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STEP: four calls worth €359m for critical technologies, open until 4 January
Compete 2030 has opened four calls for companies developing or manufacturing digital, biotech and clean-energy technologies, with applications until 4 January 2027.
Funding
€359m
Applications until 4 Jan 2027
On 30 September Compete 2030 opened four calls under STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform), for companies developing or manufacturing critical technologies in digital, biotechnology and clean energy. Together they total around €359 million and accept applications on the Balcão dos Fundos (EU funds portal) until 5 p.m. on 4 January 2027.
The four calls
| Call | Type | Areas | Regions | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPr-2026-10 | Productive innovation | Digital and biotech | Norte, Centro, Alentejo and Algarve | €107.95m |
| COMPETE2030-2026-12 | Productive innovation | Clean energy and carbon-neutral technologies | Norte, Centro and Alentejo | €100m |
| MPr-2026-9 | Business R&D&I | Digital and biotech | Norte, Centro, Alentejo and Algarve | €76m |
| COMPETE2030-2026-11 | Business R&D&I in co-promotion | Clean energy | Norte, Centro and Alentejo | €75m |
- Productive innovation, digital and biotech: 108.0€m
- Productive innovation, energy: 100€m
- R&D&I, digital and biotech: 76€m
- R&D&I, energy: 75€m
Who can apply
- Companies of any size, nature and legal form, with organised accounts.
- In the R&D&I calls, research and innovation entities (ENESII) too, in projects with companies.
- The investment must be located in the regions listed; in the Algarve, a separate application is required.
Rules to bear in mind
- Productive innovation: eligible cost between €3 million and €25 million per application, save duly justified cases (this limit does not apply in the Algarve). Support is a grant, capped by the maximum intensities of the regional aid map for STEP investments.
- Construction and building works: up to 35% of eligible cost (70% in the Algarve).
- R&D&I: projects at higher technology readiness, up to commercial production; maximum co-financing rate of 80% for the R&D component (85% for ENESII). The energy call is co-promotion only.
- Investments must serve the manufacture of end products, components, machinery, critical raw materials or services tied to critical technologies.
What it means in practice
These calls are for large industrial projects: the €3 million minimum rules out most micro and small companies, which may look at other open calls. The full rules, including the selection criteria, are in the calls published by Portugal 2030.
Source: Portugal 2030