The Government of Spain has launched a new call for aid worth 87 million euros to promote the development of smart cities and territories, reinforcing the role of digitalization as a driver of economic, social, and environmental transformation.
The initiative, presented at the Digital Economy and Telecommunications Meeting 2025 in Santander, is part of the Support Program for Smart Cities and Territories to Foster Economic and Productive Development, managed by Red.es, an entity under the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function.
RedCyTI 2025: Innovation and Sustainability at the Service of Citizens
The new call, named RedCyTI 2025, is aimed at local entities, single-provincial autonomous communities, and autonomous cities. Projects should have budgets ranging from 1.5 to 6 million euros and can be allocated to:
- Urban innovation testbeds and laboratories to experiment with digital solutions applied to public service management.
- Demonstration centers and urban platforms that enable data integration.
- Advanced technological infrastructures that facilitate the adoption of artificial intelligence, digital twins, and data analysis in urban planning.
The declared goal is to harness the potential of data to optimize municipal resources and services, promote a sustainable economic model, and open new opportunities for employment and business.
Background: 59 Projects Already Underway
The program is not starting from scratch. To date, five previous calls have been resolved, amounting to over 200 million euros in investment, resulting in 59 projects across the entire national territory.
These include initiatives such as intelligent traffic management, IoT sensor-based public lighting, air quality monitoring systems, and platforms for citizen participation.
Additionally, the Ministry has announced plans to mobilize nearly 500 million euros more in the second half of 2025, through new calls related to cybersecurity, sector-specific data spaces, and 5G deployment.
A Commitment to Technological Humanism
Óscar López, the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, has repeatedly stated that programs like this embody a vision of a humanistic and sustainable digital transformation, where technology serves people.
The strategy also aligns with the Digital Rights Charters approved by Spain and the EU, and aims to position the country as a reference in the field of smart cities within Europe and Latin America.
The Role of Public-Private Collaboration
One of the most noteworthy aspects of RedCyTI 2025 is its focus on public-private collaboration. The Government expects the participation of technology companies, universities, and research centers to accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions in areas such as:
- Sustainable urban mobility
- Energy management and green transition
- Digitization of tourism and local commerce
- Water resource optimization and waste management
Table: Key Data for RedCyTI 2025
| Concept | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Budget | 87 million euros |
| Beneficiary Entities | Local entities, single-provincial autonomous communities, and autonomous cities |
| Project Budgets | Between 1.5 and 6 million euros |
| Key Technologies | Artificial intelligence, digital twins, data analysis |
| Previously Funded Projects | 59 (with 200 million euros invested in previous calls) |
| Upcoming Calls (2025) | 500 million euros in cybersecurity, data spaces, and 5G |
Conclusion
The new call represents a step forward in the goal of positioning Spain as a European leader in smart cities and ensuring that digitalization contributes to territorial and social cohesion. For municipalities, it offers an opportunity to secure funding to modernize infrastructure and attract new investments, especially as urban innovation increasingly shapes global competitiveness.