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Grants›EIC STEP Scale Up 2026 (equity only)
Equity

EIC STEP Scale Up 2026 (equity only)

by European Commission (EIC Fund)
administered by EISMEA — European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency; EIC Fund
Before you plan around this

Open to dual-use technologies since 17 June 2026. A separate EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call (EUR 100 million in 2026) provides up to EUR 30 million direct equity for defence technologies.

Summary

The EIC Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Scale Up call provides EIC Fund equity investments of EUR 10-30 million to promising companies (SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs and small mid-caps) innovating in critical technology areas, to help them secure larger private co-investment rounds of EUR 50 million or above. It is an equity-only instrument (no grant). Total indicative budget EUR 300 million for 2026 (expected to rise to EUR 900 million for 2025-2027). Open to dual-use technologies since 17 June 2026.

Can you apply?

Who
Promising scale-ups — SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs and small mid-caps — innovating in critical technology areas that are raising a large private co-investment round (EUR 50 million or above) and want EIC Fund equity of EUR 10-30 million alongside it.
Money
€10M–€30M
share of eligible costs not stated
When
Rolling — apply any working day
Effort
Very high
editorial estimate of the application, not the funder's word
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Eligibility

  • •SME, start-up, spin-off or small mid-cap innovating in a critical technology area
  • •Raising a private co-investment round of EUR 50 million or above
  • •Applying for EIC Fund equity of EUR 10-30 million (equity only, no grant)
  • •Established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country
Eligible organisations
Startup, SME, Corporate

About this grant

Equity-only EIC instrument under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The EIC Fund invests EUR 10-30 million (with an additional flexibility amount of up to EUR 5 million per application) as direct equity to co-invest in a private funding round in the range of EUR 50 million or above, to help scale-ups in critical technology areas secure larger private co-investment. Applicants: SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs and small mid-caps. Total indicative budget EUR 300 million for 2026, expected to rise to EUR 900 million for 2025-2027 (unused amounts may be carried over). A separate EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call (EUR 200 million for 2026-2027, EUR 100 million in 2026) provides up to EUR 30 million direct equity for defence technologies. Open to dual-use since 17 June 2026. The harvested materials do not state per-call deadlines or a detailed eligibility list.

Details

Programme
Horizon Europe — European Innovation Council (EIC)
Eligible region
Europe
Total call budget
€300M

Sectors

Digital & TechnologyScience & Technology / R&D

Compiled by FundedBy from public sources. Confirm details with the funding body before applying.

Last updated 15 September 2026 · Last verified 2 September 2026

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