ASOCIACION DE EMPRESARIOS DEL HENARES

Their core work

AEDHE is a business association based in the Henares industrial corridor near Madrid, representing local enterprises and providing them with innovation support services. Their core work involves helping SMEs access EU funding instruments (H2020, COSME, FTI), offering business coaching, and connecting companies to the Enterprise Europe Network. They also engage in circular economy and sustainable construction initiatives, bridging the gap between regional industry needs and European research programs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2014-2016), AEDHE focused narrowly on direct SME coaching and innovation services delivery — hands-on business support within the Madrid region through the Enterprise Europe Network. From 2017 onward, their scope broadened significantly: they entered circular economy territory with CINDERELA, engaged with energy research talent attraction through GOT ENERGY, and their INNMADRIMASD projects expanded to reference a wider basket of EU instruments (FET Open, FTI, COSME alongside H2020). This suggests a shift from pure SME coaching toward becoming a broader regional innovation intermediary connecting businesses to diverse EU programmes and thematic areas.

AEDHE is evolving from a local SME coaching provider into a multi-thematic regional innovation hub, increasingly connecting Madrid-area businesses to energy, circular economy, and sustainability research.

How they like to work

AEDHE exclusively participates as a partner — they have never coordinated an H2020 project, which is typical for business associations that contribute regional industry access and SME networks rather than research leadership. With 41 unique partners across 11 countries, they operate in moderately large consortia and do not repeat partners heavily, suggesting they serve as a gateway to the Madrid industrial ecosystem rather than as a deep technical contributor. This makes them a reliable regional anchor partner for consortia needing access to Spanish SMEs.

AEDHE has collaborated with 41 unique partners across 11 countries, indicating a solid European network built primarily through CSA-type coordination and support actions. Their geographic spread is broad for a regional association, though their value lies in being a gateway to the Madrid/Henares industrial corridor.

What sets them apart

AEDHE's distinct value is their position as a business association embedded in one of Spain's most important industrial corridors (the Henares area near Madrid), giving them direct access to hundreds of SMEs and their real-world innovation needs. Unlike research institutes or consultancies, they represent the demand side — they know what local companies struggle with and can mobilize them as end-users or pilot sites. For any consortium needing genuine industry engagement in Spain rather than token participation, AEDHE offers an authentic link to the business community.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CINDERELA
  By far their largest funded project (EUR 770K), marking a significant thematic expansion into circular economy and sustainable urban construction — well beyond their usual SME coaching remit.
• INNMADRIMASD
  A five-edition series (2014-2021) demonstrating sustained commitment to Madrid-region SME innovation support, with progressive expansion of EU programme coverage across iterations.
• GOT ENERGY
  Their longest-running project (2017-2023) and their only involvement in researcher mobility/talent attraction, connecting energy research excellence with regional industrial impact.