European Innovation Council STEP Scale Up Defence
EIC STEP Scale Up Defence
Status not published
2026 application deadline: 28 October 2026. Interview notification 4-6 weeks from evaluation start; results 2 weeks after interview.
EUR 10-30 million equity per company via the EIC Fund, designed to catalyse larger rounds of EUR 50-150 million or more. 2026 budget: EUR 100 million. No grant component.
European Innovation Council Fund / EISMEA, under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)
public · supranational
Deadline: cutoff — 2026 application deadline: 28 October 2026. Interview notification 4-6 weeks from evaluation start; results 2 weeks after interview.
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Moderate — a form and supporting documents.
Who can apply
- Up to 499 employees
- Sectors: deeptech
- Stage: series_a, growth
- Locally registered entity required
Critical defence technology areas explicitly named include air and missile defence, drones and counter-drones. Eligible countries: EU Member States, EEA countries associated with Horizon Europe, and Ukraine. This scheme marks the EIC opening to defence and dual-use technologies from 17 June 2026.
How to apply
- Confirm eligibility: single SME or small mid-cap (<500 employees) in an EU Member State, an EEA country associated with Horizon Europe, or Ukraine, working on critical defence technologies. — link
- Obtain proof of initial market interest from a single qualified investor covering at least 20% of the total target funding round. — link
- Submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by the deadline; interview and due diligence follow. — link
What you will need
- Application form / business plan
- Evidence of qualified investor interest covering at least 20% of the target round
Source. https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-step-scale-defence_en — checked 2026-08-14
"breakthrough innovations in the critical defence technologies areas such as air and missile defence, drones and counter drones ... proof of initial market interest from a single qualified investor covering at least 20% of the total target funding round"