The ICEX High Impact Competitiveness Plan 2025 is a real opportunity. A response with money, ideas and tools for Spanish companies -especially SMEs and family businesses- to survive, grow and go out into the world in earnest. But it is important to understand it well. Even more so if you are affected by tariffs, increasingly tight margins or the bureaucracy that hinders every attempt at internationalisation.
The ICEX High Impact Competitiveness Plan explained
Yes, the name is long. But what lies behind it is quite straightforward: more than 14 billion euros in two phases. One to protect, one to push. Translated: if your company is suffering from tariffs, volatile markets or lack of muscle to internationalise, here’s something you can use.
There is personalised attention for 500 large exporters to the US (the ICEX500), but also for hundreds of SMEs that are ready to make the leap or simply survive with fewer shocks.
Do you run a family business, make something good but don’t know where to start with the outside world? This plan is not only for those who are already abroad. It is also for those who want to get there but don’t know how. Or for those who have made it, but are now squeezed by margins and regulation.
What makes this plan different?
First, there is urgency. There is a network of protection, funding, technical support and training designed to act now. And then there is the underlying approach: creating more resilient businesses. That sounds like a buzzword, yes, but it means something very concrete. Don’t get knocked down by the next global scare. That your business can continue to operate even if the environment gets tougher (and it will get tougher).
The Tariff Impact Observatory will meet every month. Why does it matter? Because it detects risks in real time and adjusts. It’s like having a radar on so you don’t eat the iceberg.
Then there is the Brand & Innovation programme. Every year, 250 business leaders will receive practical training in strategic positioning. Which is what it takes to stand out when you’re competing with half the world.
And what’s more: 700 SMEs will be supported to obtain an official rating, which is key if you want to finance yourself or sign up with demanding clients outside Spain. There will also be acceleration for 200 startups with access to international funding and mentoring.
Are you worried about bureaucracy? Under the «Regime 20» initiative, work is being done to reduce absurd red tape that slows down businesses: approvals, permits, duplication. Less friction, more action.
How SMEs and family businesses can take advantage of it
This plan may seem to be designed for large companies with international departments and in-house lawyers. But it is not. It is especially aimed at SMEs and family businesses. The ones that most need real support and less technicalities. The ones that have no time to waste.
Let’s take a case: an industrial SME in Zaragoza that exports components and sees how tariffs in the US are eating into its margins. With the ICEX plan it can:
- Get advice on how to reorganise your logistics chain.
- Access forums with business advisors from 40 countries.
- Training in differentiation strategies.
- Obtain alternative financing.
Or an agri-food company in Murcia that exports only to France and Germany. With this plan, you can:
- Diversify towards Latin America or Asia, with real market intelligence.
- Participate in mentoring to redefine your international value proposition.
- Enter networking networks that were previously inaccessible.
And you don’t have to do it alone. That’s what programmes like the ICEX500 or access to public financial instruments are for. The aim of the ICEX High Impact Competitiveness Plan 2025 is not only to put resources on the table, but also to help you use them well.
Because growing abroad requires structure, taxation, branding, strategy… and a lot of resistance.
At Confianz we know how difficult it is for a family business to adapt to a complex global context. If you are interested in understanding which part of the ICEX High Impact Competitiveness 2025 Plan is right for your company, let’s look at it together. We bring it down to earth. And we help you apply it with strategy and common sense.