SustainX, a European Union-funded project, has arrived in the Archipelago to promote innovation and sustainability in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The initiative connects businesses from five European regions — Canary Islands, northeast Romania, Thessaly in Greece, Bulgaria, and Latvia — with the aim of strengthening their capabilities, encouraging interregional cooperation, and facilitating access to competitive funding opportunities.
The City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has launched a call for applications that will be open from 1 September to 17 October. This initiative will provide local SMEs with expert training, specialised advice, and the chance to collaborate with European partners.
Support from the Canary Islands
In the Archipelago, the Tenerife City Council, through the Santa Cruz Sustainable Foundation, plays a role as a regional partner, bringing its expertise in sustainability. The Foundation’s work will focus on assisting Canary Islands SMEs in incorporating sustainable criteria into their innovation processes and creating value in new markets.
The Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, emphasises that “Santa Cruz is committed to a more innovative, competitive, and sustainable economic model. With SustainX, we want our SMEs to make a significant leap in quality, integrating sustainability as a driving force for development and opening up to international cooperation and new opportunities for European funding.”
Programme Phases
The programme is set to train around 100 SMEs from the participating regions between November 2025 and May 2026. Subsequently, from May to September 2026, around 20 selected interregional companies will receive intensive consultancy to prepare funding proposals under the Interregional Innovation Investment Instrument and other European calls for proposals.
According to the Vice President of the Santa Cruz Sustainable Foundation, Carlos Tarife, “the role of the Foundation is to support Canary Islands SMEs on this journey, helping them integrate sustainability into their innovation processes and strengthening their capabilities to grow in a global market. With SustainX, we aim to prepare European projects and enhance the local business ecosystem with a forward-looking vision.”
