A new application round has opened under the Innovation and Competitiveness Financial Instrument (IFIC), an initiative of the Portuguese Development Bank in partnership with the Recover Portugal Mission Structure, aimed at strengthening funding for Deep Tech startups. The move follows the first phase, in which the available support was not fully allocated.
This second stage, open until February 4, is restricted to projects that were not submitted or approved in the previous round. The focus is on accelerating advanced technological solutions, supporting their consolidation, scalability, and readiness for market entry.
The IFIC Deep Tech line is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan and has a total allocation of €15 million. Support is provided through equity or quasi-equity investments, co-invested with private investors under market conditions, with funding of up to €750,000 per project.
Eligibility criteria include a high level of technological maturity, with a proof of concept validated in a laboratory environment, as well as a clear connection to the National Scientific and Technological System and strong growth and scalability potential.