The year 2026 marks a decisive turning point for the Portuguese business fabric

With the publication, on 6 January, of the update to the Portugal 2030 Annual Plan of Calls, 220 calls are planned, which will mobilise over 3.8 billion euros in support. For companies seeking modernisation, sustainability, and internationalisation, this is the moment to align strategy and the investment plan with funding opportunities.

The Pillars of 2026: digital, energy, and biotechnology

The major highlight of this plan falls on the STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform) Regulation. These calls, expected to open by the end of January, aim to reinforce Europe's technological sovereignty and present historic budget allocations:

• STEP – Productive Innovation (Digital and Biotechnology): €401 M to support transformative projects in the digital and biotechnological domains.
• STEP – Productive Innovation (Energy): €400 M focused on the energy transition.
• STEP – Business R&D&I: €325 M for co-promotion projects in the Energy and Digital areas.

Beyond these calls, critical opportunities for competitiveness are planned, such as SICE – Productive Innovation – Other Territories (with a budget of €120.5 M and opening expected in April) and incentives for SME Qualification (with a budget of €20 M and opening expected in April). Finally, we highlight the reinforcement of Territorial-Based Incentive Systems in the Centre, North, and Alentejo zones, with openings expected from 16 January.

Why is early preparation of your application fundamental?

In the Portugal 2030 ecosystem, the technical quality of the application is as important as the speed of submission. A structured application ensures:

• Precise framework: avoid immediate reduction due to non-compliance with eligibility criteria.
• Score maximisation: optimise project merit indicators.
• Financial planning: ensure the company has the capacity to secure the national counterpart.

At Yunit, we believe that an incentive is not an end, but a means to accelerate growth. The approval of an application does not depend on luck, but on a rigorous diagnosis and a well-outlined investment strategy.

Table of most relevant Calls for 2026