All items · AI / ML

Small but recurring IT services contract with a Norwegian defence infrastructure buyer — an entry point for software/integration consultancies wanting a defence reference in Norway. Relevant to IT integration SMEs with Norwegian-language delivery capacity and security clearance potential. Do: If you provide integration/middleware consultancy with Norwegian delivery capability, submit via the Mercell/Doffin notice for R01884 by 17 August 2026.

A €9.9m two-lot WMS/MES software buy tied to Spain's new Córdoba Army Logistics Base, one of the few defence IT contracts open to civil logistics-software vendors. Relevant to WMS/MRO software houses and integrators with Spanish presence and defence security clearance. Do: If you supply WMS or maintenance/workshop management software, check the Spanish Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público notice and submit for Lot 1 or Lot 2 by 18 August 2026 — or approach Spanish integrators as a subcontractor.

The fellowships are the cheapest way for cyber/AI teams to co-develop with armasuisse's cyber unit and get onto its technology-monitoring radar; the Startup Challenge (winners get a paid pilot with the Swiss armed forces) is the only structured door into armasuisse for cyber start-ups. Do: Cyber/AI researchers with a Swiss university host: submit doctoral/postdoc applications on the EPFL CYD page by 19 Aug 2026 17:00 CEST, or file a proof-of-concept fellowship any time; start-ups: watch cydcampus.admin.ch for the 2026 Cyber Startup Challenge topic.

UKDI is the main low-barrier UK entry point for single-company defence innovation funding, and the Defence-side route is being rebuilt after the Defence Investment Plan — meaning the Security Open Call is currently the only broad open door. Relevant to autonomy, space, sensing and security-tech scale-ups and SMEs able to bid alone without a consortium. Do: Submit to the Security Open Call 2026 Cycle 1 by 27 August 2026 or Innovation Support to Operations Cycle 8 by 22 September 2026 via the UKDI portal, and email accelerator@dstl.gov.uk for scope clarification; contact the UKDI Help Centre about Defence Innovation Loans while cycles are paused.

The Security Open Call is UKDI's recurring, broad-scope entry point for non-incumbents into UK security/defence funding, with a two-stage sift rather than a full tender. Relevant to early-stage security and dual-use tech firms (sensing, cyber, AI, C-UAS) able to submit a short Stage 1 proposal in under two weeks. Do: Download the competition document and submit a Stage 1 proposal via the UKDI submission portal before 12:00 BST on 27 August 2026.

Recurring, low-effort entry point into UK Home Office/NPSA budgets for near-market security tech, with challenge owners screening at Stage 1. Relevant to cyber, sensing/screening, AI-vision and XR firms with a working prototype and a UK delivery entity. Do: Read the competition document and file a Stage 1 overview proposal via the UKDI portal by 27 August 2026, mapping your prototype explicitly to one Home Office or NPSA challenge area; otherwise target the next cycle.

A small but security-sensitive Danish MoD IT hosting contract being moved off incumbent suppliers, with health-data handling and 24/7 critical support duties. Relevant to Danish/Nordic managed-hosting and secure application-operations SMEs able to run on-premise environments to defence security standards. Do: If you operate a security-accredited on-premise hosting/ALM capability, download the tender documents via the TED notice and submit an offer to FMI by 31 August 2026, evidencing health-data/GDPR and 24/7 incident handling references.

A EUR 20m multi-lot IT/software framework from Estonia's defence investment centre covering development, maintenance, support and consultancy is a sizeable, recurring opportunity for software firms serving defence IT systems, not a niche capability tender. Do: Register interest via the Estonian TED notice and review the procurement documents to determine which of the four service categories (development, maintenance/support, new software delivery, consultancy) fits your capability, then submit a bid before 2026-09-01.

A rare open, software-only defence IT contract at DALO worth ~EUR 12m over up to 10 years, accessible to fleet-management/car-sharing SaaS vendors rather than traditional primes. Relevant to mobility software firms and IT integrators able to host in Denmark and run a 24/7 helpdesk. Do: Download the tender documents via TED notice 469906-2026 and submit a bid through the Danish e-procurement portal by 3 September 2026, evidencing Danish hosting, data migration and in-vehicle access hardware capability.

Small money but the fastest path to Ukrainian battlefield validation and a Ukrainian partner — which is now the passkey for the larger EDIP USI calls (€180m MAB, €80m C-UxS).

