STEP Digital and Biotechnology | Business Research, Development and Innovation

Actions covered by notice MPr-2026-2

Operations must focus on innovative developments that contribute to European autonomy in two fundamental sectors:

• Digital Technologies and Deep Tech: Focus on artificial intelligence, 5G/6G, quantum computing, advanced semiconductors, cybersecurity, and autonomous robotics.
• Biotechnologies: Manufacturing of critical medicines, genetic engineering (DNA/RNA), cellular therapies, bioinformatics, and nanobiotechnology.

Operation Types 

The central operation type is the Integrated Investment in Business Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) under a Co-promotion regime. Operations must mandatorily include:

• R&D Activities: Industrial research and experimental development for the creation of new products or processes.
• Complementary Productive Investment: Productive innovation actions aimed at bringing R&D results to the market, including:
    -  Creation of new establishments;
    -  Diversification of activity or production;
    -  Fundamental change of the production process.

Projects must aim for the manufacture of:

• Final products in the field of critical digital or biotechnological technologies;
• Specific components and machinery for this manufacturing;
• Critical raw materials and specialised associated services (e.g. clean rooms, edge cloud services).

Investment Types

Eligibility is divided into two main components with distinct rules:

A - Research and Development (R&D) Component

• Costs for technical personnel and salary expenses;
• Raw materials, consumable materials, and components for prototypes;
• Acquisition of patents and scientific consultancy services;
• Instruments and technical-scientific equipment;
• Indirect Costs: Flat rate of 7% on direct costs;

B - Productive Innovation Component

• Tangible assets (machinery, equipment, and hardware);

• Intangible assets (technology transfer and patents - 50% limit for Large Companies);
• Construction of buildings and refurbishment works (limit of 20% of the productive component, or 40% in the Algarve);
• Engineering services and certifications (exclusive to SMEs).

Application Dates

• Start: 30/01/2026.
• End: 30/04/2026 (until 17:00).

Notice Beneficiaries

The tender requires the formation of complete consortia necessarily led by a company.

Company Types

• SMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises);
• Small Mid-Caps: Companies that are not SMEs but have up to 499 employees and a turnover ≤ €100M (or balance sheet ≤ €86M);
• Large Companies: Companies that exceed Small Mid-Cap limits.
• ENESII: Universities, polytechnic institutes, and technology interface centres (including those from Autonomous Regions if in partnership with promoters from the Mainland).

Consortium Rules

• Maximum of 10 beneficiaries per consortium.
• Companies must assume the majority financial weight of the project.
• The consortium leader must necessarily invest in both R&D and Productive Innovation.

Financing and Support Rates

Support is granted in the form of a Grant (Non-repayable), calculated based on actual eligible costs.

Budgetary Allocation per programme

The global allocation of €153,000,000 is distributed as follows:

• COMPETE 2030 (PITD): €150,000,000 (one hundred and fifty million euros)
• Algarve 2030: €3,000,000 (three million euros)

Financing Rates (Aid Intensity)

1. R&D Component (Research Activities)

Financing rates apply to actual costs and depend on the nature of the research:

• Base Rate:

  • Industrial Research (TRL 4): 50%

  • Experimental Development (TRL 5-7): 25%

• Bonuses (Cumulative up to a limit of 80%):

  • Company Size: +10 p.p. for Medium Enterprises; +20 p.p. for Micro and Small Enterprises.

  • Collaboration or Dissemination: +15 p.p. if there is effective collaboration between companies or with ENESII, or wide dissemination of results.

  • Location: +15 p.p. or +5 p.p. for projects developed in regions classified as other territories.
    
    Note: Collaboration and Location bonuses are not cumulative with each other.

• ENESII: Maximum rate of 85%, provided the activities are of a non-economic nature.

2. Productive Innovation Component (Industrial Investment)

This component follows the Regional Aid Map (STEP), with increased intensities:

• Micro and Small Enterprises: Between 60% and 70% (depending on the NUTS III sub-region).
• Medium Enterprises: Between 50% and 60%.
• Large Companies and Small Mid-Caps: Between 40% and 50%.

In the case of the Algarve, the limits described above are only applicable if the project location is classified as a low-density territory; otherwise, the de minimis regime or reduced rates up to a maximum of 20% apply.

Financing Conditions

• Minimum Investment: €5,000,000 (five million euros) — this limit does not apply in the Algarve region.
• Maximum Investment: €25,000,000 (twenty-five million euros).
• Project Duration: 36 months

Note: The company must prove that the new investment is relevant compared to its existing assets. The investment must represent at least 10% of its current Net Fixed Assets.