STEP Defense & Security Tech — Call 02-130-K
Funds defense and security technology development in Lithuania through large-scale innovation grants for production-oriented projects.
⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.
The STEP Defense and Security Technology call (code 02-130-K) is one of the largest single competitive grants administered by Innovation Agency Lithuania, with a total ERDF budget of EUR 46,574,575. It operates under the EU's Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), established by EU Regulation 2024/795, which channels ERDF reprogrammed funds toward defense and security technology priorities. The call funds enterprises — both SMEs and large companies — to undertake experimental development or production of defense and security technologies, including specialized components and machines defined under STEP guidelines section 1.1.2. A third activity stream funds worker training for STEP technology production. The submission window ran from 5 December 2025 to 8 April 2026.
The maximum grant per project is EUR 12,000,000. The budget is split by region: EUR 29,095,450 for the Vilnius Capital region and EUR 17,479,125 for Central and Western Lithuania. Eligible R&D costs include equipment depreciation, personnel salaries and contributions, business travel, pro-rata equipment rental, premises rental up to 10% of eligible costs, R&D materials, and fixed-rate indirect costs. For production activities, eligible costs extend to production equipment including financial leasing, software, patents, and licenses. Training costs include trainer salaries, trainer and trainee travel and accommodation (Lithuania and abroad), materials, and consultancy.
Applications were evaluated competitively and submitted through the national investment platform esinvesticijos.lt. The dedicated STEP eligibility contact is Vaidas Lileika at Innovation Agency Lithuania. Only Lithuanian-registered enterprises are eligible — not-for-profit organizations, universities, and research organizations are excluded. The call closed 8 April 2026; a successor call under the continuing 2021-2027 EU programme is possible but had not been announced as of the date this record was compiled.
Experimental development and production of defense and security technologies by Lithuanian enterprises under the EU STEP framework, including specialized components.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see the timeline