Equity European Union
EIC STEP Scale Up Defence
European Innovation Council (EIC)
Apply / official page ↗Typical funding
Up to €30M equity per company, within a budget of about €100M.
Maximum
€30M per company.
Startup stage
Scale‑up defence and dual‑use deep‑tech companies.
Sector focus
Defence and dual‑use technologies critical to EU strategic autonomy.
Overview
Direct equity financing to accelerate scale‑up of industrial capabilities in defence technologies, including air and missile defence, drones and counter‑drone solutions.
Who's eligible
Defence and dual‑use companies meeting EIC’s criteria and operating in eligible countries.
How to apply
Apply via dedicated STEP Defence calls on EU Funding & Tenders portal.
Good to know
Marked as first time an EU programme invests direct equity in defence companies.