EIC STEP Scale Up 2027: Funding, Eligibility and Deadlines

EIC STEP Scale Up 2027 is an equity-only call for an SME or small mid-cap raising a major financing round to scale a critical digital, deep-tech, clean-tech or biotechnology innovation. The August 2026 draft allocates EUR 290 million to the general STEP call and permits EIC Fund investments from EUR 10 million to EUR 30 million.

Deadlines / EIC Accelerator Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Scale Up Cut-Off Dates 2027

• EIC STEP Scale-up Call
  • 1^st cut-off 2027: January 28^th 2027
  • 2^nd cut-off 2027: April 29^th 2027
  • 3^rd cut-off 2027: September 6^th 2027
  • 4^th cut-off 2027: November 22^nd 2027
• EIC STEP Scale Up Defence
  • 1^st cut-off 2027: June 1^st 2027

The call details and schedule remain provisional until the EIC Work Programme 2027 is adopted. STEP is not a larger Accelerator grant: it provides no grant component and requires substantial investor validation before application.

Eligible Technology Areas

1. Digital and deep technologies: semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, connectivity, navigation, sensing, robotics and autonomous systems.
2. Clean and resource-efficient technologies: renewable energy, storage, grids, heat pumps, geothermal, hydrogen, carbon management, nuclear technologies, advanced materials, manufacturing, recycling, water and circular-economy technologies.
3. Biotechnologies: DNA and RNA, proteins, cell and tissue engineering, process biotechnology, gene vectors, bioinformatics, nanobiotechnology and critical medicines.

The innovation must either introduce a cutting-edge element with significant economic potential in the EU market or reduce a strategic dependency. Civilian and potential dual-use applications can fall within the general STEP route; technology whose primary application is defence belongs under the separate defence call.

The 20% Single-Investor Rule

One qualified investor must pre-commit at least 20% of the complete target financing round. The qualifying amount must remain uninvested when the commitment is issued. Commitments from several investors cannot be added together when no single investor reaches the threshold.

This requirement changes the correct preparation order. The company must define its financing round and secure a qualifying lead commitment before submitting the STEP application. Proposal writing cannot substitute for investor validation.

Investment Size and Target Round

• EIC Fund request: EUR 10 million to EUR 30 million.
• Target financing round: generally EUR 50 million to EUR 150 million or more.
• Required leverage: the round should equal at least three to five times the requested EIC contribution.
• Funding form: equity or quasi-equity only.
• Draft 2027 call budget: EUR 290 million.

Application Documents

The application includes a business plan of up to 50 pages, a pitch deck of up to 15 pages, the official investor pre-commitment, a detailed financial plan, freedom-to-operate evidence or a justified statement, and CVs of key personnel. An investor can submit on behalf of the company only with the company's prior agreement.

Evaluation and Investment Decision

The initial review verifies company eligibility, STEP technology scope and the investor commitment. External technology due diligence can be commissioned before interview. The jury then evaluates breakthrough quality, technical feasibility, IP, market, business model, strategic impact, team, investment risk, leverage and risk management.

A jury GO starts detailed EIC Fund due diligence; it does not execute an investment. The final amount, instrument and terms can change, and the investment can still be rejected for justified due-diligence reasons.

STEP Scale Up or EIC Accelerator?

Use STEP when the company is already organising a very large financing round, has a qualifying investor commitment and needs at least EUR 10 million from the EIC Fund. Use the EIC Accelerator 2027 when grant-funded TRL 6–8 work remains necessary or the investment requirement is below the STEP range.

For the full draft context, see the EIC Work Programme 2027 guide; for historical comparison, read the EIC STEP Scale Up 2026 guide.