Horizon Europe: European Innovation Council (EIC) STEP Scale Up Defence 2026

The European Innovation Council (European Innovation Council, EIC) supports breakthrough innovations with disruptive impact and the potential for international scaling. 

STEP Scale Up Defence promotes innovation in the field of critical defence technologies to strengthen Europe’s technological and industrial defence base and reduce strategic dependencies. The programme aims to catalyse larger funding rounds ranging from 50 to 150 million euros or more, mobilizing at least 3 to 5 times the EIC investment.

STEP's defence technology divisions are: 

• Air and Missile Defence: These may include, for example, integrated, multilayer air and missile defence systems, interceptor missiles, and detection systems (including radar systems);
• Artillery and Precision Strikes: These may include, for example, artillery systems, capabilities for precision strikes over long distances, and modern ammunition;
• Rockets and Ammunition: These may include, for example, guided missiles and ammunition, conventional ammunition, warheads, and propellants;
• Drones and Drone Defence: These may include, for example, unmanned aerial systems (of all classes), swarm systems, jammers, and anti-UAV systems;
• Strategic Enablers: These may include, for example, space resources and their protection, space situational awareness, space-based services (Earth observation, PNT, secure communications), critical infrastructure protection, and energy security;
• Cyber, AI, and Electronic Warfare: These include, for example, AI for command and control, cyber defence, information warfare, operations in the electromagnetic spectrum, electronic warfare systems, the digital transformation of the armed forces, and optronic and radio-frequency systems;
• Military Mobility: These include, for example, warehousing and engineering capabilities, sustainable and agile logistics, and additive manufacturing for in-the-field maintenance;
• Ground Fighting: These include, for example, direct fire support systems, soldier equipment, and manned and unmanned ground combat systems;
• Maritime: These include, for example, maritime situational awareness, surface and underwater combat systems, manned and unmanned platforms, and systems for countering seabed threats and submarines;
• Air Combat: These include, for example, air-to-air combat systems, airborne early warning, tactical and strategic airlift, rotary-wing aircraft, and air-to-air refueling;
• Medicine and Countermeasures: These include, for example, military medical technologies and CBRN defence, including sensors, protective, decontamination, and recovery systems.

Note: To be eligible for funding under this call for proposals, the proposed products, technologies, or services must primarily for defence purposes be designated as such. Solutions with predominantly civilian or dual-use applications should be submitted under the general EIC-STEP Scale-Up call for proposals.

Information about EIC STEP Scale Up, including the current work program, can be found at the European Commission website .

SMEs or small mid-cap companies (with up to 499 employees)

Exclusion Rule: Companies that directly or indirectly from someone else Third Country than Ukraine or an EEA member state associated with “Horizon Europe,” or by legal entities from such a third country controlled are excluded from participation. However, such legal entities may still be eligible to participate in this call for proposals, provided that adequate guarantees are submitted to the Commission and approved in accordance with the national procedures of the Member State or the EEA member associated with “Horizon Europe” in which the legal entity is established, are approved.

The financing structure consists of equity capital ranging from 10 to 30 million euros, in order to facilitate investment rounds that are 3 to 5 times larger.

SMEs or small mid-cap companies, are aiming for larger funding rounds (50–150 million euros) and evidence of initial market interest from a individual, qualified investor can present, which at least 20% of the overall target covers the funding round.

• Submission the investment plan, including a complete business plan and information on the company’s ownership and financial structure, as well as STEP Defense-related objectives (maximum 50 pages), a pitch deck in PDF format (maximum 15 pages), a preliminary commitment from a qualified investor, a financial plan, and a letter of consent; the results of the freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis; and the resumes of key employees. In addition, a self-assessment document must be submitted to determine whether the applicant is directly or indirectly controlled by a third country that is neither Ukraine nor an EEA member state associated with “Horizon Europe.” If it turns out that direct or indirect control exists, the applicant must provide a guarantee.

  Submissions will be collected through October 28, 2026, at 5:00 p. m., and evaluated jointly. 

• Interview with the EIC jury

• Evaluation of the investment plan: 4–6 weeks
• Decision after the interview: 2 weeks