EIC STEP Scale Up

EIC STEP Scale Up <div class="eui-u-mt-l>"><h4>General conditions</h4><div><h4>1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout</h4><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p>In order to apply, your innovation must be within the scope of the priority areas defined in the <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202400795" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">STEP regulation, </a>which includes Critical Raw Materials<a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202400795" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&#xa0;</a>and further developed in the&#xa0;<a href="https://strategic-technologies.europa.eu/document/download/e204ce9e-0407-4f03-82f8-6f518ce12886_en?filename=C_2024_3148_F1_COMMUNICATION_FROM_COMMISSION_EN_V6_P1_3408774.PDF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Guidance note</a>:</p><p class="ql-indent-1"><strong>a. Digital technologies</strong>, and deep tech innovations. This includes: advanced semiconductor technologies; artificial intelligence technologies; quantum technologies; advanced connectivity, navigation and digital technologies; advanced sensing technologies; robotics and autonomous systems; Deep tech innovations (see Glossary of the&#xa0;<a href="EIC Work Programme 2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026</a>).</p><p class="ql-indent-1"><strong>b. Clean and resource efficient technologies</strong>, including net-zero technologies. This includes: solar technologies; onshore wind and offshore renewable technologies; battery and energy storage technologies; heat pumps and geothermal technologies; hydrogen technologies; sustainable biogas and biomethane technologies; carbon capture and storage technologies; electricity grid technologies; nuclear fission technologies, sustainable alternative fuel technologies; hydropower technologies; other renewable technologies; energy system -related energy efficiency technologies; renewable fuels of nonbiological origin technologies; biotech climate and energy solutions; transformative industrial technologies for decarbonisation; CO2 transport and utilisation technologies; wind and electric propulsion technologies; other nuclear technologies; advanced materials, manufacturing and recycling technologies, technologies vital to sustainability such as water purification and desalination; and circular economy technologies.</p><p class="ql-indent-1"><strong>c. Biotechnologies</strong>, including medicinal products on the Union list of critical medicines and their components. Including DNA/RNA; proteins and other molecules; cell and tissue culture and engineering; process biotechnology techniques; Gene and RNA vectors; bioinformatics; and nanobiotechnology.</p><p>These technologies are deemed critical where they meet either of the following conditions:</p><p class="ql-indent-1">a. they bring to the internal market an innovative, emerging and cutting-edge element with significant economic potential;</p><p class="ql-indent-1">b. they contribute to reducing or preventing strategic dependencies of the Union.</p><p>The Commission&#xa0;<a href="https://strategic-technologies.europa.eu/document/download/e204ce9e-0407-4f03-82f8-6f518ce12886_en?filename=C_2024_3148_F1_COMMUNICATION_FROM_COMMISSION_EN_V6_P1_3408774.PDF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Guidance note</a>, concerning certain provisions of STEP Regulation adopted on May 2024, provides detailed information on the criticality conditions. This call targets companies raising significant funding rounds and you must demonstrate an initial market interest such that the EIC investment acts as a catalyst for larger funding rounds. You will therefore need to demonstrate that the company already has a precommitment for an equity investment which meets the following elements:</p><ul><li data-list="bullet"><span class="ql-ui" contenteditable="false"></span>The pre-commitment comes from a single qualified investor with demonstrable know-how and experience in the relevant market, technology and jurisdiction and subject to KYC by the EIC Fund or the EIF.. The precommitted investor may be an existing investor in the company and does not necessarily need to be the investor who intends to lead the investment round;</li><li data-list="bullet"><span class="ql-ui" contenteditable="false"></span>The pre-commitment represents at least 20% of the total target funding round you are aiming to raise.</li></ul><p>The following entities are eligible to apply:</p><ol><li data-list="ordered"><span class="ql-ui" contenteditable="false"></span>A single company classified as a SME or small mid-cap (up to 499 employees) established within a Member State or an Associated Country (see Annex 2 of the&#xa0;<a href="EIC Work Programme 2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026</a>). The company may have a holding entity for the purposes of the investment, and this holding company must also be established in a Member State or an Associated Country.</li><li data-list="ordered"><span class="ql-ui" contenteditable="false"></span>An investor may submit a proposal on behalf of an eligible SME or small midcap as defined above, provided that a prior agreement exists with the company. The investment agreement will be signed with the selected SME or small mid-cap.</li></ol><p><strong>Proposal page limits and layout:</strong>&#xa0;described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.</p><p><br></br></p></div></div><div><h4>2. Eligible Countries</h4><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p>described in Annex 2(B. Eligibility) of the <a href="https://eic.ec.europa.eu/document/download/52598755-1351-4b54-b46b-e2682d0a3aec_en?filename=EIC-Work-Programme-2026.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026.&#xa0;</a></p></div></div><div><h4>3. Other Eligible Conditions</h4><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p>described in Annex 2(General conditions for proposals) of the <a href="https://eic.ec.europa.eu/document/download/52598755-1351-4b54-b46b-e2682d0a3aec_en?filename=EIC-Work-Programme-2026.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026</a>.&#xa0;</p></div></div><div><h4>4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion</h4><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p>described in Annex 2(C. Financial and Operational Capacity) of the <a href="https://eic.ec.europa.eu/document/download/52598755-1351-4b54-b46b-e2682d0a3aec_en?filename=EIC-Work-Programme-2026.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026</a>.&#xa0;</p></div></div><div><h4>5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds</h4><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p>described in section VI of the <a href="https://eic.ec.europa.eu/document/download/52598755-1351-4b54-b46b-e2682d0a3aec_en?filename=EIC-Work-Programme-2026.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026. </a></p></div></div><div><h4>5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes</h4><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p>described in section VI of the <a href="https://eic.ec.europa.eu/document/download/52598755-1351-4b54-b46b-e2682d0a3aec_en?filename=EIC-Work-Programme-2026.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026. </a></p></div></div><div><h4>5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement</h4><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p>described in section VI of the <a href="https://eic.ec.europa.eu/document/download/52598755-1351-4b54-b46b-e2682d0a3aec_en?filename=EIC-Work-Programme-2026.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026. </a></p></div></div><div class="eui-u-mt-s"> </div></div><div class="eui-u-mt-s"> </div><div class="eui-u-mt-l"><div class="eui-u-mt-s"><p> <a href="https://eic.ec.europa.eu/document/download/52598755-1351-4b54-b46b-e2682d0a3aec_en?filename=EIC-Work-Programme-2026.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EIC Work Programme 2026</a></p></div><h4>Application and e