By: Marie Sýkora Horňáková
February 16, 2026 6 min read
This summer will bring a long-awaited opportunity for companies. Two new calls for proposals will be launched under the Operational Program Technology and Applications for Competitiveness (OP TAK): one focused on research and development projects, STEP Applications, and the other supporting investments in the expansion of production capacities, STEP Investments.
This could be a key moment for many businesses, as both calls respond to Europe’s current need to strengthen its technological self-sufficiency and offer support to areas that have been underserved in recent years.
The Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) is an initiative of the European Union to strengthen European sovereignty in critical technologies. The programme supports the development and production of key solutions in four strategic sectors: digital and deep tech, clean technologies, biotechnology, and defence technologies.
"The STEP Investment Challenge is brand new. So, apart from the information that has been published, we have no practical experience of what its implementation will actually look like. One of the most interesting elements of this call is its focus on investments in technologies, for which there are currently very few support programs available. However, the STEP conditions make it quite narrow. On the other hand, however, it allows for the implementation of truly large-scale projects,” says Ondřej Miffek, Grant Thornton’s expert on subsidies.
"Another important element of this call is that large enterprises will be able to apply for support without having to work with SMEs. This approach significantly expands the range of potential applicants and enables the implementation of larger investment projects,” Ondřej Miffek emphasises.
For Czech companies, STEP represents a unique opportunity to participate in technologically significant European projects and at the same time strengthen their own innovation and long-term competitiveness.
This call will allow companies to receive a subsidy of up to CZK 120 million. It supports industrial research and experimental development projects aimed at acquiring new knowledge needed to develop innovative products, materials, technologies or services. The project must produce at least one research and development result, such as a pilot plant, verified technology, utility or industrial design, prototype, functional sample, or digital solution.
Under this call, companies will be able to obtain subsidies of up to CZK 250 million for projects focused on productive investments serving to develop or manufacture critical technologies and on investments supporting the strengthening of links in the value chain of these technologies. Projects must involve final products, specific components, specific machines, critical raw materials or related services necessary for their development or production.
You can check the compliance of the project with the STEP conditions on the projektstep.cz website.
You can find an overview of all currently open and planned calls in the Grant Radar, where you can clearly filter them by type of applicant and area of interest.
Are you interested in any of the subsidy titles for companies and would you like help with the preparation of a project application? Didn’t find a call suitable for your investment project? Contact us. We will be happy to point you in the right direction and provide all the paperwork necessary to obtain grant funding.
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Subsidy opportunities for businesses evolve dynamically throughout the year, making right now the ideal time to map out what is available and what lies ahead. Below, we provide an overview of currently open calls as well as those set to launch in the coming months.
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