📋 Tender Overview
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 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 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 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 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 as business coaching and matchmaking opportunities, are meant to accompany project promoters in the different stages of their projects.
