Uruguay’s ANII has rolling funding open to companies, and SiGa Innovación guarantees up to 70% of innovation loans until 31 December 2026

Uruguay’s ANII has rolling funding open to companies, and SiGa Innovación guarantees up to 70% of innovation loans until 31 December 2026

22 September 2026: Uruguay's National Research and Innovation Agency (ANII) runs most of its company and startup support as "ventanilla abierta": open windows where applications are accepted at any time until funds run out. Its 2026 calendar shows several such instruments open to technology companies. One of them has a fixed end: SiGa Innovación, a loan-guarantee line that opened on 22 September 2026 and closes at 14:00 on 31 December 2026.

SiGa Innovación: guarantees for innovation loans

SiGa Innovación is a joint initiative of ANII, the National Development Agency (ANDE), the National Guarantee System (SiGa) and U+I, meant to make bank credit easier for micro, small and medium enterprises that are investing in innovation.

• Guarantee: up to 70% of the loan, with a maximum guarantee of UI 1,200,000 and terms of up to 72 months.
• Cost: a 50% discount on the guarantee fee.
• Eligibility: a legal entity with at least three years of verifiable operation, formalised, current with social security (BPS) and tax (DGI), and creditworthy.
• Excluded: projects that only buy turnkey technology.

Company instruments open now

• Implementación de la Innovación: for companies based in Uruguay, to bring new or improved products, services or business processes to market. Up to 70% of recognised costs, capped at UYU 4,000,000 over up to 18 months, or UYU 5,000,000 for climate-related projects or national-foreign partnerships.
• Articulación Academia + Sector Productivo: joint projects between at least one private company and one national R&D institution. Up to 70%, capped at UYU 5,000,000 (UYU 6,000,000 for climate), over up to 24 months.
• Herramientas para la Innovación: building a company's internal innovation capacity, including hiring professionals, validating technology ideas and bringing in international experts.
• Apoyo al Patentamiento: part of the cost of filing patents and utility models abroad.

For startups

• Apoyo a Emprendimientos Innovadores: a non-repayable grant of up to 80%, with ANII contributing up to UYU 3,000,000 over up to 24 months. Founders put in at least 20% in cash, and the share rises to 90% for climate or women-led projects.
• Coinversión en startups: ANII co-invests alongside a registered venture-capital fund or angel investor. It is for early-stage digital, green-tech and biotech startups with a working product and traction. The investor must meet ANII's registry criteria and have completed due diligence.

Not yet independently verified. Apart from SiGa Innovación, these open-window instruments have no closing date: ANII says each stays open subject to available funds, and it has not said when any will close. The publisher has not stated it yet; we will update the dates here as we hear from the publisher. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

What to do

• Uruguayan software companies with a product or process project ready can apply to Implementación de la Innovación now rather than waiting for a call.
• SMEs financing an innovation project with a bank loan should ask about SiGa Innovación before 31 December.
• Startups raising from a registered investor should check whether the round qualifies for ANII co-investment.

Sources

• ANII (Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación): calendario de apoyos 2026 (read 30 September 2026) - 30 September 2026
• ANII: SiGa Innovación (opening 22 September 2026) - 22 September 2026
• ANII: Implementación de la Innovación (read 30 September 2026) - 30 September 2026