EIC Receives Nine Applications for Defence Funding
Companies requested a total of €175 million in equity investment to support dual-use technology development.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Startups
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The European Innovation Council has received nine applications from seven countries for its first EIC STEP Scale Up Defence call. Applicants are seeking a total of €175 million in direct equity investment.
Why it matters
The EIC amended its work programme to accelerate the development of defence and dual-use technologies across Europe. This initiative aims to stimulate significant private investment by requiring that companies secure funding rounds at least three times the size of the EIC contribution.
The 2026 budget for this defence call is set at €100 million, with individual companies eligible for equity investments ranging from €10 million to €30 million. Currently, applications span seven countries, with one-third coming from regions eligible for Widening support.
The players
European Innovation Council
This body is the European Union's flagship innovation programme to identify, develop, and scale up breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovations.
European Commission
This is the executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, and managing the EU budget.
The details
The EIC Fund provides direct equity to companies working on strategic defence capabilities and dual-use innovations. To qualify, applicants must leverage the public investment to trigger broader funding rounds that are at least three times the value of the EIC's own contribution.
Timeline
The European Commission amended the 2026 EIC Work Programme on 17 June 2026.
The EIC reported the first call submission figures in October 2026.
Interviews with shortlisted candidates are scheduled for January 2027.
Results of the funding call are expected to be announced in February 2027.
Market Landscape
This initiative represents a pivot within the European startup ecosystem toward high-stakes defence and dual-use sectors. It follows the strategic objectives established by the Defence Mini-Omnibus to expand dual-use technology support.
For dual-use technology companies, this represents a significant new source of high-level equity capital to scale operations. The competitive process will determine which ventures receive the necessary support to bridge the funding gap for critical European security technologies.
The takeaway
European startup policy is increasingly prioritizing the defence sector to ensure regional autonomy in critical dual-use technologies. Businesses operating in this space should monitor upcoming work programme amendments for future funding opportunities.
What happens next
Interviews with shortlisted candidates for the defence funding call are scheduled to take place in January 2027, followed by the official announcement of successful recipients in February 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest industry trends in the Startups section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Gv.
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Should government programs provide direct equity investment to private defence and dual-use technology companies?
