Discovery tool, not advice. Every figure is the published rule, not a decision on your case.

Equity

European Innovation Council STEP Scale Up Defence

EIC STEP Scale Up Defence

Status

Status not published

2026 application deadline: 28 October 2026. Interview notification 4-6 weeks from evaluation start; results 2 weeks after interview.

Check with the funder

Amount

€30,000,000

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.

Funder

European Innovation Council Fund / EISMEA, under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)

public · supranational

Deadline: Fixed cut-off dates — 2026 application deadline: 28 October 2026. Interview notification 4-6 weeks from evaluation start; results 2 weeks after interview.

Your odds

Not published

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.

Effort

moderate

Moderate — a form and supporting documents.

Who can apply

Up to 499 employees
Sectors: deeptech
Stage: Series A and 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

Apply on the funder's site

Source. https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-step-scale-defence_en

"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"

Verified on 14 August 2026

Source: eic.ec.europa.eu

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