Scaling defence tech in Europe: What the new EIC STEP Scale Up Defence Call means for SMEs

This webinar introduced DIGITAL SME’s Defence, Security & Resilience (DSR) community to the newly opened EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call and explained, in practical terms, what it could mean for European defence‑tech SMEs. The session provided an overview of the instrument, focusing on why it matters, who it is for, and how companies should prepare their application.

Participants received an explanation of the call’s objectives and the types of companies and technologies it is intended to support. The presentation outlined the general logic of the instrument, the growth stages it targets, and how it fits into the wider landscape of EU funding and investment options for defence and dual‑use technologies.

The session was particularly valuable for founders, senior managers, and business development leads in SMEs and scale‑ups that are already active, or are considering moving, into defence‑relevant markets. By joining, the participants gained a clearer picture of an important new funding avenue and were better positioned to decide if and how to engage with it.