To date, the National Cybersecurity Institute of Spain (INCIBE), an entity linked to the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service through the State Secretariat for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence, has allocated a total of 150.5 million euros to 82 companies within the framework of the Public Procurement of Innovation (IECPI). This program has promoted the development of 142 diverse projects related to cybersecurity. This strategic initiative, the largest of its kind worldwide, seeks to promote highly innovative solutions and services in the field of cybersecurity, strengthen capabilities, and foster talent in this area.
The IECPI of INCIBE is part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) and has a global budget of 224 million euros, financed by the Next Generation EU. Its main objective is to strengthen the capabilities of citizens, SMEs, and professionals, as well as to boost the cybersecurity sector. Currently, the IECPI is divided into three active calls. Under the European funds of the PRTR, INCIBE manages a total of 564 million euros, of which 418 million are allocated to strengthening cybersecurity capabilities in line with the European digital sovereignty strategy. So far, 346 million euros have been allocated, including funds for the innovative Public Procurement initiative.
Phases of each innovative public procurement project
The development process of each project has several phases. In the first phase, each company submits an innovative project, which is evaluated by a validation entity accredited by the National Accreditation Entity (ENAC) or an equivalent entity from any member state of the European Union, which certifies that their proposal meets the innovative objectives of this initiative. Similarly, each company has the flexibility to propose the schedule and the payment milestones associated with the project. The contracting bases are included in a public regulatory document accessible through the INCIBE website.
Thus, all processes of development, project monitoring, and financing by the winning companies are established from the beginning of the initiative. Additionally, INCIBE, with the aim of helping some companies that are having difficulty obtaining private funding for the development of their solutions, is evaluating the approval of complementary measures to assist companies in carrying out their projects.
The three calls of the IECPI have started their execution between June and September 2023. INCIBE positively values that, to date, 42% of the proposals have successfully completed the first phase that allows access to the first payment milestone of the funding provided by INCIBE, having achieved certification that the proposed solution is innovative. At this point, these companies have already started the prototype development phase.
Companies and Challenges Map
INCIBE has published a map of the companies and projects that make up this initiative, and in which the different challenges to which each of the winning companies of the projects from the three current calls have applied, and from which province they are addressing the innovative project. The map will be updated as there are updates or new projects are incorporated within IECPI.