STEP Scale Up
Invests in European deep-tech scale-up ventures with momentum needing capital for commercial expansion.
STEP Scale Up is the European Innovation Council's equity-only late-stage investment instrument, operated by the EIC Fund under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) framework and administered by EISMEA under Horizon Europe. It provides €10–30 million equity investments to individual deep-tech SMEs and small mid-caps (under 500 employees) that are raising scale-up rounds of €50–150…
Digital and Deep Tech, Clean Technologies, Biotechnologies. Priority on quantum technologies and semiconductors.
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Guides for this application
All guides →Horizon Europe Grants for Startups: A Founder Guide
A practical guide to Horizon Europe grants for startups, including EIC, consortia, eligibility, Funding & Tenders, TRL, budgets, and EU strategy.
Where to applyGrants for Biotech Startups: NIH, NSF, SBIR/STTR, and Non-Dilutive Funding
A practical guide to grants for biotech startups, including NIH SBIR/STTR, NSF, translational funding, evidence, regulatory readiness, and budgets.
Where to applyGrants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
Start hereTRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
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