STEP · Portugal 2030

STEP · Productive Innovation · Digital & Biotechnology

Productive investment to manufacture critical digital, deep-tech and biotechnology and strengthen their value chains, supported by a credible market and financing plan.

Assess project eligibility

Overview

The decisive question is how the project contributes to a critical European technology or its value chain. The technology must satisfy the call's innovation and economic-potential test or its strategic-dependency test. Merely buying digital equipment or reducing energy consumption does not establish STEP eligibility.

Investment

What this call can support.

01
Critical digital, deep-tech and biotechnology and their eligible value chains.
02
Specific components and machinery mainly used to develop and manufacture critical technologies; relevant critical raw materials and specialised critical services.
03
New establishments, diversification or fundamental changes to production, under the applicable initial-investment rules.
04
Manufacturing capacity supported by a technically substantiated investment plan and evidence of demand.

Core eligibility

Which businesses and projects may qualify.

Location: Norte, Centro, Alentejo and Algarve.
Eligible expenditure: €3m to less than €25m*. Exceptions require justification under the call. These thresholds do not apply in Algarve; regional rules must be assessed separately.
Individual applications by companies of any size with organised accounts and a balanced financial position.
Normal duration: 24 months, except duly justified cases.
Project eligibility, sector, company size, financial position and incentive effect must be assessed together.

Critical considerations

What makes a strong application.

Evidence that the technology is critical, with at least two factors under the applicable STEP condition; market potential or reduced EU strategic dependencies.
Application before work starts, except permitted preparatory activities. Irreversible commitments must be reviewed before signing.
Mandatory technical annex in English: up to 45 pages, following the official template.
Financial projections, own funding, liquidity until grants are paid, permits and an executable investment timetable.

Eligible expenditure

Investment and funding conditions.

Up to 70%; Algarve up to 50%. This is a maximum, not a universal grant rate. The actual rate depends on company size, location and the aid framework. Eligible expenditure may include productive equipment, intangible assets and construction within the call's limits. Support takes the form of a grant. Each cost category and funding source requires individual assessment.

Read the full official call (Portuguese)

Illustrative project

From an idea to a project.

A manufacturer establishes capacity to produce a critical semiconductor component or a biotechnological product within an eligible value chain.

Illustrative example. Eligibility depends on a full assessment of the project and the conditions of the call.

Download the technical annex template (English)

The Fenix Capital view

Incentives should strengthen the investment’s financial strategy.

Formal eligibility is only the starting point. The application must connect investment to strategy, demonstrate delivery capacity and anticipate the financing required until the support is received.

Fenix Capital supports the initial assessment, application structuring, financial model and implementation monitoring, bringing together incentives, equity and financing.

Read the official guidance (Portuguese)

Compare all STEP calls

01 · INSIGHTS

STEP 2026: which call fits your investment?

Compare the four calls and distinguish productive innovation from R&D&I.

Read the analysis →02 · INSIGHTS

Digital and Biotechnology: what makes a project eligible?

Critical technologies, value chains and the evidence behind a strong application.

Read the analysis →03 · INSIGHTS

STEP Energy: manufacturing the clean transition

Opportunities for technology producers and specialised suppliers.

Read the analysis →04 · INSIGHTS

R&D&I: from consortium to a fundable project

Technology, industrialisation, collaboration and liquidity in one plan.

Read the analysis →

From opportunity to investment

Does your project fit STEP?

Share the technology, location, estimated investment and project stage. We can assess the relevant call and discuss the financial structure needed to deliver it.

A focused first conversation, confidential and without commitment. Include your company name and a contact number.

Request STEP assessment Book a conversation

The assessment button opens an email draft with the information to share. info@fenixcapital.pt