The Spanish government has 15 September 2026 selected 52 projects under the RedCyTI programme for smart cities and territories. The initiative addresses the Smart Economy dimension and is expected to mobilise a total of at least 126 million euros The announcement was made by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service; the public-sector company Red.es is responsible for administration and funding. The call was open to public bodies throughout the country planning projects for digitally driven economic development – spread across Spain.
According to the government and the Resolución published by the management of Red.es, Red.es and European Regional Development Fund funds are contributing more than €94 million. The remaining funds will be provided by the applicant local and regional authorities. Individual projects must have a total budget of between €1.5 million and €6 million; depending on the circumstances, the grant covers between 40 and 85 per cent of eligible costs. This range of funding rates eases the burden on local and regional budgets to varying degrees and allows for both compact and more complex projects.
The aim of the funding is to use digital technologies in a targeted way to strengthen local economies. Examples include urban testbeds and regulatory sandboxes for mobility, innovation labs, expanded infrastructure for pilot projects, and digitally enabled value creation in sectors such as agriculture and energy. The administration cites applicants’ demonstrated level of digitalisation, the expected local economic impact, and environmental and social sustainability as key selection criteria. This is intended to increase the scalability of solutions while ensuring they are compatible with climate and social policy goals.
The selection decision published now is part of a programme line pursued since 2015 to support smart cities. According to the administration, more than €200 million has already been invested in projects of various kinds since then. Demand is high: the authorities say dozens of applications were received in the latest round, of which 52 projects will be selected. In the short term, the decision strengthens local and regional initiatives for digital economic development and is likely to generate contracts for local suppliers. In the medium to long term, the impact will depend on the ability of the relevant local and regional authorities to implement the projects and on the continued availability of the planned co-financing. The focus on economic applications is intended to enable economies of scale, but requires robust project management and measurable results.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).