A rare Romanian law-enforcement OSINT/darknet investigation platform buy of over EUR 3m under the defence-security directive, with no incumbent named. Relevant to cyber-intelligence and OSINT/dark-web monitoring vendors and integrators able to supply turnkey hardware plus analytics and support in Romania. Do: Register in SEAP/SICAP, download the tender pack and submit clarification questions on hardware/analytics requirements at least 9 days before the 16 September 2026 bid deadline; line up a Romanian integrator partner for delivery and support.

Dstl is seeding low-TRL autonomy ideas with small, fast contracts and a signalled £600k Phase 2 follow-on, a low-barrier entry point into UK MOD autonomy work. Relevant to autonomy/robotics research teams and university-linked startups; note Stage 1 has already closed, so only invited applicants can now submit. Do: If invited at Stage 1, submit your Stage 2 proposal via the UKDI Online Submission Service before midday 17 September 2026; otherwise watch for the Phase 2 competition and the Dstl Autonomy Programme Incubator's next call.

Cheap, fast pipeline into the EUDIS accelerator and EDF SME calls for early-stage teams; for BD leads it is a scouting event for autonomy talent.

A recurring, fast-turnaround UK MOD innovation route with contracting immediately after assessment and possible follow-on procurement, aimed at production-ready rather than lab-stage tech. Relevant to scale-ups and SMEs with TRL 5-6 hardware or software that can be manufactured and fielded quickly for current operations. Do: Register on the UKDI Online Submission Service and submit a ≤£350k, four-month, TRL 6 proposal before midday 22 September 2026.

This is the EDF's most open, SME/research-organisation-reserved slot — no thematic constraint and a modest EUR 5m cap, making it the realistic entry point for small consortia rather than prime-led megaprojects. Relevant to defence-tech scale-ups and dual-use firms (AI, autonomy, sensors, energy) that can bring a civil-developed technology to TRL 4+ in defence. Do: Assemble a small cross-border SME/RTO consortium and submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026, checking eligible-country and ownership-control conditions in section 6 of the call document.

This is the EDF's most open, smallest-ticket door — EUR 3m per project, no thematic constraint, TRL4+, aimed at rapid time-to-market — making it the realistic entry point for deep-tech scale-ups without prime backing. Relevant to AI, autonomy, quantum, EW and novel-materials startups able to form a small cross-border consortium. Do: Assemble a lean consortium of eligible EU/Norway-based entities and prepare the lump-sum Detailed Budget Table plus ownership-control declaration for submission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026.

A small, single-award EDF development topic where the technical core is UGV autonomy, EOD manipulation and ML-based object recognition rather than heavy platform integration — unusually accessible for specialist robotics teams. Relevant to UGV/EOD robotics firms, ML-based detection/classification developers and demilitarisation service SMEs in EDF-eligible states. Do: Line up an EDF-eligible consortium (or secure a work package with an EOD/UGV integrator) and submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026, preparing the ownership-control and co-financing declarations early.

A single large EDF award for PRS/NAVWAR integration will likely lock in one consortium for the EU's military PNT resilience stack for years. Relevant to GNSS receiver and anti-jam antenna makers, munitions guidance-kit suppliers and C2 software firms in EDF-eligible states. Do: Approach likely consortium leads (large PNT/missile integrators) now for a work-package slot on PRS receiver or NAVWAR C2 software, and prepare the PRS declaration and ownership-control documents before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A single large EDF award in aircraft survivability, following on from earlier EDF self-protection work, so an incumbent consortium is likely already forming. Relevant to makers of missile-warning/laser-warning sensors, RF and IR countermeasures, DIRCM, EW libraries and mission-computer software with EU-eligible ownership. Do: Contact likely EDF airborne-EW consortium leads now to secure a work-package (sensor, countermeasure or threat-classification software) rather than leading, and prepare ownership-control and cofinancing declarations before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A single EUR 24m award for cognitive EW under the STEP deep/digital label means one consortium will likely take the whole topic, so slot allocation happens now. Relevant to EW/SIGINT houses and AI signal-processing SMEs able to plug into a prime-led RESM/CESM work package. Do: Identify the likely EDF EW consortium leaders (large ESM/EW integrators) and pitch a specific AI signal-classification or RESM/CESM work package before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline.

