29 Oct 2026
EIC publishes overview of first EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call submissions
The European Innovation Council (EIC) has published the submission figures for its first ever EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call. The EIC received nine applications from defence companies across seven countries. One in three applications comes from a country eligible for Widening support. The companies’ field of expertise ranged across wide variety of defence strategic technology areas.
Applicants requested a total of €175 million in equity investment to catalyse funding rounds of at least three times the EIC contribution, accelerating the scale-up of critical defence technologies
On 17 June 2026, the European Commission had amended the EIC Work Programme 2026 to implement the Defence Mini-Omnibus, enabling the EIC to support defence and dual-use technologies. With a budget of €100 million for 2026, the EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call offers €10–30 million in direct equity investment per company through the EIC Fund. This marks the first time an EU funding programme will invest directly in the equity of defence companies.
Proposals are currently being evaluated. Interviews with shortlisted candidates are expected to take place in January 2027, with the results to be announced in February 2027.
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