The first ever EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call has closed with nine applications from defence companies across seven countries. One in three applications comes from a widening country (countries with lower research and innovation performance). 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.
Background
There is an urgent need to strengthen Europe’s security and technological sovereignty. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has underlined the urgency of strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities, technological sovereignty and industrial capacity, while reducing dependence on non-EU technologies.
On 17 June 2026, the European Commission amended the EIC work programme 2026 to implement the Defence Mini-Omnibus, enabling the EIC to support defence and dual-use technologies.
With €100 million budget 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.
The EIC Fund will help companies secure the capital needed to scale up high-risk defence innovations, addressing financing gaps and attracting additional private investment. The call supports the expansion of industrial capabilities in areas such as air and missile defence, drones and counter-drone systems, and other critical defence technologies.
https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/overview-eic-step-scale-defence-call-submissions-2026-10-29_en