If you are thinking of creating a startup to develop and commercialize an innovative product or service, you will surely be interested in certifying your company as a startup by ENISA (Empresa Nacional de Innovación S.A), which will be the body in charge of evaluating and granting this certificate.
Which startups can make a profit?
Those that meet the following requirements:
- Be a start-up company: no more than 5 years old or 7 years old for biotechnology, energy, industrial and other strategic sectors.
- Not having arisen from a merger, spin-off or transformation of companies that are not considered emerging companies.
- Not having distributed dividends, or returns in the case of cooperatives.
- Not listed on a regulated market.
- Have its registered office, head office or permanent establishment in Spain.
- 60% of the workforce must have an employment contract in Spain.
- It must develop an innovative entrepreneurial project (one that solves a problem or improves an existing situation through the development of products, services or processes that are new or substantially improved compared to the state of the art and that involves a risk of technological, industrial or business model failure).
What are the benefits that a certified startup can obtain?
- Reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 15%.
- Deferral of tax debts.
- Exemption from making fractioned payments of corporate income tax.
- Elimination of certain registration fees for the incorporation of a new company.
- Exemption from the obligation to obtain the NIE in the case of non-resident foreign investors.
- Three-year rebate on social security contributions for self-employed entrepreneurs who are also employees.
- Extension of the amount of the exemption, up to 50,000 euros per year, in the case of delivery of stock options to employees.
- Increase in the deduction for investment in newly created companies, increasing the rate to 50% and the maximum base up to 100,000 euros.
- Promoting the creation and development of controlled test environments to validate the viability and impact of new models in regulated activities.
- Facilities for the provision of guarantees or payments on account in the case of the granting of subsidies.
How do I apply for an emerging company certificate?
The application is submitted on ENISA’s electronic portal, which will reply within a maximum period of 3 months and will evaluate whether it meets the requirements according to the following criteria:
- Degree of innovation. Having received public financing in the last three years, without having suffered revocation for incorrect or insufficient execution of the financed activity, will be valued.
- Expenditures on research, development and technological innovation with respect to the total expenses of the company during the two previous fiscal years, or in the previous fiscal year in the case of companies less than two years old.
- Degree of market attractiveness. Supply and demand in the sector, traction generation, user or customer acquisition strategies, among other aspects, will be assessed.
- The implementation of prototypes and the achievement of a minimum viable product or market launch of the service.
- The business model. The scalability of the number of users, number of operations or annual turnover will be considered.
- Competing companies in its field or sector of activity and the differentiation with respect to them will be assessed.
- Equipment. The experience, training and trajectory of the company’s team will be valued.
- Dependence on suppliers, providers and rental contracts. Relations with other economic operators will be taken into account.
- Clients. The volume of customers or users of the company will be valued.
Our firm, The Lighthouse Team, formed by lawyers specialized in advising startups can help you, examining your project to see if it meets the conditions to obtain the certificate and accompany you in all matters arising during the formation of your company including subsidies.
You already know what the benefits are, now you just have to contact us. If you prefer, you can call us at +34 619 364 782 and +34 607 341 395 where we will be happy to assist you.