A single-award EDF topic that is essentially a secure software/logistics-IT build rather than a hardware programme, so software SMEs in encryption, resilient distributed systems and mobile apps can hold real work packages. Relevant to secure-comms/cyber software houses and logistics-IT firms in EDF-eligible states with STEP-aligned defence activity. Do: Contact consortium leads forming around military mobility digitalisation (previous EU military-mobility project participants) and pitch a work package on offline-resilient encrypted data exchange or consignment tracking before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A single EUR 25m award for military IMA/defence air cloud avionics will likely go to a large air-primes consortium, making work packages the realistic entry point. Relevant to avionics software, modular computing, secure onboard networking and mission-system SMEs with EU/Norway-based, non-third-country-controlled entities. Do: Contact the likely lead air primes/avionics integrators forming the EDF-2026-DA-AIR-STFS consortium to secure a work package (modular avionics, onboard comms/AI) well before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

This is the SME-reserved, non-thematic EDF window — the rare EDF topic where a small consortium of SMEs can lead rather than sit under a prime, with a manageable EUR 6m ceiling. Relevant to defence-tech scale-ups and dual-use SMEs (drones, sensors, AI, energy, digital) with TRL 4+ prototypes seeking qualification/testing funding. Do: Download the call document from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, confirm ownership-control and eligible-country conditions, and line up a cross-border SME consortium plus the harmonised capability and procurement-intent declarations from Member States before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A rare EDF research topic where software-only players — simulation, synthetic environment and AI/decision-support houses — can win a work package without hardware, and the EUR 8m per-proposal cap means two or more consortia can be funded. Relevant to defence AI/wargaming SMEs and simulation vendors in EDF-eligible states. Do: Line up a cross-border EDF consortium (or ask existing simulation/AI primes for a work package on scenario databases, doctrinal models or benchmarking) and submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026.

A single EUR 20m award for a multidomain radar demonstrator spanning both hypersonic and counter-UAV detection — a rare consolidated EDF sensor slot likely to attract large radar houses. Relevant to radar front-end, waveform/signal-processing and AI-for-radar specialists, plus C-UAS sensor SMEs able to take a work package. Do: Identify the likely lead radar integrators bidding this topic and pitch a waveform/AI signal-processing or antenna work package before the 29 September 2026 EDF deadline via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

A EUR 30m EDF topic explicitly requiring reuse of civil EU-funded results — unusual leverage for UUV, hydroacoustic sensor and subsea comms firms that have Horizon/EMFAF heritage. Relevant to UUV/AUV builders, sonar and fibre-sensing SMEs, and maritime C2 software houses in eligible EU/Norway entities. Do: Identify your prior civil EU project results and IP rights, then pitch a work package to seabed-protection consortium leads (naval primes/RTOs) well before the 29 September 2026 EDF deadline.

A dedicated EUR 20m research topic on automated air-to-air refuelling signals EU interest in enabling unmanned tanker/receiver operations, an area with few incumbents beyond Airbus and Boeing. Relevant to EO/IR and relative-navigation sensor makers, image-processing/AI firms and flight-control software SMEs in EDF-eligible states. Do: Secure a work-package in a forming consortium (approach likely EDF air-domain coordinators such as tanker or flight-control primes) and prepare your sensor-fusion/relative-navigation credentials before the 29 September 2026 submission.

A single EUR 29m award means one large consortium will effectively set the EU OTH radar network concept, and prior OTH EDF projects give incumbents (French/Italian radar houses) a head start. Relevant to HF radar, passive radar, signal-processing and radar-data-fusion specialists able to slot into a work package rather than lead. Do: Identify the consortium continuing the earlier EDF OTH radar projects and pitch a specific work package (HF antenna arrays, passive/cognitive signal processing, or multi-sensor fusion) well before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline.

A rare EDF topic where multiple smaller consortia are funded (max €4.6m each) and compete in a common live test campaign, lowering the barrier versus mega-consortium topics. Relevant to swarm autonomy, sensor-fusion and AI-vision scale-ups plus ground-robot and small-drone makers in eligible EU/Norway entities. Do: Form or join a small EDF-eligible consortium and prepare the Part B proposal plus ownership-control declarations for submission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 29 September 2026.

This is the referee, not the competitor, slot: a single EUR 7m grant to set the European benchmark for swarm/AI situational-awareness evaluation, paired with the earlier AISAP-STEP topic. Relevant to test-range operators, simulation/benchmarking houses and autonomy labs with data-annotation and field-trial capability. Do: If you run test ranges, synthetic environments or benchmarking/data-annotation for autonomy, join or form a cross-border consortium and submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026.