Climate change is no longer solely an environmental challenge. Its effects shape the availability of water, agricultural production, health, infrastructure, cities, supply chains and the competitiveness of companies.
The first European Climate Risk Assessment, published by the European Environment Agency, identifies 36 climate risks threatening areas such as energy and food security, water resources, infrastructure, financial stability and health. Many of them have already reached critical levels and could worsen without a decisive response.
In this context, the Spanish Government has launched, through the National Innovation Company, the programme Innovación x Clima. The new line, integrated into the Entrepreneurship and SME Fund —FEPYME— and managed by ENISA, is endowed with €300 million to finance companies that develop solutions against the effects of climate change and other emergency situations.
The initiative represents an opportunity for innovative startups capable of converting climate risks into technologies, products and services applicable in the real world.
What is Innovación x Clima?
Innovación x Clima is a funding programme aimed at startups that develop solutions to anticipate risks, strengthen climate resilience and accelerate the recovery of companies and territories affected by disasters and emergencies.
It is not a grant. Funding is channelled through participative loans from ENISA, an instrument that allows resources to be obtained without incorporating the entity into the company’s capital or ceding participation in its management.
According to the conditions published by ENISA, operations can reach:
– Between €25,000 and €1.5 million per company.
– A repayment period of up to seven years.
– A grace period on principal repayment of up to two years.
– Funding without real or personal guarantees.
– A variable interest rate composed of a first tranche linked to Euribor and a second related to the company’s profitability.
This model can be particularly relevant for startups that need to fund product development, industrialisation, technology validation or commercial expansion without immediately diluting their partners’ participation.
Which companies can access this funding?
The programme is aimed at companies legally incorporated in Spain, with their own legal personality, tax domicile in national territory, an innovative business model and a project that is viable from a technical and economic standpoint.
Among the main requirements is having own funds equivalent to, at minimum, the amount requested. The company must also be up to date with its tax obligations and with Social Security and present a business plan that demonstrates the viability and repayment capacity of the project.
In addition to companies developing climate resilience solutions, the programme contemplates access for companies affected by civil protection emergencies, companies wishing to start their activity in affected territories and companies that maintain economic ties with those areas through investments, suppliers or supply chains.
Before submitting an application, it is essential to consult the full requirements and conditions on the official Innovación x Clima page.
What climate innovation solutions can be funded?
Climate resilience encompasses the capacity to anticipate risks, reduce the vulnerability of territories and organisations, respond to extreme events and accelerate subsequent recovery.
This opens opportunities for startups from different sectors and technologies:
– Prediction, monitoring and early warning systems.
– Artificial intelligence applied to fires, floods, droughts or extreme temperatures.
– Technologies for water management, reuse and conservation.
– Adapted agriculture solutions and resilient food production.
– Energy storage and smart energy management.
– New materials for buildings and infrastructure.
– Robotics, sensors, drones and Earth observation.
– Climate risk analysis platforms for companies, insurers and public administrations.
– Technologies to improve environmental health and urban liveability.
The European Commission has placed these areas among its innovation priorities. The Deep Tech for Climate Adaptation programme of the European Innovation Council contemplates solutions for urban heat, water scarcity, flooding, coastal protection and agricultural adaptation, combining deep tech, artificial intelligence, engineering and nature-based solutions.
Mitigation and climate resilience: two complementary strategies
For years, much of climate innovation has focused on mitigation: reducing emissions, decarbonising industry, electrifying the economy and increasing the use of renewable energy.
That transformation remains indispensable. However, the effects of climate change already taking place make it necessary to also advance in adaptation and resilience.
Mitigation seeks to act on the causes of climate change. Adaptation seeks to reduce its consequences and prepare cities, companies, infrastructure and ecosystems to coexist with growing risks. These are not alternative approaches, but two complementary dimensions of the same transformation.
In Spain, the environmental economy represented 2.72% of GDP and generated 541,500 full-time equivalent jobs in 2024, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute. These figures show that sustainability is also a sphere of economic activity, job creation and business innovation.
The role of startups in the face of the climate emergency
Startups can play a decisive role in this process because they combine scientific knowledge, technology and experimentation capacity.
Their contribution does not consist solely of developing new technologies. The challenge is to convert those technologies into solutions that can be validated in real environments, integrated into the processes of companies and public administrations and scaled across different territories.
To achieve this, funding must be accompanied by access to clients, data, testing infrastructures, private investment, specialised talent and collaboration with institutions and knowledge centres.
In the Valencian ecosystem, companies already exist that are applying technology to areas such as distributed energy, efficiency, impact measurement and resource management. Some of these solutions are analysed in the Startup Valencia article on innovation and the energy transition from the Valencian technology ecosystem.
Initiatives such as the international hackathon Hack the Future have also demonstrated the potential of connecting talent, cities and technology to develop climate resilience solutions and urban innovation.
From funding to market: Startups por el Clima
Funding is an accelerator, but it is not enough on its own to ensure a solution reaches the market.
For this reason, ENISA, Startup Valencia and VDS have driven Startups por el Clima, a national initiative aimed at identifying, connecting and accelerating startups capable of responding to the main challenges arising from climate change.
The project articulates five priority areas:
– Environmental health and urban liveability.
– Forest fires.
– Energy and storage.
– Adapted agriculture.
– Drought management and the water cycle.
Selected solutions will be able to connect with investors, corporations, public administrations and ecosystem players during the international forum Startups x Climate, which will take place in Valencia within VDS 2026.
The initiative also incorporates a national directory of climate innovation to identify startups, companies, funds, accelerators, knowledge centres and institutions working in this field and facilitate new collaboration opportunities.
What an interested startup should do now
Startups wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should begin by checking whether they meet the requirements published by ENISA and whether their solution clearly addresses a climate risk or a territorial recovery need.
It is also essential to demonstrate:
– What specific problem the technology solves.
– Which clients or public administrations could adopt it.
– What measurable results it can generate.
– What degree of maturity and validation it has reached.
– How the requested funding will be used.
– What capacity the project has to grow and repay the loan.
In climate innovation, technology is only part of the proposal. The capacity to deploy it, demonstrate its impact and build a viable business model will be equally decisive.
An opportunity to build a more resilient economy
Innovación x Clima recognises that adaptation to climate change does not depend solely on large infrastructures or public policies. It also needs companies capable of transforming knowledge, data and technology into usable solutions.
The €300 million mobilised by ENISA can help more projects bridge the gap between a promising technology and a solution deployed in the market.
The real impact, however, will depend on the capacity of the ecosystem to connect funding, talent, scientific knowledge, investment, companies and public administrations.
Startups that manage to convert the great climate challenges into scalable solutions will not only contribute to protecting territories, infrastructure and people. They will also be building one of the most relevant areas of innovation and economic activity of the coming years.
Frequently asked questions about Innovación x Clima
Is Innovación x Clima a grant?
No. It is a funding programme through participative loans managed by ENISA. The loans must be repaid according to the agreed conditions.
How much money can a startup apply for?
Operations can range from €25,000 to €1.5 million, depending on the project, own funds and the financial structure of the company.
Does ENISA take a stake in the company?
No. ENISA does not acquire shareholdings or intervene in the ownership or management of the company.
Are guarantees required?
No real or personal guarantees are required. The evaluation is based primarily on the viability of the project, the team, the business model and the financial situation of the company.
Where can funding be applied for?
Interested companies can consult the conditions and begin the process on the official website of Innovación x Clima by ENISA.
