to generate new knowledge and techniques applicable to the development of products, processes or components of complex systems, including technology validation, but not including prototypes.
What is an experimental development project?
An experimental development project consists of applying and combining existing knowledge to create or improve products, processes or services. It may include prototypes, pilot projects, demonstrations and validations under representative conditions, provided it aims at new technical improvements, but does not cover routine or incremental modifications to existing products or processes.
What is a prior feasibility study or project?
A prior feasibility study assesses the potential of a project, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as the resources required and prospects for success. It may include technological diagnostics to analyse the state of the art and propose measures to reach the appropriate technological level.
What type of contract must the entity present if awarded a Torres Quevedo grant?
The contract must be open-ended (permanent) and full-time.
