Get to know ACCIÓ

ACCIÓ is the public agency for the competitiveness of Catalan enterprise, attached to the Ministry of Business and Labour of the Generalitat (Government) of Catalonia. It aims to promote the competitiveness and growth of the Catalan business fabric by promoting innovation, internationalization and by attracting investment.

ACCIÓ assists enterprise in the process of competitive differentiation and in the continuous search for new business opportunities. The agency guides Catalan companies so they can discover their environment and take advantage of the changes that take place in it, so they can strengthen those aspects that allow them to set themselves apart and position themselves in an advantageous position in the face of future global challenges.

With the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of the Catalan business fabric, ACCIÓ also advises companies in their search for funding, helps them grow through training programmes and guides them on issues concerning clusters, among other programmes and support services. It is also responsible for attracting foreign investment to Catalonia through Catalonia Trade & Investment. Also, startups are a priority for the public agency, not only for their disruptive projects affecting the entire Catalan business fabric, but also because they are a source of innovation for larger enterprises. In short, ACCIÓ adapts to the entire reality of the Catalan business ecosystem and has become the ideal companion for the enterprise of the present and of the future.

To achieve all these goals, the agency has an expert, multidisciplinary team, both at its Barcelona headquarters and in its seven branches across the rest of Catalonia, which strengthens its commitment to service and proximity to enterprise and makes the agency a reference for the promotion of the competitiveness of the Catalan business fabric.

In addition, ACCIÓ provides enterprise with a network of 40 international Trade and Investment offices around the world that provide coverage to more than 100 markets. From these offices it promotes the connection of Catalan enterprise in the world and advises on setting up in new markets and discovering global business opportunities, as well as helping in the process of internationalization of innovation thanks its specialized team’s local support and knowledge.

ACCIÓ was formally conceived in 2010, after the merger of the Consortium for the Commercial Promotion of Catalonia (COPCA) and the Centre for Innovation and Business Development (CIDEM), jointly totalling more than 20 years of experience in support of the Catalan business fabric. It collaborates with local and international business entities to add synergies and ensure that Catalan enterprise can enjoy a wider range of instruments to grow and become more competitive.

Each year, ACCIÓ supports more than 36,000 companies and entities and assists them with more than 21,000 projects with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of the Catalan economy. Through the different programmes and services, an investment of more than 1,700 million euros has been mobilised by Catalan companies in 2022.

What are these programs and services and what do they represent?

Through ACCIÓ’s International Network of Trade and Investment Offices, more than 1,900 projects are managed to support Catalan companies as they enter foreign markets. In addition to consolidating their international presence or to facilitate implementation abroad, the offices enable them to find new partners and technology suppliers to carry out R&D projects, to develop new products or services or to export their own technology.

In the field of international business, more than 615 million euros have been mobilised in exports, through projects managed by ACCIÓ, which have enabled the creation of more than 1,800 jobs in Catalonia.

In 2022, the Technical Office on Internationalization Barriers responded to almost 2,000 queries from companies encountering obstacles or doubts during their processes of expanding abroad.

Also in this area of internationalization, and related to the digitization, the consolidation of the International eTrade program should be highlighted, in which 350 companies have received advice or financial support in order to take advantage of digital channels to expand international sales.

Furthermore, in the field of technological transformation and disruption, ACCIÓ has mobilized €285 million of investment in private R&D. Likewise, support has been given to the realization of collaborative R&D projects, the transfer of knowledge between companies, technology centers, universities and other agents of innovation. In addition, SME access to innovation has also been facilitated and startups have been accompanied during their growth, consolidation and internationalization process.

In order to face the major current challenges of digitization and sustainability, ACCIÓ has given continuity to such successful programs as the ProACCIÓ 4.0 and the ProACCIÓ Green.

It is precisely these two challenges that should guide the policies of the coming years through the Next Generation EU Funds. Since the opening of the Next Generation EU Office of ACCIÓ at the end of 2021, almost 1,500 Catalonian companies have sought advice to access their calls. So far, 126 Catalonian companies that have received advice from the office have obtained funding: they account for 22.6% of the total number of Catalonian companies that have obtained funding.

In terms of attracting foreign investment, 94 projects materialised in 2022, mobilising more than 620 million euros and contributing to the creation of 3,400 new jobs. As regards impact, 222 euros were attracted for every public euro in the budget.

Finally, another of the mechanisms that ACCIÓ makes available to companies to improve their competitiveness are clusters. At present, the Catalunya Clústers programme boasts 26 associated clusters, groups 2,600 companies and has a combined turnover of 70 billion euros. The cluster policy in Catalonia has also been recognized by Harvard Business School for its decisive positive impact on Catalan companies.