Extremadura Achieves a Historic Record in Horizon Europe Programme Returns with €22.5 Million, Climbing Four Positions Among Spanish Regions
Extremadura has almost doubled the funding secured during the seven years of the Horizon 2020 programme (2014–2020) and has climbed four positions in the regional rankings.
The region achieved a historic record with €22.5 million received in just three years of participation in the Horizon Europe Programme, the EU framework for research and innovation funding. This amount, obtained during the first three years (2021–2023), nearly doubles the €12.5 million secured over the seven years of the previous programme, Horizon 2020 (2014–2020).
This progress has enabled Extremadura to rise four positions in the ranking of Spanish regions, shedding its historical position at the bottom and establishing itself as a reference point in key areas for development. Extremadura has reached Cantabria in securing funds, overtaking Castilla-La Mancha, the Balearic Islands, and La Rioja.
Sectors such as bioeconomy, natural resources, climate, and agri-food research stand out as the main beneficiaries of funding in Extremadura, accounting for €16 million of the €22.5 million obtained. These areas reflect not only the region’s strategic and intelligent specialisation but also its potential to lead sustainable and competitive transformations.
Institutions such as FUNDECYT-PCTEX, which has secured the highest number of projects with a total of nine, and the University of Extremadura (UEx), with eight projects, have played a key role in this success. In the private sector, the company NATAC stands out, leading the region’s financial returns.
The Regional Government of Extremadura reaffirms its commitment to the internationalisation of its research and innovation system by strengthening proposal coordination through initiatives such as the European Projects Office of the Extremadura System for Science, Technology and Innovation (OPE-SECTI), coordinated by FUNDECYT-PCTEX and UEx.
Specific plans are also being developed to enhance emerging specialisation areas, such as health and energy, which show great potential in the region. These fields are expected to balance the thematic focus alongside the agri-food sector in the coming years.
Through the specialised technical team of OPE-SECTI, the Regional Government of Extremadura offers public and free-of-charge support services to assist businesses, researchers, and organisations in participating in major European R&I programmes. These actions are co-funded by the FEDER Extremadura Programme 2021–2027 within the framework of the R&I Internationalisation Initiative.
