Sopela to Boost 32 New Business Projects with 57,000 Euro Aid

The City Council has approved a new call for subsidies within the Sopela Garatu program to enhance the competitiveness of local businesses.

Facade of Sopela town hall, under sunlight.
IA

Facade of Sopela town hall, under sunlight.

The Sopela City Council has approved a new call for economic aid, under the Sopela Garatu program, aimed at fostering the creation of new businesses and enhancing the competitiveness of local companies.

In total, 32 business projects out of 36 submitted will receive subsidies, with a budget of 57,187 euros distributed across two lines of action. The City Council highlighted a significant increase in both participation and economic allocation compared to the previous year; while 14 applications were approved in 2024, the number more than doubled in 2025.
The first line of aid, named Sopela Sustatzen, is focused on creating new businesses in sectors such as commerce, hospitality, and other business areas. In this category, 4 out of 7 received applications were approved, with a total allocation of over 6,400 euros.
The second line, Sopela Berritzen, aims to promote innovation and competitive improvement for existing companies, concentrating the majority of the aid: 28 projects approved out of 29 applications, with over 50,700 euros granted.

"In a context where starting and maintaining a business is not easy, these aids are fundamental for innovating and improving."

Eder García · Councillor for Local Development
A key aspect of this call has been the revision of the regulatory bases, adapted to broaden access to more business profiles. This update, aligned with autonomous programs such as the MEC (Modernization of Commercial Establishments) of the Basque Government, has allowed companies from various sectors, including diverse activities, services, commerce, self-employed individuals, and hospitality establishments, to benefit.
Furthermore, the maximum amount per project in the innovation line has been increased from 2,000 to 3,000 euros, and access requirements have been made more flexible, allowing businesses to participate from their second year of activity. These measures have directly contributed to the increase in both the number of applications and the volume of aid granted, which has almost tripled compared to the previous year.