This one-stop-shop allows investors, project promoters and national managing authorities to access key information and identify EU funding opportunities in STEP's three strategic areas: digital and frontier technologies, clean and resource-efficient technologies and biotechnologies.

Projects funded through the platform could, for example, support the development of new antivirals and the creation of artificial intelligence (AI) models in the EU, or provide skills support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in key green technologies. To maximise public and private investment, high quality eligible projects will be awarded a 'STEP label' and actively promoted through the STEP portal.

STEP mobilises the resources of eleven EU investment programmes to support European industry and boost investment in critical technologies in Europe, thereby strengthening EU competitiveness and reducing strategic dependencies. The Commission is currently assessing the first set of Member State projects to use Cohesion Policy funds to support investment in clean technologies, digital technologies and the use of new technologies.