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STEP Platform - Second regional call for investments in strategic technologies
February 11, 2026
The Emilia-Romagna region has launched its second call for proposals to support investment, research and development projects in the strategic technologies sector. The call, which refers to the European Strategic Technologies Platform (STEP), makes €45 million available to support businesses and is part of the 2021-2027 ERDF Operational Programme.
Beneficiaries
Both SMEs and large enterprises are eligible for the call, both those that already have an operational unit in Emilia-Romagna and those that undertake to set one up in accordance with the terms of the call.
Sectors and types of eligible investments
The region intends to support companies operating in the three STEP areas:
digital and deep tech technologies,
clean and resource-efficient technologies,
biotechnologies
Two actions are planned to support:
Investments (Action 1.6.1) – projects in the development and manufacture of critical technologies and in the safeguarding and strengthening of related value chains, including both end products and components
Research and Development (Action 1.6.2) – projects in research and innovation activities related to and functional to the development and manufacture of critical technologies, with high TRL. In particular, with regard to research and development interventions with a starting TRL of 6 and a final TRL of 8.ù
Investments and research activities must focus on technologies capable of
bringing innovative, emerging and cutting-edge elements
and/or
contributing to reducing or preventing the Union's strategic dependencies.
The technologies receiving funding must be placed on the market and generate an economic impact.
In this context, the Ferrara Technology Park is a point of reference for companies interested in the STEP call for proposals, providing access to industrial research laboratories accredited to the Emilia-Romagna Region's High Technology Network, with cutting-edge expertise and equipment covering key areas such as deep tech, biotechnology, digital and sustainable technologies.
Through the laboratories of the Ferrara Technology Park, companies can establish collaborations with highly specialised research teams, thus increasing their chances of success by developing projects with competitive added value. The value of this interaction is also reflected in the ability to develop projects with high levels of technological readiness (TRL) – a requirement for the R&D Action of the STEP call for proposals – and with concrete prospects for market entry.
Cost of eligible interventions
Interventions must, under penalty of ineligibility, have a total eligible cost based on the rules defined in the call for proposals:
not less than €1,000,000 for investment projects (Action 1.6.1);
not less than €1,000,000 for Research and Development projects (Action 1.6.2).
Maximum amount of the grant
€3,000,000 for investments (Action 1.6.1)
3,000,000 for Research and Development (Action 1.6.2)
Application submission deadlines
Applications for funding must be submitted to the region during one of the following time windows:
First window: from 10:00 on 5 February 2026 to 13:00 on 27 February 2026
Second window: from 10:00 a.m. on 4 May 2026 to 1:00 p.m. on 29 May 2026
Third window: from 10:00 a.m. on 1 September 2026 to 1:00 p.m. on 30 September 2026
Each company may submit, in total for all three submission windows, one application for Action 1.6.1 (Investments) and one application for Action 1.6.2 (Research and Development).
Each window has a budget of €7.5 million for Action 1.6.1 and €7.5 million for Action 1.6.2.
The rollover clause stipulates that a project deemed eligible in one window will automatically be included in the ranking for the next window, unless the company waives its position and submits a new application.
To request a partnership with a research laboratory at the Ferrara Technopole, send an email to: tecnopolo@unife.it.
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