STEP will support investments in companies that contribute to preserving a European edge on critical technologies, throughout companies’ full life cycle.
Through sustained support the companies will be able to take off, grow and become mature in the Union.
The types of companies include: small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including start-ups; middle-sized enterprises (mid-caps), which lie in between SMEs and larger companies; and larger companies.
The STEP will target companies in different stages of business development:
- Equity support to non-bankable SMEs, including start-ups; and non-bankable small mid-caps through the European Innovation Council under Horizon Europe;
- Equity and debt support to EU companies under InvestEU;
- Grants to clean tech projects, including large ones, under the Innovation Fund and grants to deep and digital tech projects for defence applications under the European Defence Fund;
- Any type of support to any type of undertaking active in deep tech, clean tech and bio tech sectors through the cohesion policy funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility.