EIC STEP Defence

"> General conditions
1. Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
The EIC STEP Scale-Up call for defence technologies supports projects falling within the defence strategic technology areas as described in STEP ( Second Guidance Note on STEP ) , namely:

• Air and missile defence : this can for example include integrated multi-layered air and missile defence systems, interceptors, detection systems (including radars);

• Artillery and precision strike : this can for example include artillery systems, long-range precision strike capabilities, advanced munitions;

• Missiles and ammunition : this can for example include guided missiles and ammunition, conventional munitions, warheads, propellants;

• Drones and counter-drones : this can for example include unmanned aerial systems (all classes), swarming systems, jammers, anti-UAV systems;

• Strategic enablers : this can for example include space assets and their protection, space situational awareness, space-based services (Earth Observation, PNT, secure communications), protection of critical infrastructure and energy security;

• Cyber, AI and electronic warfare : this can for example include AI for command and control, cyber-defence, information warfare, electromagnetic spectrum operations, electronic warfare systems, digital transformation of armed forces, optronics and radiofrequency systems;

• Military mobility : this can for example include warehousing and engineering capabilities, sustainable and agile logistics, additive manufacturing for combat maintenance;

• Ground combat : this can for example include close fire support systems, soldier systems, manned and unmanned ground combat systems;

• Maritime : this can for example include maritime situational awareness, surface and underwater combat systems, manned and unmanned platforms, seabed and anti-submarine warfare systems;

• Air combat : this can for example include air combat systems, airborne early warning, tactical and strategic air transport, rotorcraft, air-to-air refuelling;

• Medical and countermeasures : this can for example include military medical technologies, CBRN defence including sensors, protection, decontamination and recovery systems.
Note: To be eligible under this call, the proposed products, technologies or services must have a primary defence application. Solutions with predominantly civilian or dual-use applications should refer to the general EIC STEP Scale Up call .
In order to apply under the EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call, your innovation must also be critical thereby meeting either of the following conditions:

• it brings to the internal market an innovative, emerging and cutting-edge element with significant economic potential; or

• it contributes to reducing or preventing strategic dependencies of the Union.
Pre-commitment
This call targets companies raising significant funding rounds and you must demonstrate an initial market interest such that the EIC investment acts as a catalyst for larger funding rounds.
You will therefore need to demonstrate that the company already has a pre-commitment for an equity investment which meets the following elements:

• The pre-commitment comes from a single qualified investor204 subject to KYC by the EIC Fund or the EIF. The pre-committed investor may be an existing investor in the company and does not necessarily need to be the investor who intends to lead the investment round.

• The pre-commitment represents at least 20% of the total target funding round you are aiming to raise. Moreover, the portion of the pre-commitment corresponding to at least 20% of the funding round must be fully uninvested as of the date of the pre-commitment letter. Syndicated pre-commitments, as long as no entity’s individual contribution is equal or above the 20% threshold, will be deemed ineligible.
The following entities are eligible to apply:

• A single company classified as a SME or small mid-cap (up to 499 employees) established in the Union,…