EIC STEP Scale Up 2026 — EU Strategic Tech Scale-Up Investment
Large-scale EU equity investment for deep-tech scaleups raising €50M–€150M growth rounds. The EIC co-invests €10M–€30M alongside private investors. Targeted at companies that have passed initial commercialisation and need capital to establish a market position. Rolling applications with four deadlines in 2026.
The EU's largest single-company equity ticket — €10M to €30M per company. Designed for AI and deep tech scaleups raising serious growth rounds who want a credible European institution on the cap table alongside private VCs.
The EIC STEP Scale Up is a dedicated EU investment mechanism for companies in strategic technology sectors that are raising large growth rounds. Unlike the EIC Accelerator (which targets early/growth-stage), STEP Scale Up targets later-stage companies establishing market positions.
Key parameters:
- EIC co-investment: €10M to €30M per company
- Total funding round: €50M to €150M (EIC investment must be 3–5x smaller than total round)
- Pre-commitment required: A qualified investor must already commit to at least 20% of the total round
- Budget: €300M for 2026
Eligible strategic sectors:
- Artificial Intelligence and data
- Clean energy and climate technologies
- Advanced manufacturing and robotics
- Biotechnology and health technologies
- Space and connectivity
- Digital infrastructure and semiconductors
2026 Deadlines:
February 11(passed)May 6(passed)- September 9, 2026 ← next deadline
- November 25, 2026
What to submit:
- Full business plan (max 50 pages) including ownership structure and STEP objectives
- Pitch deck (max 15 pages) in PDF
- Pre-commitment letter from a qualified investor (official EIC template, minimum 20% of round)
Apply: via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at any time before a deadline. Applications are evaluated on innovation, strategic value, team, and scalability.