EIC announces €300M STEP scale up call for scaling Europe's strategic tech innovations
Elena Pérez es una profesional con una sólida trayectoria en el ámbito de la investigación científica, la innovación y la financiación europea de proyectos de I+D. Actualmente es Senior Project Manager en Euro-Funding, liderando proyectos en el área de salud, biotecnología y MedTech, donde ayuda a empresas innovadoras a conseguir financiación pública no dilutiva para sus proyectos de investigación. Además, ejerce como evaluadora independiente en la red Eureka, aportando su experiencia en la valoración de iniciativas internacionales de innovación. Previamente, desarrolló su carrera en consultoría de financiación europea en IplusF y en el ámbito académico como investigadora postdoctoral y predoctoral en instituciones de prestigio como KU Leuven, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven University of Technology y la Universidad de Oviedo, centrando su investigación en biosensores, bioensayos y biotecnología aplicada a la salud. Complementa su experiencia con actividades docentes como Master Lecturer en IED Madrid. En cuanto a formación, Elena es Doctora en Ingeniería de Biosistemas por KU Leuven, además de contar con un Máster en Análisis Químico, Bioquímico y Estructural y una Licenciatura en Química Analítica por la Universidad de Oviedo. Su perfil combina la excelencia científica con un profundo conocimiento de la gestión de proyectos y de los mecanismos de financiación europeos, lo que la posiciona como una experta de referencia en la intersección entre investigación, innovación y consultoría estratégica.
The European Innovation Council Announces €300M STEP Scale up Call for Scaling Europe's Strategic Tech Innovations
The Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) is a European Union initiative aimed at advancing critical technologies within Europe to reduce strategic dependencies and bolster long-term competitiveness. Launched in 2024, STEP targets key sectors, including digital and deep tech innovations, clean and resource-efficient technologies, and biotechnologies. By channeling investments through existing EU programs like Horizon Europe and InvestEU, STEP provides both funding and strategic support to help scale groundbreaking innovations. Now, STEP has partnered with the European Innovation Council (EIC) to launch the EIC STEP Scale-Up Call, furthering support for high-impact companies ready for large-scale commercialization in these critical sectors.
Why EIC STEP Scale Up?
What’s on Offer?
This initiative is a pilot action introduced following the STEP regulation to address a crucial market gap in financing deep-tech scale-up companies. It seeks to support companies that:
- Develop a game-changing technology in critical domains.
- Have secured initial investments and are looking for larger rounds to scale rapidly.
- Face significant market risks preventing full financing through traditional investors.
If your company meets these conditions, the EIC STEP Scale-Up Call could be your gateway to success. This platform is designed to fuel Europe’s industrial, technological, and economic competitiveness by supporting the development and commercialisation of critical technologies.
The EIC STEP Scale-Up Call provides equity investments ranging from €10 to €30 million, intended to accelerate the development and market launch of innovative technologies. The goal is to catalyse funding rounds in the range of €50 to €150 million, leveraging co-investments to achieve at least 3-5 times the EIC investment. This funding mechanism provides the financial muscle to disrupt existing markets or create new ones, with a potential for significant global impact.
Strategic Technologies Covered
The call focuses on priority areas defined in the STEP regulation, which include:
- Digital technologies and deep tech innovations, such as advanced semiconductor and AI technologies, quantum computing, robotics, and more.
- Clean and resource-efficient technologies, ranging from solar and hydrogen technologies to circular economy solutions.
- Biotechnologies, encompassing advancements in medicinal products, DNA/RNA technologies, bioinformatics, and nanobiotechnology.
Benefits Beyond Funding
How to Apply?
What’s Next?
Beyond significant financial support, companies benefit from EIC Business Acceleration Services and the prestigious Sovereignty (STEP) Seal, which facilitates access to other EU funding programs and potential investors. This comprehensive support ecosystem ensures that selected companies can scale rapidly while staying competitive within the European market.
The STEP Scale-Up Call opens on November 26th, 2024, with proposals evaluated in batches every three months. The first batch of proposals will be reviewed starting February 25th, 2025.
To be eligible, your company must be an SME or small mid-cap with up to 499 employees, based in an EU Member State or an Associated Country. Your application must demonstrate:
- An innovative and critical technology aligned with the STEP priorities.
- A pre-commitment from a qualified lead investor representing at least 20% of the target funding round.
- A clear business plan with strategic commercial and market expansion plans.
Once submitted, proposals are assessed based on key criteria: technological excellence, market impact, and scale-up potential. Successful candidates will be invited to an EIC Jury interview, where their innovation will be evaluated by a panel of leading experts. The evaluation process takes approximately two months, with the first successful proposals receiving notifications by the end of April 2025.
With a total budget of €300 million for 2025, expected to rise to €900 million by 2027, the EIC STEP Scale Up Call aims to create a sustainable impact on Europe’s strategic technology landscape. If you’re ready to scale your groundbreaking innovation, the STEP Call is the opportunity you have been waiting for.
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