The Commission has published the first projects that were awarded a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Seal, a quality label which gives more visibility to promising projects in clean and resource-efficient tech, and deep and digital tech. This label will help attract additional EU public and private funding and support services.
The first 130 projects that were awarded the STEP Seal[1] aim to develop cutting-edge clean technologies with a focus on energy and industry (Innovation Fund), and digital technologies for space-related applications (Horizon Europe/Space). Examples of breakthrough innovations include the development of components for offshore wind towers (Poland), first-of-a-kind sea freight service powered by hydrogen cells (Netherlands), manufacturing of photovoltaic modules (Italy), CO2 Capture for Storage technologies (Denmark) and radiation-resistant integrated circuits for in-space applications (multi-country).
STEP Seals are awarded by the European Commission to all projects contributing to STEP objectives that meet the quality requirements in the calls for proposals under five programmes funded by the EU budget: Innovation Fund, Digital Europe Programme, European Defence Fund, EU4Health programme, and Horizon Europe.
Projects awarded a STEP Seal are listed on the STEP Portal. The Commission will actively promote these projects among public funding bodies, e.g. managing authorities of Cohesion Policy Funds and of the Recovery and Resilience Plans in Member States, and among private investors.
More concretely, Member States are encouraged to support projects awarded a STEP Seal:
- Under the Cohesion Policy Funds (ERDF, ESF+): Managing Authorities in Member States can fast-track project selection and grant support directly to projects awarded the STEP Seal, if the operations fall under the scope of the fund, comply with the cohesion policy programme and contribute to its specific objectives.
- Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility: Projects will be considered as a priority for funding when Member States revise their Recovery and Resilience Plans.
- Under the Modernisation Fund: Projects could be considered as a priority by Member States.
- Under InvestEU: In its ‘policy check’, the Commission will take these projects into account and implementing partners will examine them in a timely manner.
As a badge of distinction, the STEP Seal should help projects to attract private finance, particularly from investors seeking derisked projects with a strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) profile.
Additionally, advisory services promoted under STEP, such business coaching and matchmaking opportunities, are meant to accompany project promoters in the different stages of their projects.
Background
The Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) was set up by the EU to support the European industry and boost investment in critical technologies in Europe. STEP raises and steers funding across 11 existing EU programmes to three target investment areas: Digital technologies and deep-tech innovation; Clean and resource-efficient technologies, and Biotechnologies. STEP also supports projects growing the skills necessary to develop those critical technologies. A STEP project must bring an innovative, emerging and cutting-edge element or contributing to reducing or preventing strategic dependencies of the Union. The Regulation establishing STEP entered into force in March 2024.
*In October 2024, the Commission selected 85 innovative net-zero projects to receive €4.8 billion in grants (covering maximum 60% of all costs) in total from the Innovation Fund under the 2023 call for proposals. All the projects received a STEP Seal. An additional 64 non-funded projects also received a STEP Seal, with 39 of them agreeing to their information being published by the European Commission.
On 21 November 2024, the Commission selected six projects to receive €18.2 million in total from Horizon Europe (Pillar II) under a specific STEP topic of the Space research call 2024. The selected projects received a STEP Seal and can be found here (under topic HORIZON-CL4-2024-SPACE-01-73 – ‘Space technologies for European non-dependence and competitiveness’).
“We are shining a spotlight on 130 groundbreaking projects that exemplify innovation and sustainability. These projects showcase Europe’s ingenuity and commitment to reducing our strategic dependencies while boosting our competitiveness. The Strategic Technology for Europe Platform (STEP) Seal is more than just a badge – it serves as a bridge between promising ideas and the support they need to thrive, whether through public or private investment.”
For more information
List of awarded STEP Seal projects:
Subscription to the STEP Newsletter
Source: European Commission
