Open Call: EIC Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Scale Up

This call provides significant funding to fuel groundbreaking innovation in strategic technologies, propelling Europe’s economic, industrial, and technological competitiveness. This is a new call that has been introduced as a pilot action following the STEP Regulation to address an important market gap in financing deep tech scale up companies in Europe and to inform decisions on future support.

Priority Areas

• In order to apply, your innovation must be within the scope of the priority areas defined in the STEP regulation and further developed in the Guidance note
  • Digital technologies, and deep tech innovations. This includes: advanced semiconductor technologies; artificial intelligence technologies; quantum technologies; advanced connectivity, navigation and digital technologies; advanced sensing technologies; robotics and autonomous systems; Deep tech innovations.
  • Clean and resource efficient technologies, including net-zero technologies. This includes: solar technologies; onshore wind and offshore renewable technologies; battery and energy storage technologies; heat pumps and geothermal technologies; hydrogen technologies; sustainable biogas and biomethane technologies; carbon capture and storage technologies; electricity grid technologies; nuclear fission technologies, sustainable alternative fuel technologies; hydropower technologies; other renewable technologies; energy system -related energy efficiency technologies; renewable fuels of nonbiological origin technologies; biotech climate and energy solutions; transformative industrial technologies for decarbonisation; CO2 transport and utilisation technologies; wind and electric propulsion technologies; other nuclear technologies; advanced materials, manufacturing and recycling technologies, technologies vital to sustainability such as water purification and desalination; and circular economy technologies.
  • Biotechnologies, including medicinal products on the Union list of critical medicines and their components. Including DNA/RNA; proteins and other molecules; cell and tissue culture and engineering; process biotechnology techniques; Gene and RNA vectors; bioinformatics; and nanobiotechnology.

Benefits

• This call is part of the implementation of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)) which supports the development or manufacturing of critical technologies throughout the Union or safeguarding and strengthening their respective value chains. Besides, support from the EIC, the projects may be eligible for support under other EU programmes included in STEP.

Funding Information

• The companies selected under the EIC STEP Scale Up call can receive investments ranging from EUR 10 to EUR 30 million. This investment can significantly accelerate the development and market launch of your technology, product, or service. With this funding, you’ll gain the power to disrupt established markets and forge new ones across Europe, potentially achieving significant global impact. Crucially, this investment is designed to catalyse major funding rounds, e.g. in the range of EUR 50 to 150 million, and at least 3-5 times the EIC investment.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following entities are eligible to apply:
  • A single company classified as a SME or small mid-cap (up to 499 employees) established within a Member State or an Associated Country.
  • The company may have a holding entity for the purposes of the investment, and this holding company must also be established in a Member State or an Associated Country.
  • An investor may submit a proposal on behalf of an eligible SME or small midcap as defined above, provided that a prior agreement exists with the company. The investment agreement will be signed with the selected SME or small mid-cap.

For more information, visit European Union.