How much are the Canary Islands investing in 2026?

Five million euros for business innovation — 2.5 times the roughly two million of the previous year, according to ACIISI.

How many projects are funded?

24 strategic business projects, up from ten in 2025.

Who pays for the support?

The European Regional Development Fund covers 85 percent through the FEDER Canarias 2021-2027 programme, with the regional government funding the rest.

How many applications were there?

According to the Consejería, 203 applications; the available budget was fully exhausted.

CANARY ISLANDS · ECONOMY

Canary Islands multiply business-innovation funding 2.5-fold: €5m for 24 projects

The Canary Islands have sharply increased their support for business innovation. According to the Agencia Canaria de Investigación, Innovación y Sociedad de la Información (ACIISI), the allocation for 2026 rises to five million euros — up from around two million the previous year, a 2.5-fold increase.

10 August 2026 · By Martin Kosinski · 5 min · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief

Photo: NOIRLab, CC BY 4.0 (Symbolbild).

The money finances 24 strategic business projects, 85 percent co-funded by the FEDER Canarias 2021-2027 programme. The responsible department, the Consejería de Universidades, Ciencia, Innovación y Cultura, describes it as a business ecosystem with a genuine capacity to innovate.

What was decided

The Canary Islands government raised the budget for business innovation from two to five million euros in a single call, according to ACIISI. The corresponding award resolution was finalised on 10 August 2026.

Instead of the ten projects backed in 2025, 24 initiatives are now being financed. The European Regional Development Fund covers 85 percent of costs through the FEDER Canarias 2021-2027 programme, with the regional government contributing the remainder.

The figures at a glance

According to the Consejería de Universidades, Ciencia, Innovación y Cultura, a total of 203 applications were submitted — many times the number of projects funded. The available budget was fully exhausted.

Counsellor Migdalia Machín said, per the official statement, that the allocation had been increased by three million euros in a single edition, allowing the number of supported projects to more than double, from ten to 24. The statement names no specific companies or projects.

Which sectors are funded

The funded projects align with the Canary Islands' Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). The fields cited are artificial intelligence, industrial digitalisation, energy transition, the blue economy, health, sustainability, mobility and smart tourism.

ACIISI also lists technologies for the primary sector. No breakdown by number of projects or funding amount per sector was published; the areas are named as thematic priorities of the call.

Why it matters for the islands

For an archipelago whose economy leans heavily on tourism, diversification through research and innovation is treated as a strategic goal. The 2.5-fold rise in funding is intended, in the department's reading, to strengthen the innovation capacity of Canary Islands companies.

The high number of 203 applications is read by the authority as evidence of a business ecosystem with a real ability to innovate. The statement gives no figures on jobs created or expected revenue.

Framework and next steps

The support forms part of the EU's FEDER Canarias 2021-2027 programme. Projects co-funded from this financial framework generally have to be carried out within the current programming period.

The line is managed by ACIISI under the Consejería de Universidades, Ciencia, Innovación y Cultura. Official details on conditions and future calls are published through the agency's and the regional government's channels.

Good to know: Companies that may qualify for future rounds should keep an eye on the calls issued by ACIISI and the Consejería de Universidades, Ciencia, Innovación y Cultura.
The sectors listed follow the Canary Islands' RIS3 specialisation strategy.

Context: The five million euros and 24 projects are the figures released by ACIISI. No breakdown by individual company, project or funding amount per sector was published. The projects still have to be delivered.

Key facts

€5m allocation for business innovation in 2026 (ACIISI)
€2m the previous year — a 2.5-fold increase in a single call
24 strategic projects funded, up from 10 in 2025
85% co-funded by the FEDER Canarias 2021-2027 programme
203 applications received; budget fully exhausted
RIS3 priorities: AI, digitalisation, energy transition, blue economy, health and more

FAQ

How much are the Canary Islands investing in 2026?: Five million euros for business innovation — 2.5 times the roughly two million of the previous year, according to ACIISI.
How many projects are funded?: 24 strategic business projects, up from ten in 2025.
Who pays for the support?: The European Regional Development Fund covers 85 percent through the FEDER Canarias 2021-2027 programme, with the regional government funding the rest.
How many applications were there?: According to the Consejería, 203 applications; the available budget was fully exhausted.
Which areas are supported?: RIS3 priorities such as AI, industrial digitalisation, energy transition, the blue economy, health, sustainability, mobility and smart tourism.

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