In 2025, the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group made record investments in Spain, totalling around €11 billion, alongside an additional €2.9 billion through NextGenerationEU loans under the Regional Resilience Fund. These investments supported a wide range of sectors, including innovation, energy and electricity grids, security and defence, housing, SMEs, agriculture, and the green and digital transitions, marking a record year for the country.
Innovation received unprecedented backing, with €2.8 billion invested in projects ranging from large companies to disruptive startups. The EIB Group also committed to a second Spanish megafund, Seaya Growth Tech Fund I, to support technology scaleups, including unicorns, and foster deeptech, medtech, and cleantech development. The European Investment Fund (EIF) played a key role, facilitating venture capital and fund-of-funds structures to translate research into market-ready solutions.
Energy and grid infrastructure were a major focus, with €1.9 billion directed to electricity grids and storage systems. This financing supported projects such as smart meter installations, grid digitalization, repairs from flood damage, and interconnections, including doubling electricity exchange capacity between France and Spain via the Bay of Biscay project. Investments in sustainable transport reached €1.5 billion, financing metro extensions, railway upgrades, and high-speed lines. Efficient water management also reached record levels with €570 million invested, including the first green bond issuance by a water company.
The EIB Group expanded support for Spain’s security and defence industry, providing €500 million for innovation, supply chain development, and venture capital initiatives tailored to the sector. Housing investments nearly doubled over two years, reaching €2 billion to build 11,000 new homes, support energy efficiency upgrades, and foster sustainable construction. Healthcare infrastructure and services for the elderly and people with disabilities also benefited from targeted financing.
Support for SMEs and mid-cap companies rose to €4.2 billion, a 55% increase over the previous year, driven by EIF-backed NextGenerationEU loans and agreements with Spanish financial institutions. Spain became the top recipient of EIB funding for women entrepreneurs, receiving €620 million to support gender-focused initiatives, including financing programmes in the pharmaceutical sector and advisory services via the Gender Finance Lab.
Agriculture and the bioeconomy also saw significant investment, with €1.5 billion supporting food security, rural communities, and young farmers, alongside bioeconomy and healthy food projects. Overall, the EIB Group’s 2025 activity in Spain reinforced its role as a key driver of innovation, sustainability, and economic resilience, contributing to the country’s green, digital, and social transformation while strengthening EU-wide cohesion and competitiveness.
