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STEP - Business R&D&I - Energy
Incentives

STEP - Business R&D&I - Energy

Opened Until 04-01-2027

STEP R&D&I and Energy support up to 80% for collaborative business projects under COMPETE 2030

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Typology
Integrated investment in R&D&I and Productive Innovation (STEP - Energy)
🏢
 
Beneficiaries
Consortia led by Companies (any size) and Research Organisations (ENESII)
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Geographical Area
NUTS II Norte, Centro, Alentejo and Algarve
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Support Rate
Up to 80% for R&D (85% for ENESII) plus regional STEP enhanced rates
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Budget Allocation
€75,000,000 (Eligible expenditure from €5M to €25M per project)

 

General Incentive Objective

 

This call aims to support integrated research, development and innovation operations (R&D&I) targeting the development and manufacturing of critical technologies and the preservation or reinforcement of their supply chains, promoting:

→The development and production of clean, resource-efficient and net-zero technologies under the EU STEP Regulation.
→The delivery of higher TRL industrial research and experimental development investments, coupled with productive innovation.
→Structured collaboration and risk sharing between enterprises of any size and non-business entities in the R&I system (ENESII).

 

Supported Typologies

 

Supported collaborative operations must integrate both research & development activities and productive innovation investments:

→R&D Activities: Industrial research and experimental development mainly focused on higher TRLs up to commercial validation.
→Productive Investments: Creation of new establishments, product diversification or fundamental process changes deploying critical technologies.

 

Eligible Expenses

 
✓R&D: Technical personnel assigned to R&D activities and qualified staff recruitment expenses.
✓R&D: Acquisition of patents, raw materials, consumables and components for prototypes and pilot plants.
✓R&D: Technical and scientific equipment, specialized software licenses and instrumentation.
✓R&D: Third-party scientific consulting, technical assistance and indirect overheads at a 7% flat rate.
✓Productive Innovation: Acquisition of machinery and equipment without fossil fuel usage and IT equipment.
✓Productive Innovation: Transfer of technology, intellectual property rights, patent acquisitions and specialized software.

 

Funding & Support Structure

 
 
Support Rate
Up to 80% (R&D) / Up to 85% (ENESII)
 
Total Budget
€75,000,000.00
Taxa Base: R&D: 50% Industrial Research | 25% Experimental Development
Top-ups / Bonuses
+R&D: Company size top-up (+10 p.p. for Medium, +20 p.p. for Micro/Small Enterprises).
+R&D: Effective collaboration or regional location top-up up to +15 p.p. (overall maximum cap 80%).
+Productive Innovation: Standard regional aid map intensity with a STEP bonus of +10 p.p.

 

Eligible Beneficiaries

 
✓Enterprises of any size or legal form with organized accounts and sound financial standing.
✓Non-business research and innovation system entities (ENESII), including those in the Azores and Madeira.
✓Mandatory collaborative consortium (maximum 10 partners), enterprise-led, with majority business investment share.

 

Call & Application Dates

 

Applications submitted in a single call phase:

Single Phase
From 30/09/2026 to 04/01/2027 (17:00h GMT)

 

 
 
Financial Incentives

Is your company developing clean, net-zero critical technologies?

Secure up to 80% non-refundable co-financing under the STEP initiative with our experienced consultants at Yunit Consulting.

 

Key Notice Rules

 
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Project Investment Range
Eligible project costs must be between €5,000,000 and €25,000,000, unless specifically justified and accepted.
⚙️
Mandatory Joint R&D and Production
Projects must combine both R&D and Productive Innovation; operations with only one component are ineligible.
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Enterprise-Led Complete Consortium
Consortia must be led by an enterprise and include market-taker companies capable of commercial exploitation.
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Technical Annex in English
Mandatory submission of the English Technical Annex with a maximum limit of 45 pages plus signed consortium draft.
🎯
Strategic Priority Allocations
17% ring-fenced for Sustainable Clean Aviation (CAJU Roadmap) and 10% for American Universities partnerships (MIT, CMU, UT Austin).
🌱
Do No Significant Harm (DNSH)
Mandatory compliance with the EU DNSH environmental principle, requiring self-assessment by project closing.

 

📄 Notice Fact Sheet
Notice Reference COMPETE2030-2026-11
Publication Date 30/09/2026
Programme Innovation and Digital Transition Programme (COMPETE 2030)
Programme Priority 2C-Energy Transition (STEP) - Compete
Specific Objectives RSO2.9 - Supporting investments contributing to STEP objectives
Managing Authority Managing Authority of COMPETE 2030 (Intermediate Body: Agency for Research and Innovation - AI²)

Knowledge

Portugal's vision for 2030 for the Strategic Technologies Platform (STEP)
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Portugal's vision for 2030 for the Strategic Technologies Platform (STEP)

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