EMPYME grant Valencia: up to €15,000 back on expenses paid, for businesses under 5 years old

In short: EMPYME is the Generalitat Valenciana (GVA) subsidy for entrepreneurs and small businesses that started within the last 5 years. It refunds up to 70% of running costs already paid, at most €15,000, with minimum spending of €5,000 excluding VAT. The 2026 call closed on 31 July 2026 and the 2027 one has not been announced. This EMPYME grant applies across the Valencian Community (Valencia, Castellón and Alicante).

In person or by representative? Online only: the application, the declarations and the expense statement are signed electronically and filed through the «EMPYME» procedure at the Generalitat electronic office. If someone files on paper, they are asked to file online within 10 days, and the online filing date is what counts. The sources we reviewed do not explain how to apply through a representative.

⚠️ Autónomo without employees: being confirmed. The call admits individuals (sole traders). But the July 2026 application guide always requires the employment history report of a contribution account code (CCC), and does not accept the autónomo's personal report. The CCC is the number Social Security gives to those with employees. The scoring criteria do include the option «no employees», with 0 points. We are confirming this with the Dirección General de Emprendimiento; until there is an answer, do not assume you can apply without employees.

Who can apply (2026 call)

• Individuals (sole traders) and small businesses that started the activity within the last 5 years: for an autónomo it counts from registration in the Business Activity Tax (IAE).
• With a registered address in the Valencian Community.
• With a project in a growing sector: transport and logistics; cybersecurity, digital services and artificial intelligence; environment and renewable energy; food sector; rural world and smart cities; arts and entertainment. Also tourism and hospitality; financial and real estate services; sport, health, wellbeing and beauty; care economy; aerospace; education. Another sector may count if you justify it.
• Not eligible: communities of property (comunidades de bienes), civil partnerships without legal personality and non-profit organisations.

What if you are a foreigner or have temporary protection? The 2026 call sets no nationality or permit-type requirement. You must keep meeting the requirements from the application until payment, and the decision can take up to 6 months. If you have temporary protection, keep in mind that your TIE is valid until 4 March 2027 (Order INT/96/2026).

You pay first

• It is a refund. You apply once you have already paid the costs: the application goes with the expense statement. In 2026, costs paid between 1 May 2025 and 31 May 2026 counted.
• Payments through the bank, with each invoice or payslip followed by its receipt. The call asks for the transfer receipt; the application guide also accepts other bank means, such as a bank cheque, card in the applicant's name, confirming or factoring, with the statement. A transfer is the safest. Cash, over-the-counter payments and foreign-currency payments do not count. If the amount, date or description does not match the transfer, that cost is excluded entirely.
• It is a competition, not a guarantee. It is scored out of 100 and the money goes in order of points until the budget runs out (€2,005,618.13 in 2026). Without employees you lose the 25 employment points; points are given, for example, for having your own website or appearing in search engines.
• The money comes months later. The maximum time to decide is 6 months from the call's publication; if there is no answer, it counts as refused. It is paid in a single bank transfer, if you are up to date with the tax agency and Social Security.
• Afterwards: keep the receipts for 6 years and return the money if there is a cause for repayment. The 2026 call sets no minimum time of activity after payment.

Which costs count (2026)

• Rent of premises, office, warehouse, workspace or coworking for the activity.
• Payroll of staff hired in the Valencian Community, capped at €3,000 gross a month per payslip.
• Professional services: gestoría, legal advice, notary, licences and certifications, consultancy, mentoring or incubation.

Not eligible: the autónomo contribution, payroll of working partners or the company's Social Security costs. Nor are taxes and fees, purchases of equipment or other fixed assets, goods for resale, utilities, rent of a home even if you work there, insurance, interest and fines.

What to do now, with the call closed

• The 2027 call has not been announced. In 2024 it ran from 10 June to 10 July, in 2025 from 12 May to 12 June and in 2026 from 1 to 31 July. The expense period and the rules may change.
• Pay by transfer and in your name for premises rent and professional services, and keep invoices and receipts together.
• If you have no employees, wait until the CCC report question is cleared up before counting on this grant.
• If you have not registered yet, first see becoming an autónomo as a foreigner and the flat rate: EMPYME does not cover the autónomo contribution.

Documents (2026 call)

• Application with the project report and responsible declarations, signed electronically in the procedure.
• Registration in the Business Activity Tax (autónomo) or registered deed of incorporation (company).
• Business project in the official template, up to 5 pages.
• Expense statement in the official Excel, with costs of up to €25,000.
• A single PDF with all invoices and payslips, each followed by its bank payment receipt.
• Employment history report of a contribution account code for the whole period (see the warning above).
• Signed rental contract, if you include rent.
• To score points, if you claim them: invoice for an artificial intelligence licence in the period, patent or design title, environmental certificate, special-type employment contracts and documents for the tie-break criteria.
• Company: Corporate Tax return (form 200) for the last 2 closed years.
• Bank details registered with the Generalitat (bank details procedure) and, if you object to them checking, tax and Social Security certificates.

Steps

1. Check that you fit: activity started within the last 5 years, registered address in the Valencian Community and a growing sector.
2. Gather invoices and transfer receipts for the costs of the period.
3. Prepare the project, the expense statement and the employment history report.
4. When the call is published, file it online in the Generalitat procedure, with an electronic signature, within the deadline.
5. Check your electronic notifications until the decision.

Informational only; check the official source and a professional for your specific case.