SODERCAN injects more than 240.000 euros to boost foreign trade and the expansion of 61 companies in Cantabria

INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGIES

Through the resolution of the 2026 call for the Coopera para Crecer program , five regional business consortia and groups receive strategic financial support to consolidate their presence in new markets, gain competitive dimension and safeguard more than a thousand direct jobs.

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The Cantabria Development Corporation (SODERCAN) , an entity under the Regional Government's Ministry of Industry, Employment, Innovation, and Trade, has approved an investment of €243.925 to strengthen the region's international presence. These funds, part of the 2026 call for proposals under the "Cooperate to Grow" aid program , aim to promote business cooperation as a strategic approach to international trade and access to new markets.

The beneficiaries of this funding are five high-impact collaborative initiatives: the export consortiums Santander Global Metal and Santander Fine Food , along with the Cantabrian Association of Sobao and Quesada Companies , Cantabria Brinda (focused on the alcoholic beverage sector), and Cantabria Quesera (dairy products). The latter three are promoted under the umbrella of the employers' association CEOE-Cepyme Cantabria. Together, these clusters bring together 61 companies and guarantee the stability of 1.087 workers , demonstrating the enormous impact of internationalization on the local labor market.

In a globalized economic environment, strategic alliances are emerging as the most effective tool for mitigating the risks inherent in exporting. This was emphasized by the Minister of Industry, Employment, Innovation and Trade and President of SODERCAN, Eduardo Arasti, who pointed out that "business cooperation is an especially valuable tool for smaller companies when facing the challenge of opening new markets, as it allows them to combine capabilities, share risks and costs, and acquire the critical mass necessary to approach internationalization processes with a greater guarantee of success . "

The Minister of Industry also emphasized the public administration's commitment to reducing logistical and commercial barriers for SMEs, stating: "That is why at SODERCAN we continue to promote business collaboration formulas that facilitate access to new markets and generate competitive advantages through synergies between companies . "

A financing framework adapted to export maturity

The Coopera para Crecer program is a key component of Cantabria's Internationalization Plan 2025-2028 . Its structural design aims to consolidate export clusters and economic interest groups that share commercial networks, technical knowledge, and financial resources beyond regional borders.

To ensure an equitable and efficient distribution of capital, SODERCAN has structured the aid based on each consortium's track record and experience in international markets . Thus, the financing scheme allows for subsidies ranging from legal incorporation expenses to technical assistance, marketing, participation in international trade fairs, trade and reverse trade missions, and trademark registration.

The intensity of the subsidies is tiered. Newly established entities (less than five years old) can receive up to 100% funding for their eligible expenses , with a limit of €60.000. For those with an operational history of between five and ten years, the limit is 90% (up to €50.000); while more established groups, with more than a decade of joint commercial activity, can cover up to 80% of their operating costs, with a maximum of €40.000.

With this funding, Cantabria reaffirms its commitment to external competitiveness , enabling its companies to overcome size limitations through trade integration and a joint export strategy.