BRUSSELS – 12 June 2025 – The European Commission has announced the results of the second evaluation round for its ambitious EIC Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Scale Up scheme, putting forward four leading deep-tech companies for significant equity investments totaling up to €90 million. These firms, selected for their potential to bolster Europe’s strategic technology landscape, will now advance to the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund for final investment decisions and due diligence.
The highly competitive selection process saw 19 companies submit proposals. From this initial pool, five companies (a 26.3% success rate at this stage) were invited to interview with a panel of independent, high-level experts. Ultimately, four of the five interviewed companies successfully passed the rigorous evaluation, marking an impressive 80% success rate for those reaching the final interview stage. The overall success rate for the round, from initial submission to final recommendation, stands at 21.1%.
The selected companies are at the forefront of critical technology sectors and are now poised for significant growth:
- Multiverse Computing (Spain): A pioneer in the field of quantum and AI computing.
- Hyimpulse Technologies (Germany): An innovator in satellite launch services.
- Dronamics (Bulgaria, Ireland): A developer of advanced drones for cargo delivery.
- Classiq Technologies (Israel): A specialist in quantum software development.
The EIC STEP Scale Up program is designed to bridge a critical market gap in financing for companies ready to scale their breakthrough innovations. It provides substantial equity investments ranging from €10 million to €30 million per company. The goal is to leverage private co-investment, enabling these firms to secure larger financing rounds of €50 million to €150 million or more, which are crucial for global competition.
All companies that passed the evaluation will receive the STEP Seal, a mark of quality designed to help them attract complementary or alternative sources of funding. They will also gain access to the EIC’s valuable Business Acceleration Services.
Background on the EIC STEP Initiative
This funding call is a key component of the EU’s strategy to enhance its sovereignty in critical areas like digital technologies, clean and resource-efficient tech, and biotechnologies. The EIC STEP Scale-up call operates with a budget of €300 million for 2025, with projections to grow to €900 million over the 2025-2027 period. The call remains continuously open, with evaluation sessions conducted quarterly to identify and support Europe’s next generation of tech leaders.
All EIC STEP Scale-Up Winners
| Company | Country | Project | Funding | Year | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiverse Computing | Spain | quantum/AI | Equity | 2025 | 2 |
| Hyimpulse Technologies | Germany | satellite launch services | Equity | 2025 | 2 |
| Dronamics | Bulgaria, Ireland | drones for cargo delivery | Equity | 2025 | 2 |
| Classiq technologies | Israel | quantum software | Equity | 2025 | 2 |
About
The articles found on Rasph.com reflect the opinions of Rasph or its respective authors and in no way reflect opinions held by the European Commission (EC) or the European Innovation Council (EIC). The provided information aims to share perspectives that are valuable and can potentially inform applicants regarding grant funding schemes such as the EIC Accelerator, EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition or related programs such as Innovate UK in the United Kingdom or the Small Business Innovation and Research grant (SBIR) in the United States.
The articles can also be a useful resource for other consultancies in the grant space as well as professional grant writers who are hired as freelancers or are part of a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME). The EIC Accelerator is part of Horizon Europe (2021-2027) which has recently replaced the previous framework program Horizon 2020.
This article was written by ChatEIC. ChatEIC is an EIC Accelerator assistant that can advise on the writing of proposals, discuss current trends and create insightful articles on a variety of topics. The articles written by ChatEIC can contain inaccurate or outdated information.
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