Support will be directed to early-stage and growth-stage enterprises developing strategic technologies and/or dual-use solutions.
The Fund of Funds (FoF) has launched a procedure for the selection of a fund manager for the equity financial instrument “Strategic Technologies and Defence Fund” under the Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises Programme 2021–2027, co-financed by the European Union.
Through the selected fund manager, equity and/or quasi-equity investments will be made in early-stage and the growth-stage companies. The support is intended for companies developing or producing strategically important technologies and solutions with high growth potential and strong market prospects.
The “Strategic Technologies and Defence Fund” will channel resources to Bulgarian enterprises developing strategic technologies in the areas identified under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP).
Public resources of EUR 30.3 million have been allocated for the implementation of the instrument. The selected fund manager will also provide additional private co-financing of at least 10%, thereby increasing the total amount of available funding.
Investments will target SMEs and large enterprises operating in the following areas:
digital and deep technologies;
clean and resource-efficient technologies;
biotechnologies, including critical medicinal products and their components;
defence technologies and industrial capacity, with a particular focus on dual-use products and services.
The maximum amount of a single investment will be EUR 5 million, and the instrument is expected to support 15 enterprises, with the investment period running until the end of 2030.
Applicants for the role of fund manager may be Bulgarian or foreign natural or legal persons, consortia thereof, or other entities entitled to provide the relevant services under the legislation of the country in which they are established.
The selection and award criteria, the applicant requirements and the conditions for implementation are set out in detail in the procurement documentation.
Applications may be submitted until 8 September 2026. The complete procurement documentation is available in CAIS EOP, under the Buyer's Profile, at the following link: https://app.eop.bg/today/588339
