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STEP - Productive Innovation - Digital and Biotechnology
Incentives

STEP - Productive Innovation - Digital and Biotechnology

Opened Until 04-01-2027

Up to 70% non-refundable grant for productive innovation in digital technologies and biotechnologies under the Portugal 2030 STEP initiative

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Typology
STEP Productive Innovation (Productive Business Investment)
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Beneficiaries
Enterprises of any size (SMEs, Small Mid-Caps and Large Enterprises)
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Geographical Area
North, Centro, Alentejo (COMPETE 2030) and Algarve (Algarve 2030)
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Support Rate
Up to 70% (COMPETE 2030) and up to 50% (Algarve 2030) Non-refundable Grant
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Budget Allocation
€107.95 Million (€100M COMPETE 2030 | €7.95M Algarve 2030)

 

General Incentive Objective

 

This call aims to support innovative productive investment projects aligned with the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), fostering:

→The manufacture of critical technologies and the preservation or reinforcement of strategic value chains in the European Union.
→The deployment and industrial scale-up in digital technologies, deep tech innovation, and biotechnologies.
→The structural transformation of the Portuguese economic profile through high value-added, tradeable goods and services.

 

Supported Typologies

 
COMPETE 2030 (North, Centro, Alentejo)
PITD / ERDF — Notice MPR-2026-10
Algarve 2030 (Algarve)
PR Algarve / ERDF — Notice MPR-2026-10
Eligible Activities
→Creation of a new industrial or technological establishment dedicated to digital technologies or biotechnology.
→Diversification of output in an existing establishment towards new STEP products or services.
→Fundamental change in the overall production process to incorporate European critical technologies.
Eligible Activities
→Initial investment for new facilities or operational scaling focused on digital technologies or biotechnology.
→For Large Enterprises, support is restricted to initial investment in favour of a new economic activity in the region.
→Reinforcement of regional value chains linked to smart specialisation priorities (RIS3 Algarve).

 

Eligible Expenses

 
Eligible Expenses COMPETE 2030
North, Centro and Alentejo
Eligible Expenses Algarve 2030
Algarve Region
✓Tangible assets: acquisition of plant machinery and specialized equipment (fossil fuel free) and IT/software systems.
✓Intangible assets: technology transfer, patent rights, licences, know-how and specialized software (capped at 50% for Large Enterprises).
✓SMEs only: engineering studies, technical diagnostic audits, marketing plans and architectural design fees.
✓Building construction and refurbishment works for SMEs (capped at 35% of total eligible expenditure).
✓Certified accountant/auditor fees (up to €5,000) and DNSH compliance reports (up to €15,000).
✓Tangible assets: acquisition of industrial machinery, laboratory hardware and advanced computing systems.
✓Intangible assets: patent acquisition, technical proprietary know-how, software licences and custom development.
✓SMEs only: architectural/engineering projects, third-party technical diagnostics and strategic marketing plans.
✓Building construction and remodeling works for SMEs (specific ceiling up to 70% of total eligible costs in Algarve).
✓Independent audit certification fees (up to €5,000) and DNSH environmental assessments (up to €15,000).

 

Funding & Support Structure

 
COMPETE 2030 (PITD)
North, Centro and Alentejo
Support RateUp to 70% (Non-refundable Grant)
Top-ups / Bonuses
+Dedicated budget allocation: €100,000,000.00 (ERDF)
+Maximum rate of 70% for Micro/Small Enterprises and 60% for Medium Enterprises (includes 10 p.p. STEP top-up)
+Maximum rate of 40% to 50% for Large Enterprises / Small Mid-Caps in less developed regions
+Mandatory minimum eligible expenditure between €3,000,000 and €25,000,000
Algarve 2030 (PR Algarve)
Algarve Region
Support RateUp to 50% (Non-refundable Grant)
Top-ups / Bonuses
+Dedicated budget allocation: €7,950,000.00 (ERDF)
+Rates of 40% to 50% for Micro/Small Enterprises and 30% to 40% for Medium Enterprises in regional aid map areas
+Large Enterprises funded at 20% to 30% or under De Minimis regulation (capped at €300,000 over 3 years)
+No €3M minimum investment threshold requirement

 

Eligible Beneficiaries

 
COMPETE 2030
North, Centro and Alentejo
Algarve 2030
Algarve Region
✓Enterprises (SMEs, Small Mid-Caps, and Large Companies) with physical operations in North, Centro, or Alentejo.
✓Possibility of combining investments across these three regions within a single unified application.
✓Mandatory eligible investment equal to or exceeding €3,000,000.
✓Enterprises of any size investing in physical establishments within the Algarve NUTS II region.
✓Mandatory standalone submission exclusive to operations based in the Algarve.
✓Large enterprises eligible solely for initial investment in a new economic activity or under De Minimis aid.

 

Call & Application Dates

 
Aviso
COMPETE 2030
Aviso
Algarve 2030
Period
From 30/09/2026 to 04/01/2027 (17:00)
Phases
Opening — 30/09/2026
Closing — 04/01/2027 (17:00)
Decision — 90 working days post-closing
Period
From 30/09/2026 to 04/01/2027 (17:00)
Phases
Opening — 30/09/2026
Closing — 04/01/2027 (17:00)
Decision — 90 working days post-closing

 

 
 
Productive Innovation & STEP Critical Technologies

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Key Notice Rules

 
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Investment Thresholds
For COMPETE 2030 (North, Centro, Alentejo), total eligible expenditure must be between €3,000,000 and €25,000,000. This lower threshold does not apply in the Algarve.
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Technology Readiness Level (TRL 8+)
Technologies integrated or produced must demonstrate high maturity for industrial/commercial deployment, corresponding as a rule to TRL 8 or higher.
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Mandatory Technical Annex in English
Mandatory submission of the Technical Annex in English with a strict maximum limit of 45 pages (minimum 11 pt font and 3 cm margins).
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Application Limit Per Company
Each beneficiary may submit up to two applications under this call, provided they constitute technically and economically distinct operations.
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Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) Principle
Obligatory environmental self-assessment and explicit prohibition of machinery or equipment relying on fossil fuels.
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Own Equity Contribution
The beneficiary must deliver at least 25% of the planned equity financing of the operation by the time of the first grant payment.

 

📄 Notice Fact Sheet
Notice Reference MPR-2026-10
Publication Date 30/09/2026
Programme Innovation and Digital Transition Programme (COMPETE 2030) & Algarve Regional Programme (Algarve 2030)
Programme Priority 1C - Innovation and Competitiveness - STEP (COMPETE 2030) | 1C - Development or manufacture of critical technologies (Algarve 2030)
Specific Objectives 1.6 - Support investments contributing to Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) objectives
Managing Authority Managing Authorities of COMPETE 2030 and Algarve 2030 (Intermediate Bodies: IAPMEI for SMEs and AICEP for Large Enterprises)

Knowledge

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

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

06 01 2026

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